The Herbert in Coventry to show the Diverse Work of Ana Maria Pacheco

Written by Sonia Delao Wednesday, 16 February 2011 23:17

 

COVENTRY, UK - The extraordinary diverse work of Ana Maria Pacheco will be brought to The Herbert in Coventry this month. The Brazilian-born artist’s work ranges from paintings to sculptures to prints which focus on a wide mix of cultural images. The Ana Maria Pacheco: Prints from the Hayward Touring Exhibition will be on display in temporary gallery 4 at The Herbert in Jordan Well in the city centre from Saturday, October 25th, to January 4th, 2009.

There will be five sets of prints on show which chronicle a particular time in Brazilian folklore, classical myths, Catholic rituals and medieval satire. Sculptures, oil paintings and engravings will also be loaned from Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

Dominic Bubb, exhibitions officer at The Herbert, said this would be the first exhibition to be held in temporary gallery 4 following the completion of the £20 million refurbishment and extension.

“Ana Maria is renowned for her specific type of work which resulted in her being appointed an associate artist at the National Gallery in London between 1997 and 1999,” he said. "She has gained most recognition for her groups of sculptures which are carved from wood and need to be seen to be fully appreciated for their intricate detail. This is the first time Ana’s work will have been on display at The Herbert and she uses a variety of techniques in her print work such as etching, woodcut, dry point, lithography and screen-print to give each image maximum effect. She gains a great deal of her inspiration from folk legends and myths as well as drawing on her personal experiences from growing up in Brazil."

"There are a lot of universal themes in her work and images that people will instantly recognise. Ana creates evocative pieces that go back to myths as well as including modern-day images such as helicopters. Ana has a very loyal following among art lovers and this is part of our aim to bring a wide variety of art styles to The Herbert in the extra gallery space we now have."

Despite a merry disposition that punctuates her conversation with quick laughter, Pacheco's work, to many, appears darkly frightening. "The Land of No Return" (2004), the seminal "Dark Night of the Soul" (1999) and the boatful of forlorn figures in "The Longest Journey" (1994) place characters into bleak, cruel scenarios.

She nurtures the unease she can cause even herself, she says...."It's important that we not be too at ease. I want us to be pushed to another world. We live our baggage. You have to rely on your experience. And by using a connection with the past, I'm looking for a kind of message that's very contemporary, and that also includes a sense of insecurity."

Visit The Herbert in Coventry at : www.theherbert.org/

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