In Transition, Maria Torp’s first solo exhibition at Alice Folker Gallery, a sensuous, colourful universe unfolds, one where people and flora intertwine with the currents of cultural and political change.
With her characteristic hyperrealistic brushstrokes, Torp creates narratives about dwelling in a time of rupture and living in a world in constant motion. In a world that can feel uncertain and vulnerable, where everything trembles and dystopian visions of the future seem to have become present realities, Torp’s paintings remind us of change, community, and presence.
The collage-like cardboard backdrops read as another layer within the image. Cardboard is a recurring material in Torp’s practice and carries its own particular narrative: as a familiar and universally accessible everyday material, it stands in contrast to the centuries-old tradition of oil painting, pulling it toward something more grounded. Yet cardboard is not merely background. It holds an inherent strength, a toughness and resilience that allows it to bend, fold, and rise again in new forms. In Torp’s hands, it becomes an image of transformation and perseverance. Figures and flowers push through the surface like dandelions through asphalt, poised in a life-affirming lightness against the raw heaviness of the cardboard.
Kilde:
Alice Folker Gallery
Alice Folker Gallery