Raul Balí. Beautifully grotesque ballad of melancholy
IAGA Contemporary Art is glad to present the first solo exhibition signed by Raul Balí (1998, Cluj-Napoca, Romania) in the spaces of the gallery. The exhibition project proposed by Raul Balì invites us into his world, a world of easy virtue and frivolous only on the surface, and offers us his “beautifully grotesque ballad of melancholy”.
With these words, in fact, the artist describes himself; in him, life and art are inextricably intertwined, generating a particularly intimate language that leads him to expose himself primarily as a person.
Precisely by exposing his own essence, the artist highlights the vulnerability of the male body; what is usually fragile, guarded, hidden from the eyes of others is revealed here in an erotic way, but without becoming vulgar. It is suggested by a veil of mystery, the same “veil” with which he intervenes upon the photographs to cover the private parts or to transform black and white photographs into vibrant colours.
What is hidden is what attracts and fascinates man: ignorance pushes man to a continuous search, and the artist knows how not to let this spell die out, how to preserve his own body to keep alive this enigmatic component.
The artist displays all his natural fragility, not only physical but also mental, celebrating his body and sexuality without fearing or denying references to more feminine connotations, embodying the very two persons: Gazelle, his drag version, is the one who boldly poses in photos.
Balì carries us to bucolic places, or maybe places of his subconscious, but behind this “armour” of flowers and polka dots he wants to convey his own expressive urges: “I come from a country, Romania, where being vulnerable and feeling comfortable with your own sexuality attracts a lot of hatred and disrespect. Photography takes all these negative feelings and turns them into something special and unforgettable. Although things are changing lately, in small steps, we must always be vigilant. Through my works I want to show the beauty hiding behind vulnerability and sensitivity and that it is okay to feel that way. It will make you stronger the moment you start accepting it and it will give you the strength you need to feel happy with yourself and others.”
In his words, one can detect a deep awareness; the artist has learned to embrace himself in all his facets and maintains a positive attitude despite the difficulties, identifying vulnerability as precisely the key to change. Balì celebrates the beauty of the LGBTQIA+ community, the beauty that triumphs over sadness, hate, fear. The beauty given by courage, the courage of those who every day face challenges with themselves to be able to accept themselves and with the society that does not defend, or does not even recognize their rights, leaving physical and psychological violence unpunished. The artist invites to search the balance that regulates and shapes life by recognizing the role of experiences, both positive and negative.
Apart from the themes related to the urgency of the LGBTQIA+ community, the proposed photo series also represents the more melancholic Eros and beauty. Through romance in its most mysterious component and the obvious references to the sexual sphere, the artist creates phantasmagorical images with an idyllic and fairy-tale atmosphere, which immortalize desire and the feeling of emptiness that occurs after it is fulfilled, while the climax of pleasure it is left to the imagination. Ephemeral and contrasting sensations and feelings, as are also the compositions and colours used by the artist to intervene on the photographic paper.
Curated by Camilla Remondina
An exhibition realized by IAGA Contemporary Art
Exhibition venue
IAGA Contemporary Art, Strada Cloşca 9-11, Cluj-Napoca, RO
Visiting hours
Tuesday –Saturday 2:00-6:00 pm, and by appointment
Period
November 23 – December 9, 2023
Opening
Tuesday November 23, 2023, at 6:00 pm
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