Thursday, 31 December 2020

Use Your Illusions: My First Exhibition in Madrid

This year has been hell at times and yet there came a point where I woke up and started acting with urgency. Between the global pandemic, two members of my family in life-or-death situations (unrelated to Covid), and the intense loneliness of spending so much time alone, I thought 2020 might break me. But at the end of summer, suddenly I took action. I wanted something good to happen! I created an artist book and distributed it to numerous bookstores and art museums, where it was received well. I started drawing and painting like my life depended on it. I was invited to participate in two important exhibitions (details are in the previous two posts.) And in December 2020, I had my first dual exhibition in Madrid. 

'Use Your Illusions' examined the purpose of illusions and memories, nostalgia and desire, questioning whether these trips into imagination are positive or detrimental to one's present reality. The exhibition featured both my figurative paintings and the surreal analog collages of the Spanish artist Ella Jazz. We both lived in California at the same time, before meeting in Madrid, and this experience greatly influenced our artwork and worldview.


'Use Your Illusions,' Exhibition View, 2020


'Walking Up To Your Street', Margo Fortuny
Acrylic on canvas,  26 x 18 cm


'The Fighter', Margo Fortuny, 2020
Acrylic on canvas, 80 x 60 cm


Beto looking at 'Love Me When I'm Gone' by M. Fortuny. 
Photo: Larry Balboa


'The Trip', Margo Fortuny, 2020
Acrylic on canvas, 50 x 65 cm


'The Lover', Margo Fortuny, 2020
Acrylic on canvas, 70 x140 cm


'Use Your Illusions' Madrid 2020. Photo: Larry Balboa


Here I am outside 'Use Your Illusions', at Pavilion. 
December 2020. Photo: Diego & The Blue Sea


For more images of my artwork check out my Instagram @margofortuny .


No comments: