ancestral symbols explored in sculptures by jorge mañes rubio

Jorge Mañes Rubio reframes sculpture as active matter

Fascinating and mysterious sculptures by Jorge Mañes Rubio celebrate a world inhabited by a diversity of beings — whether human or non human, or material or spiritual. The artist is exhibiting a curated selection of his latest works at BLISS, a group exhibition at Rademakers Gallery Amsterdam, that mixes ancient rituals and symbols with contemporary stories and techniques, reimagining our relationship with nature and spirituality.

Made from a range of materials including sand, ceramics, and glass, the works deal with ancestral symbols and concepts such as shapeshifting or ritual magic — a world where objects become material embodiments of thoughts, emotions and memories, entities in constant transformation. Made over several months of lockdown, these objects reframe sculpture as active matter: something that can be handled, experienced, and ultimately activated.

I Need You to Know That Even Though You’re Not Here, You’re Here (Juanita) | all images courtesy of Jorge Mañes Rubio

an exploration of innovative and ‘humble’ materiality

BLISS presents work created by Jorge Mañes Rubio in the past few years which have tried to embrace a circular conception of time, where spiritual power does not belong in the past, set in stone, forever immobile. Instead, it is rather seen as free flowing around us in perpetual circulation. In BLISS, the artist envisions a fascinating world where past, present, and future can occur at the same time, forever linked through objects, people, and places.

Among the exhibited pieces is Peak of Eternal Light, the result of Mañes Rubio’s long period residency at the European Space Agency ESA. Working in collaboration with their Material Research Lab, he had access to Lunar Regolith Simulant (a material used by ESA that replicates moon dust) and other rare aerospace materials that he used to create a series of intriguing design objects. Reframing the Moon as sacred territory, the project challenges the exploitative colonial patterns that historically are taken for granted in space exploration.

from the series ‘Spirit Vessels’ | clay, sand, wood, pigment, cotton, thyme, sodalite, mixed tumblestones

Further, the exhibition presents his latest series ‘Ceremonial Technologies’ and ‘Spirit Vessels’. The works invoke conversation about human renovation and the possibility of finding comfort in times of upheaval. Mixing clay, soil, plaster and other humble materials with precious freshwater pearls and glass beads, Jorge Mañes Rubio takes his chances at re-enchanting the world, making the invisible visible.

There’s an enigmatic quality in these sculptures which unquestionably comes from the artist getting entangled with the materials in the countless hours of the making process behind the works. ‘I now recognise art and culture not just as products of our human imagination but rather expressions of the permeable boundaries that define our world and the larger-than-human dimension that defines it,’ he notes.

BLISS runs till 29 April 2023 at Rademakers Gallery in Amsterdam and it features works by Jorge Mañes Rubio, Joana Schneider, Yamuna Forzani, Tomáš Libertíny, Milah van Zuilen, Catalijn Wouters, Milah van Zuilen and Jule Cats.

artist wearing Untitled #5 (Play) as his astronaut’s portrait, from the Peak of Eternal Light series | mylar, clay

from the series Ceremonial Technologies | clay, glass beads, nylon thread, cotton thread, dumortierite, green aventurine

Untitled #6 (Afterlife), from the Peak of Eternal Light series | mylar, lunar regolith simulant

And Every Time You Dream About Me, a Door Is Opened, from the series ‘Spirit Vessels’

clay, coconut soil, freshwater pearls, glass beads, brass, polypropylene cord, nylon thread

installation view at Rademakers Gallery

the BLISS group exhibition features several artworks made with Lunar Regolith Simulant and aerospace materials

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Untitled #2 Yellow Gold (Reflection), from the Peak of Eternal Light series | vapour deposited aluminium aerospace film on canvas

from the series Ceremonial Technologies | clay, glass beads, nylon thread, cotton thread, dumortierite, green aventurine

We Can Feel Right Through You, from the series Ceremonial Technologies

project info:

name: BLISS
designer: Jorge Mañes Rubio

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom