Irene Sánchez Moreno

The visually vibrant and dazzling landscapes of Irene Sánchez Moreno (Granada, Spain, 1983) are seen as a forbidden and inaccessible land. Autonomous and central landscapes, yet at the same time marked—for better or worse—by the imprint of humankind. Horizons that provoke a bucolic yet threatening sensation, that double Arcadia to which Erwin Panofsky referred. However, a desire for reconciliation also prevails, an attempt at affirmation in the face of an abysmal and unattainable infinity. A mountain, a dry tree trunk, or a partially overcast sky must be able to visually reflect subjective states of consciousness. It is an experience of the limit that postulates a vast spiritual itinerary beyond objective representation. Likewise, the versatility and inconsistency through which these landscapes move from the most vacuous picturesque curiosities to the pure emotion of the sublime is fascinating – John Ruskin used to refer to the Alps as “cathedrals of the earth”. The narrative nature of his work confronts us as spectators with open endings, where we contemplate ourselves from an “elevated” and intentionally revealing point.