Bay is now showing Blancanieves, her new large-scale embroidered oil painting at Galeria Cuatro, Valencia. The work is part of collective exhibition Sexto Sentido, on show at the gallery until 3rd March 2021.
Blancanieves was painted in response to the current restrictions in Valencia. With one of the highest incidences of Covid-19 in Spain, all cultural events have been postponed and gatherings of more than two people are prohibited. When gallery director Miguel Castillo Gómez invited Bay to participate in Sexto Sentido, he asked for a work that would be impactful and colourful as a response to the challenges the current situation presents.
Blancanieves (Snow White in Spanish) is an expression of the joy we can find in creativity. No matter what we encounter in the external world, our internal worlds can be one of magical stories, enchanted mirrors and self-expression. The painting is part of Bay’s wider ongoing series of paintings exploring our hidden selves.
Blancanieves is 146 x 114 cm in oil paint with hand-embroidery on canvas. At 1900Eu the painting is expect to sell to Bay’s collectors in Valencia. To check that the painting is stil available before your visit, call Galeria Cuatro on 963 51 00 63
The gallery is open daily in line with current restrictions, from 10.30am until 6pm.
Bay is showing new work in the latest exhibition at Valencia gallery Galería Cuatro. The show, Sexto Sentido, will open this Thursday, 29th January. Bay will debut her latest large-scale embroidered painting Blancanieves(Snow White), a 114×146 canvas which will be featured on this site after the exhibition opens.
Following current restrictions for Covid-19, there will be no traditional inauguration. The works can be viewed in person at the gallery between 10am and 6pm until 3rd March 2021.
Galería Cuatro’s director Miguel Castello was yesterday interviewed by newspaper Las Provincias. He discusses the challenges facing our city’s art scene and the importance of making galleries relevant for the younger generation. You can read the full interview in Las Provincias Culture here.
Gallery director Miguel Castillo interviewed by Las Provincias (photo: Galería Cuatro)
From Las Provincias online
Galería Cuatro is a well-established and pioneering Valencian gallery, having opened its doors more than forty years ago in July 1980. Initially it was a parallel space to the historic Theo Gallery, concieved to support the work of emerging Valencian artists.
The gallery overcame Spain’s 2008 economic crisis and is facing current challenges with innovative exhibitions and new artists. These are being led by Miguel Castillo’s son David, who has taken on the role of gallery curator.
Bay is delighted to be participating in the gallery’s program this year.
When I moved my studio from London to Valencia in 2017, the city’s art scene was almost entirely hidden from fresh immigrants like me. There was IVAM and the extraordinary Bellas Artes Museum, but smaller galleries and arts festivals like IntraMurs seemed entirely impenetrable. Websites were infrequently updated, emails were unanswered and press releases were pages long and arrived just days (or often hours) before an event.
Private tour by artist Lluc Margrau of his exhibition at Galeria Vangar – 2019
Lluc Margrau, Galeria Vangar
Inauguration of Antonio Tone & Cesar Goce at Plastic Murs (now Tuesday to Friday) – 2019
Antonio Tone & Cesar Goce, Plastic Murs
Private tour of Albert Gil Cásedas at SET Espai d’Art- 2019
Albert Gil Cásedas, SET Espai d’Art
Opening of Larry Clark at espaivisor 2019
Inauguration of Mathieu Mercier at Luis Adelantado gallery, 2018 (photo – Charo Santamaria)
Inauguration of Denica Veselinova at SET Espai d’Art 2018 (photo – Charo Santamaria)
It’s now three years since I founded the group and I have over 1,000 members. I met extraordinary women at the events I organised and many of them have become cherished friends. But in 2020 the art world here in Valencia irreversibly changed. Ongoing covid restrictions mean that I cannot bring more than six people together, and events in alternative venues struggle to define just what we can safely do. As artists we are challenged to become even more creative about sharing our work – whether it be through micro-happenings in alternative spaces, or timed entries into immersive, yet socially-distanced gallery installations.
In these new models, Meetup.com simply doesn’t work. When organising an Meetup event for 20 attendees, I would open the RSVPs to 30 – knowing from experience that 30-40% of attendees would cancel in the hour before or simply not turn up. In a fluid Meetup for a traditional gallery opening this is fine, but a bespoke poetry reading for just two tables of six? It’s unfair to everyone involved.
In addition, ever-changing restrictions meaning that our events have to be flexible. This means fail-safe communications with our guests. I need to be able to Whatsapp our RSVPs to say that we’re moving outdoors (bring a coat!), or ask them to arrive half an hour earlier to stagger our social distancing. Meetup.com keeps all of the contact details of my members, so that the only way I can contact them is through the platform. This means the discussion boards which many never check, or “group emails” which many are unsubscribed from. Pre-Covid, this was a minor black-mark against the strengths of Meetup.com. Now, it’s a dealbreaker.
My talk at Masks on Miércoles, a pop-up art response to Covid, 2020
Artist Emma Shapiro leads a Masks on Miércoles happening, Oct 2020
My latest exhibition, with invite-only viewings at The RW Project space, 2021
So Covid has forced my hand. I believe in creating beautiful, memorable art events in Valencia, even if it is just for an audience of six or an “aforo” (venue capacity) of three….. with the rest of us patiently socially distancing outside. Within whatever we can safely and legally do, we can create. But it needs new models and a new immediacy in the relationship between organiser and audience. Art events must become art happenings again – intimate, flexible, occasionally chaotic and all the more unforgettable for it.
And I think where we start is with a good, old-fashioned mailing list. So here it is. Add your email and I will send you invitations to the art happenings we’re organising in this amazing city. They are small, extraordinary and just may be rather historic. You are an even more significant part of making them happen. Let me tell you about them now.
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By submitting your email you agree to receive art event details and invitations from me, Bay Backner. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in these emails. (I’ll meet you at an underground, covid-responsible art event this year).
Bay curated a series of weekly covid-responsible art events throughout October 2020. In collaboration with art collective Colonia Roma, the events included artist talks, art workshops and discussions. Highlights were artist Emma Shapiro‘s discussion on social media censorship and Tina McCallan‘s workshop on shamanistic journeys into the subconscious.
