Faries, Ariadne
Ariadne Faries (1968 – 2020)
The universal language of art
For Ariadne Faries art is universal. “My paintings are abstract and may, therefore, not be easily understood. But whenever someone takes the effort to really look at my work, my original intention is always discovered. That is how I experience the universal language of art.”
The wooden clothes-peg
The art of Ariadne is firmly rooted in her own world. She paints her life, her emotions, her opinions and her observations. She is showing the world when she is hurt or confused, angry or feeling strong. She also paints what fascinates her, as if trying to dissect the object of her fascination, investigating it till she can finally wholly understand it. For this process, she may use paint, objects, and photography. Anything that may help her express herself. In her early years as an artist, this is how she somehow picked up a wooden clothes peg and started drawing lines with it in the wet paint. The effect was much to her liking, and she continued using it. Since her exhibit ‘Laberinto’ (Labyrinth) in 2003, ‘the clothes-peg drawn line’ has been her trademark.
“In the beginning, when I first started to use the clothes peg as part of my technique, I did it almost haphazardly. It was as if I was pouring out my emotions over this tiny piece of wood. Now, I apply it consciously, more in service of creating my paintings. Over the years, I have refined the way I handle this tool and the effect I want it to create.”
The Black Nun
Her painting of ‘The Black Nun’ is inspired by the Angolan non she meets in 2008. This work can be interpreted as a symbol for the Mission on Curaçao. The Roman Catholic Mission from the Netherlands has been immensely influential on the island. Among other things, schools are founded, convents built and the hospital is constructed. All this gives the catholic church a strategic position and direct influence in the local community. For the artist, this painting also has a more personal and more profound meaning: it symbolizes her own struggle with and ultimate acceptance of the church. Moreover, it also describes her own identity, “My skin is white, but on the inside, I feel like I am more black than white.”
Different curators choose the painting for theme exhibits. In 2010 ‘The Black Nun’ is shown in ‘Antepasado de Futuro’ an overview of the visual arts on Curaçao from 1900 to 2010, curated by Jennifer Smit and Felix de Rooy. For ‘Island Reflections’, curated in 2011 by Suzanne Wilczak, the painting travels to Michigan, US. In 2012, it is part of the New York exhibit ‘Caribbean: Cross-roads of the World’ .
© Text by Josée Thissen-Rojer (2012). When reproducing the text above, please credit the source: Curaçao Art®️ www.curacao-art.com. The artist retains all image rights of their artworks.
Solo exhibitions
2011 Being Mon Art Gallery, Curaçao
2009 Humble Gallery Alma Blou, Curaçao
2008 Alleluia The Curacao Museum, Curacao
2005 Passion Galeria Otrobanda Vieja, The Rif Fort, Curaçao
2003 Laberinto Galeria Otrobanda Vieja – The Rif Fort, Curaçao
This text may only be reproduced with reference to the source: Curaçao Art®️, www.curacao-art.com. Copyright of the artworks remains property of the artist.