Photo: Manel Montoro
The Embassy of Spain in Andorra Inaugurated the exhibition of paintings and sculptures “A tree and its forest of signs” by the artist Aitor de Mendizabal. The exhibition consists of a series of sculptures, paintings and drawings on the theme of the tree on which the artist has been working for several years. The exhibition is open to residents and tourists of Andorra until September.
Aitor de Mendizabal was born in 1949. Sculptor, painter and engraver lives and works between San Sebastian and Arcandes in the Basque Country. He has a university education in the field of fine arts (Academy of Fine Arts, Rome); he gained a postgraduate degree at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara (Tuscany) and studied art and museology at the International University of the Arts (Fiesole – Florence).
He has held many exhibitions in France and Spain. We can admire his public and monumental creations in San Sebastian, Hernani, Céret, Oloron, Belus or Boulogne sur mer.
We have asked the artist why the tree occupies such a prominent place in his art.
Photo: Manel Montoro
Irina Rybalchenko for El Periòdic News
“In my art, I try to show it and apply an object, for example, a forest, or trees, all the most essential for human beings.
A tree is very similar to a human being. It grows, develops and eventually dies. But more important than a tree is a part of a forest. Just like a human being is a part of society. And the relationship between a human being and a society and a tree and a forest is enormous.
When I was young and decided to become a creator, I expressed myself through a tree. But not only trees and forests, but I also do a lot of portraits and monuments. For me, it is fundamental to create!
In addition to paintings, I also have sculptures. I use bronze, I use marble. Marble in many ways represents Mediterranean culture – Greek, Roman and also Spanish. In Mediterranean culture, marble symbolizes the exaltation of a personage. So, I exalt a tree through marble. And I call it the soul of a tree. A human soul is complex. And a tree is also complex. I represent the inside of a tree, a life that you cannot see from the outside.
I also have objects like the urban forest. The fact is that in the big metropolises the roots and branches of trees have been disturbed. So a person may feel disturbed, lost and alone in a metropolis.
Wood, fire, earth, metal, water – this is what the worldview of ancient China is based on. I use the Chinese technique in black and white. I love this contrast! I painted a big star 2 meters 15 centimeters. This is one of the examples you can see at the exhibition. Another large-scale work concerns virgin forests, for example in Siberia. But this work is in color.
In modern art, there is something good and bad. Often in modern society, people don’t know exactly where to go. And modern art gives us a direction and a chance to express ourselves in all areas.
For me, art is very deep. I think lately we have gained a lot of experience through the world of art. Art has become an integral part of all humanity. And I believe that art will bring many other ideas in the future”.
