ExhibitionsLight Beings
Catalina Viejo Lopez de Roda, Light Being – Prism, 2024
Catalina Viejo Lopez de Roda, Light Being #102, 2023
Catalina Viejo Lopez de Roda, Light Being, 2023
Gallery 495 is pleased to present Catalina Viejo Lopez de Roda’s solo show, Light Beings. The series of portraits transcends the physical dimensions of the self or collective consciousness while depicting heads, faces, and busts that emit or absorb light. Influenced by self-care practices, forms of intimacy, and symbols of inner light, these light beings are in a constant state of transformation. The figures nod their heads to fantastical, morphological, and psychological aspects of shapeshifting.
As we’re consumed by the presence of these portraits, the light beings become familiar faces. Many of the drawings combine faces created through imagination, memory, and historical context; other times, they are born out of an impression. Some are inspired by Greek, Egyptian, and Roman classical sculptural heads, while some are a literal translation of the artist’s perspective of herself, as she occasionally uses her face to print directly onto the page.
The artist is continuously considering light beams, glows, shadows, sparks, wind, fog, movement, stillness, and how these elements affect each portrait’s ability to convey inner light to the viewer. Much like humanity is impacted and consumed by its collective surroundings, the light beings experience impact from these interpretive forces. The subjects of Viejo’s work develop into specters or reflections and highlight the impermanence and fragility of ourselves or who we could be.
Most recently, Viejo has begun interpreting these portraits through metal, a medium that generously lends itself to aforementioned light beams. Having spent several months in Mexico, the artist was inspired by the artisanal forces of Mexican metal workers and soon found herself in collaboration with them. Embossed with metallic accents, these sculptures conceptually enhance the light beings while exploring a glimmering physicality.