Puerta Roja presents a group show of Spanish and Latin American artists at Art Central 2018

Art Central (March 26 – April 1, 2018) with Laurent Martin ‘Lo’ and Cristina Moroño and more


Oriente 05, Cristina Moroño, acrylic, oil, collage and bamboo paper pulp on canvas, 150 x 150 cm, 2018 (right) | Oriente 03, Cristina Moroño, acrylic, oil, collage and bamboo paper pulp on canvas, 150 x 150 cm, 2017 (left)

15 MARCH, 2018 – HONG KONG – Following a successful exhibition opening on February 28 of Laurent Martin “Lo” (ongoing until May 5th, 2018) and his gravity defying bamboo installations, Puerta Roja kick-started the gallery’s exciting March 2018 programming and now announces a return to Art Central for the third time. As one of the major participating galleries with a roster of key Spanish and Latin American artists, the carefully curated group show highlights Puerta Roja’s distinct focus on untraditional medium that defy rigid definitions of art.

At centrally located booth (B02), the gallery presents works by Hong Kong-based Cristina Moroño (Spain), Carlos Aguirre (Mexico), María García-Ibáñez (Spain), Javier León Pérez (Spain), Mariasun Salgado (Spain), artist collective Ventoso (Argentina), and Laurent Martin “Lo”. A highlight piece of the booth by “Lo” is Floating Tea House (2017), a large dome-like bamboo installation originally produced for the Wu Yuan Arts and Culture Centre in Taiwan. A fruit of the artist’s collaboration with the Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute, this large work reflects his several-months-long journey along the country’s bamboo routes.

To continue the spirit of cross-cultural collaborations, Puerta Roja is teaming up with Soluna Fine Art, to feature three Korean artists as part of the installation, including a contemporary tea set by ceramics artist Kanghyo Lee, further celebrating the reference of eastern traditions  in contemporary art forms.

Unique collages marrying the East-West influences by Cristina Moroño, the locally based Spanish-born female artist, will be another focal point of Puerta Roja’s booth in Art Central.  Hailing from the artist’s most recent series Oriente, the artworks speak of Moroño’s personal connections to Hong Kong, where she has lived and worked since 2016. In her artistic practice, Moroño never ceases to experiment and innovate – the works presented at Art Central reflect this spirit, being a direct result of her latest experimentations with raw bamboo pulp. As a return to painting, she combines expressive abstract marks with layers of mixed media, embedding pages from old Chinese art theory books along the way. Utilising this process, Moroño creates exclusive collages, where each piece acts as an autobiographical memento from particular moments in her life.

Adriana Alvarez-Nichol, founder of Puerta Roja and recently appointed Co-President of the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association (HKAGA), says: “We are thrilled to return to Art Central with a diverse roster of artists from Mexico, Argentina and Spain. The focus on works by Laurent Martin “Lo” and Cristina Moroño reflect how the gallery continues to contribute to diversity within the Hong Kong art scene, whilst highlighting our roots in the city by works inspired by and developed in Asia.”

Coinciding with the fair and currently on view at Puerta Roja’s gallery space in SOHO189 Art Lane until 5 May 2018 is Zhu Qi「竹氣」, the first solo exhibition of Laurent Martin “Lo” in Hong Kong. The exhibition is centred around the theme of wind and sails referring to Hong Kong’s maritime origins and seascapes. The artist’s gravity-defying bamboo sculptures swing in the air, drawing curves of harmony like the gracious strokes of Chinese calligraphy. His creations immerse the viewer in the physical and sensorial virtues of the organic material, closely bound to the forces of nature. Although from a Western perspective, the artistic practice of Laurent Martin “Lo” has developed around Eastern philosophical and spiritual beliefs he has encountered during his travels across Asia. “Lo” interprets the ancient and traditional material of bamboo whilst alluding to the balance of the four natural elements (earth, wood, fire and air).

“It is a great honour and pleasure to present my new bamboo works inspired by Hong Kong in Hong Kong at Puerta Roja.  My artistic practice was born out of fascination with bamboo, which I discovered over 10 years ago by pure chance. Since then my passion for this unique material has taken me all across Asia and I hope that Zhu Qi 「竹氣」 is one of many journeys still ahead on my bamboo routes,” says Laurent Martin “Lo”.

Both Laurent Martin “Lo” and Cristina Moroño will be present in Hong Kong during Art Central.

[Zhu Qi 「竹氣」by “Lo” is ongoing until May 5]

For full press pack please click here (available in Chinese as well).