On 7 May 2021, Virtual ArtistSpace presents HOTHOUSE, the first virtual and 16th solo exhibition of Filipino visual artist and writer, Jill Arwen Posadas.
Flowering plants and the human figure come together in Hothouse, the latest series from Posadas. It features a collection of half-human, half-plant portraits rendered in watercolors to approximate the presentation of traditional botanical illustrations.
The exhibition’s theme is a hothouse, a type of greenhouse wherein the temperature is controlled for plant cultivation. “I want to explore the concept of part-plant, part-human monsters in an enclosed or protected, artificial environment,” Posadas says.
“While a greenhouse might be a visual metaphor for a sheltered life or a form of captivity or isolation, I find this theme particularly relevant during the current community quarantines.”
In creating the works for this exhibition, the artist used plants that are endemic to or found in the Philippines. Though hothouses are usually for taking care of rare and expensive plants, Posadas has deliberately included plants that are commonly found throughout the country.
“Putting the exotic alongside the everyday plants within the same hothouse or gallery is an expression of my belief that all ‘species’, not just the ‘special’ ones deserve to be protected and cared for within the same greenhouse,” Posadas says.
HOTHOUSE will be virtually on view starting 7 May 2021, Friday at 6:00 PM. The virtual exhibition will run until 27 May 2021. The link to the exhibition will be posted on ArtistSpace Facebook and Instagram pages (@artistspacegallery)
