Guatemalan Art Stories
Noche de Mediodía: Andrés Asturias at La Galería Rebelde
A visual poem, spontaneous flower bouquets, and makeshift photography set ups.
“El jardín está lleno de suspiros de luz…” [The garden is full of light whispers] is the greeting when entering Andrés Asturias’ latest photography exhibition at La Galería Rebelde in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The viewer is welcomed by a series of vivid, floral photographs with a colorful and contemporary take. The collection delves deep into a pandemic-era, eureka-at-midnight body of work for Asturias resulting in a handful of raw, yet refined, flower still-lifes.
The Guatemalan photographer is not new to the art scene; Asturias is the founder and creative director of La ERRE, a cultural center and art gallery in Guatemala’s hip Zona 4. He is also the founder of Editorial RARA, a publishing house for art books and magazines, such as renowned Revista RARA. His work has been showcased around the world, including USA, Germany, the Netherlands, China, Mexico, Spain, and Costa Rica among others.
In his latest exhibition, “Noche de Mediodía”, Asturias shows a clear understanding of the relationship between his subject, background, and lighting; carefully composing each photograph as would a Dutch still-life painter.
The flowers are a mix of what Asturias found in his garden, and what he scoured for in Guatemalan flower stands and suppliers, mid-pandemic. The candid mix results in spontaneous bouquets, mixing dying flowers with blooming ones, producing down-to-earth relatable arrangements.
Asturias then handpicked each colored poster board at a local art supplies store, setting a cohesive color atmosphere for his collection. Pairing the curated selection of posters along with the handpicked flowers, each arrangement appeared as if it had belonged there forever.
The artist also decided to leave the makeshift setup he used to compose each photograph. Blue artist’s tape, metallic purple binder clips, and red and fuschia spring clamps make cameos in the edges of each composition. He also showcases an old ladder sprinkled with paint that he has used throughout his career, as well as other personal furniture. The artist even chooses to leave fallen petals and slightly folded posters in the photographs to add to the truthful depictions. The decision to provide a peek behind the lens gives the viewers the impression of having been present at the exclusive (strictly either midnight or midday), photography sessions.
Finally, Asturias’ use of light and shadows adds an extra layer to each piece. Multiple light sources and the resulting stark shadows set the photographs in a grungy mood. The punk style of lighting paired with pastel colors and floral subjects complete the ironic and bold pieces.
The seemingly unedited compositions, yet the highly critical choice of colors, flowers, and frames, prove Asturias’ aesthetic as a world-class photographer.
About the Author
Cristina Gómez is an architect, designer, and visual wizard with an eye for the unusual. She navigates projects through art, design objects, spatial experiences, and built environments. She is an avid cyclist, marathoner, and adventurer. Color-obsessed. And sometimes, writes about design.
She is a graduate from the University of Southern California, where she received her Bachelor in Architecture, and from the Politecnico di Milano, with a Masters in Color Design and Technology. She currently teaches at Universidad Francisco Marroquín in her home country, Guatemala.
