Santiago Parra: SOARING NATURE

San Diego, California - Madison Gallery presents Santiago Parra for his solo exhibition Soaring Nature. Born in Colombia, Parra's journey has been marked by a diverse educational background, starting at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, followed by art education at Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, and later refining his craft at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. His artistic evolution is a testament to his dedication and the rich cultural influences shaping his distinctive style.

A visual model with texture and fluidity of movement, created by swirls and undulations of black paint, distinguishes them in different ways. The bold, expressive black linework reminiscent of Franz Kline's canvases and Richard Serra's charcoal drawings inspire Parra's large-scale monochromes, which present Parra's natural being.

Parra's art is a beautiful enigma, a mystery of his subconscious that speaks for itself through the untamed brushstrokes. He is not particularly looking to "express" himself but to open what can't be expressed and let that energy drive him. An animal-like instinct that urges him to move across the canvas without direction, just notion. With no barriers in the way of acting, Parra's aesthetic explores and questions the essence of abstract image-making, becoming a translation of the nature of being human onto a canvas.

"As humans, we live within the constraints of thoughts. It's

something we learn from a very young age: the important

distinctions between good and evil, the correct ways to

act, how to contain or control our instincts, and how to

judge and archive all the overwhelming emotions that convey

our own humanity. Thought not only directs our patterns and

ways of behaving day to day, but it has become like a

second skin that covers our animality. So much so that it

is strange to think of ourselves as animals, simple mammals

with a developed brain-a brain that thinks and thinks and

thinks…

But behind, within the body that thinks, lies this organic

and natural being whose laws are not determined by ideas,

that fierce or undomesticated animal within. When I see the

paintings of Santiago Parra, I can feel the link with that

natural being, with that part of me that is free and

indomitable, that flows and contorts. There is a connection

in his paintings with that part of thought that is hidden,

those thoughts that are not a link but a part of nature,

that beautiful soaring nature that is a part of us."

- Lucía Morón

2024

Madison Gallery and founder Lorna York have combined a series of selected works by Santiago Parra to produce an exhibition that captivates with its raw, instinctual energy and profound exploration of abstract image-making. Parra's expansive monochromes, distinguished by their striking, emotive black linework, attract viewers to engage with the wild, feral spirit beneath human consciousness. This show, in addition to showcasing Parra's distinct artistic vision, is a testament to Madison Gallery's dedication to enhancing the cultural conversation in Southern California by bringing important Latin American and worldwide artists to the area.

Parra has exhibited in London, Bogotá, Santiago, Miami, and Lisbon, among other cities. His most notable collections can be found at the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), Miami, USA, Tanya C. Brillembourg Collection (USA), Jorge Pérez Collection (USA), Solita Mishaan Collection (Spain), Jean et Colette Cherqui Collection (France), Kehinde Wiley Collection (USA), Koç Art Collection (Istanbul, Turkey), Cesar Gaviria Collection, (Colombia), Collection Lazaro (Spain), and Solita Cohen Collection (USA).

Founded by Lorna York in 2001, Madison Gallery's program focuses on internationally recognized, museum-level artists whose work contributes to domestic and international cultural dialogue. The gallery presents significant Latin artists and brings international artists to Southern California for the first time. The core gallery program focuses on established and mid-career artists, but the gallery also punctuates the program with historical exhibitions to provide depth and context.

Artists represented by Madison Gallery receive critical attention and are widely exhibited. Many of the gallery's primary artists, shown initially with Madison Gallery, are now being exhibited internationally and by established galleries in other cities, proving that the gallery has become a springboard for young talent.