Pau Aguiló

Gone West

First exhibition of Pau Aguiló at Pelaires Cabinet.

Gone West, described by Pau Aguiló as "an ode to loneliness", can be interpreted as the portrait of an inquiry into the meaning of oneself. Focusing on ubiquitous aspects of the human condition, the series of paintings capture the artist's deeply personal allegorical visions and his reactions to the "New Poems" (Volumes One through Four) of James Massiah.

The concept arose after Aguiló chanced to meet Massiah and subsequently became familiar with his work. Instantly moved by its authenticity and closeness, Aguiló decided to create visual interpretations of Massiah's verses and focus on the written word to guide his compositions, something that brought him closer to a new approach to painting: the process consisted of a meticulous dissection of poems, through which the artist selected fragments and phrases that had the potential to form convincing compositions, elements or symbols for his paintings. These elements laid the foundations for his pictorial narratives, resulting in a series of imaginary worlds inhabited by authentic and palpable experiences.

At its core, Gone West explores the human condition through candid personal introspection. Despite the fictitious and sometimes whimsical imagery, the canvases maintain an incredible feeling of compassion, encouraging viewers to empathize and confront the struggles they face throughout their lives.

Aguiló decided to make the series in Algaida, Mallorca, in the forest where he spent his childhood. This secluded location allowed him to paint for long periods of time without the distractions of the outside world. He worked on the canvases simultaneously to create a feeling of uniformity in the palette and in the composition of the entire series, although in some works you can see differences between the final result and his reference poems. Confined in isolation, he was able to create intimate reverberations of the poems through his own lens, incorporating the characteristics of the provincial and remote environment into his compositions. Most importantly, the isolation allowed him to escape the hectic city of London and spend time reflecting on his experiences in the bustling metropolis in a completely different environment, familiar and at the same time nostalgic. Thus, Pau anchored his conceptual trajectory in autobiographical references, above all, in his transition and adaptation to London and its unknown culture. In this way, the works allude to the artist's experience with migration to Western Europe and its bustling cities full of hustle, energy and noise, and which, paradoxically, can often be alienating.

In the paintings, solitary figures appear wandering through extensive landscapes and isolated houses. At times these figures have a clear purpose, acting as a statement, while at other times they appear to be lost and aimless. The protagonists, with a bittersweet nature, seem to be invaded by a sense of omnipresent danger, manifested through vivid formal choices, such as bursts of color or dynamic lines. Although in some works in the series images of war, debris and implicit violence appear, in others the conflict is not presented tangibly, but rather indirectly, sometimes directed towards oneself, evoking an inherent melancholy. Nostalgia and sentimentality are also key elements in the overall experience of the series. All of these elements may seem familiar to us: the doubt and questioning of our own actions and moral choices, along with the empathy and affinity reflected by the characters, allow the viewer to imagine themselves in their place.

In short, Gone West is a reflection of memory, of one's own experiences and memories in itself. In this exhibition, Aguiló faces alienation, loss, sacrifice and uncertainty, but also tenderness and compassion, letting his canvases narrate the painful and complex existence of the human being.

Katerina Panasenko