Ciane Xavier’s world of transitions
The space allotted for the exhibit is no different from what you’d find at any gallery. The walls are painted white to draw the eye to the art and to convey a sense of expansiveness. But the works on display nevertheless evoke the feeling of being wrapped in the warm embrace of a womb, of being caught in a frenzied storm of passion.
Brazil transplant Ciane Xavier’s (@cianexavier, @cianex_paintings on Instagram) “Framed” is an exploration of the artist’s inner world on the cusp of transition. The series of paintings is a stunning play of colors and textures spread out over 10 works in oil.
Known for her sculptures, among a motley of other art forms, Xavier considers “Framed” a return to her “foundational artistic roots.”
“Each medium I work with is like a piece of a puzzle, and through my art, I piece together these fragments to form a more complete picture of myself,” she says. “My art is more than a form of expression; it’s a way to understand and articulate my inner world. It’s deeply personal, a tool for introspection and personal growth.”
Going on five months in her pregnancy with her third child, “Framed” is a turning point for Xavier. She sees this foray into the medium, the very first she started with as an artist, as a bid for discipline in a period of her life requiring more maturity.
Turning point
“Previously, my tendency to switch between different mediums was driven by a desire for variety, as I would quickly become bored with using just one … This time I’ve committed to a deeper exploration of a singular medium, which reflects a significant evolution in my artistic discipline and approach.”
Xavier’s works are notoriously striking, and this series of paintings is no exception. Her body of work is marked by feminine figures with skewed proportions, such as massive feet and ears, as well as flushed skin, bald heads and uncanny faces. Xavier affectionately considers these figures her “characters.”
In translating her sculptures into paintings, Xavier strips her characters of their weird, hypermodern qualities and imbues them with a raw softness. They look almost like dreams, divested of their plastic sheen.
“One would expect I would paint exactly how the sculptures look like, but I think when I do the sculpture, it’s more a product, right? And then the painting is more like a feeling,” Xavier says.
Where the mainstay hairless figure of her sculptures elicits a vague yet fascinating sense of discomfort, her appearance in the painting titled “In The Flesh” sees her looking tenderly from beyond the canvas at the viewer with a weighted gaze.
More immediacy
When asked what she means by product, Xavier clarifies, “Not a product, it’s more like an object, the sculpture.”
Object seems about right. The making of Xavier’s sculptures is elaborate and relies heavily on technology. She designs her pieces on the computer, then 3D-prints them in her material of choice. Her process requires meticulous planning and no small amount of time.
Yet for all its seeming more traditional, perhaps, in that Xavier’s artmaking has gone analog, “Framed” is not without the postmodern uncanny humor and playfulness that color her sculptures. This is a series born of irony, in the impetus behind its execution if not in essence.
Painting provides Xavier more immediacy. The bare-bones (by comparison) medium prescribes limits, yet strangely serves as an outlet that allows her to act on her feelings and impulses in the moment.
“I think I have a more intimate time with my work, because it’s just me, the oil and the canvas,” she says. “It’s more free-flowing also.”Xavier, however, does not take painting lightly. “It’s one of the hardest mediums. One might think that sculpture is hard, but I think painting is hard because you don’t have many things to play around with.”
Full-circle moment
“Framed” is a full-circle moment for the artist, a return to the primal power of the canvas and her roots in a period of growth and change. The paintings in this series are alive with movement and texture, as three dimensional as Xavier’s sculptures.
“The essence and trajectory of my work will remain consistent,” she says. “…What has evolved is my approach to presenting my art to the public … I’ve shifted to a more disciplined strategy, concentrating on one medium at a time … It allows each medium to shine independently, offering a more focused and profound experience for the audience.”
Those who follow Xavier’s work can expect to see more of her paintings. The artist is also experimenting on different mediums, as she understandably can’t be around the toxic chemicals she’s accustomed to working with. Xavier spoke about a current project involving a fascinating process of 3D-printing ceramics, one of her favored materials.
“I find painting to be a more disciplined medium, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to do my sculptures anymore. It’s just a period.” —EUNICE LEI WU
Show runs until Feb. 3. Art Cube Gallery is located at OPVI Centre, 2295 Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati City.
