Artist: Alejandra Venegas
Exhibition title: Sólo tres días
Venue: Dürst Britt & Mayhew, Billytown, The Hague, The Netherlands
Date: May 19 – 21, 2023
Photography: Katherina Heil /copyright the artist & courtesy by Dürst Britt & Mayhew, The Hague
Dürst Britt & Mayhew is proud to present a three day only pop-up exhibition of works by Alejandra Venegas in the gallery space of Billytown in The Hague. The exhibition will combine Venegas’ well-known woodcarvings with her lesser known works on paper.
Mexican artist Alejandra Venegas uses an unusual surface to paint on, namely carved wood. She hand carves landscape scenes and natural motives from various sorts of wood native to Mexico, after which she colours them with gouache or oil. Uniting the natural, warm tones of the wood with stridently bright shades is a contrast she actively seeks for. Incorporating the natural irregularities of the wood makes it much more than just a panel to paint on and gives the work a definite sculptural character. For Venegas, these works have therefore become a meeting place between painting, sculpture and drawing.
Alejandra Venegas’ interest lies in an intercultural search for motifs, patterns and symbols, which seem to have a universal meaning. Since her childhood, she has focused her gaze on Asian art, Japanese woodblock prints, Tibetan Buddhist painting, traditional African woodcarving and Egyptian hieroglyphs among many other interests. Her imagery stems from her memories and from closely observing her immediate natural surroundings, being her garden and the mountain close to her house, as well as various other territories. Her works hover between the figurative and the abstract, the real and the surreal. They have firm roots in Mexico, but they speak of a shared human experience and language.
Alejandra Venegas (1986, Mexico) studied Visual and Plastic Arts at La Esmeralda in Mexico City. Recent solo and duo exhibitions include ‘Nubada’ at Proyectos Monclova in Mexico City, ‘Downpour’ with Alex Farrar at Madragoa in Lisbon, ‘Al Cerro Irradiante’ at Kubikulo in Porto, ‘Frequently the woods are pink’ with Paul Beumer at Dürst Britt & Mayhew, ‘Timicho’ at Dürst Britt & Mayhew, ‘Cavar estanques y amontonar montañas’ at Casa Santa Maria de Fundación Casa Wabi, and ‘Hacer una Isla’ with Anabel Juárez at BWSMX Gallery, Ruberta Projects in Los Angeles. Recent group exhibitions include ‘Bailando en la Oscuridad’ at Galeria Karen Huber in Mexico City, ‘Luego, la forma’ at Galeria GAM in Mexico City, ‘Quality Time’ at Proxyco Gallery in New York, ‘Fuera de los muros entre los cuerpo’ at Casa de la Cultura San Rafael in Mexico City, and ‘Courage! Near infra red’ curated by Abraham Cruzvillegas at Galeria Rinomina in Paris.
Alejandra Venegas was a resident artist at Casa Wabi in Oaxaca in 2018. In 2014 she was selected for the XVI Biennial Rufino Tamayo and in 2016 for the Biennial UNAM of Visual Arts. In 2013 and 2015 she received the FONCA Jóvenes Creadores scholarship. In 2023 she was awarded the Premio Tequila 1800 Colección. Work by Venegas is held in private and public collections, including the AKZO Nobel Art Foundation in Amsterdam, the Roche Art Collection in Basel and the Collectión Fundatión ARCO in Madrid. Venegas lives and works in Mexico City.
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Volcanes #2, 2018, monotype (oil on paper), 83 x 68 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Paisaje #14, 2019, Ciricote wood carving, gouache and wax 30 x 15 x 2.5 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Paisaje #7, 2019, Ciricote wood carving, gouache and wax 30 x 15 x 2.5 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Nubada bajo la noche, 2023 gouache on paper, 42 x 29,5 cm (excl frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Volcana, 2020, carved Huanacaxtle wood, gouache and wax, 50 x 36.5 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Mountain-Water series #64, 2019 watercolour on rice paper, 181 x 96 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sol muerto, 2022, Carved cedar wood, cedar wood applications and gouache, 48.5 x 33.5 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Abril, 2021, monotype (oil on paper), 68 x 52,5 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Agosto, 2021, monotype (oil on paper), 68 x 52,5 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Vereda, 2020, carved rubber tree wood, gouache and wax 32 x 28 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Some pollution, 2020, carved rubber tree wood, gouache and wax, 31 x 28cm
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Aves migratorias de Abril, 2020, carved Huanacaxtle wood, gouache and wax, 62 x 44,5 cm
Alejandra Venegas, El mar, 2021, carved Huanacaxtle wood and oil 57,5 × 45 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Tepozán viejo, 2020, carved Huanacaxtle wood, gouache and wax 62 x 44,5 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Julio, 2021, monotype (oil on paper), 68 x 52,5 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Mountain-Water series #95, 2018, ink and watercolor on rice paper, 183 x 96 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Cerros, 2022, carved cedar wood and gouache, 50 x 43 cm
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sunset #2, 2018, acrylic on paper, 45 x 37 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sunset #1, 2018, acrylic on paper, 45 x 37 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sunset #4, 2018, acrylic on paper, 45 x 37 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sunset #3, 2018, acrylic on paper, 45 x 37 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Nubada purpura, 2023 gouache on paper, 40 x 29,5 cm (excl frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Nubada violeta, 2023 gouache on paper, 32 x 24 cm (excl frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Nubada bosque, 2023 gouache on paper, 33 x 24,5 cm (excl frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Nubada roca, 2023 gouache on paper, 33 x 24,5 cm (excl frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Nubada naranja, 2023 gouache on paper, 35,5 x 28 cm (excl frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Nubada y cielo verde, 2023 gouache on paper, 32 x 24 cm (excl frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Nubada dispersa, 2023 gouache on paper, 35,5 x 28 cm (excl frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Volcanes #1, 2018, monotype (oil on paper), 83 x 68 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Volcanes #3, 2018, monotype (oil on paper), 83 x 68 cm (frame)
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague
Alejandra Venegas, Sólo tres días, 2023, exhibition view, Dürst Britt & Mayhew at Billytown, The Hague