Using tins as a frame and working with paint and paper, Mar Delmar has created a series of 11 distinctly ‘Barcelonian’ scenes, in miniature. These works act as a kind of catharsis for the artist who has experienced substantial heartache in this city. She has embedded symbols of significance throughout the works, a visual language created to process her grief.

Grieving Barcelona is an apt paradox of both sadness and beauty, a capture of small moments in time that represent huge life shifts.

ARTIST STATEMENT
 

"This series is a healing process of an open grief of my hometown. I was born in Barcelona and I’ve lived almost all my life there, I was in love with the city and I thought I would never be able to live far away from its vibrant streets but after the unanticipated death of my mother, going close to her house was very traumatic for me.

Shortly after I broke up with my long term boyfriend and the neighborhood where I’ve lived for the past 7 years was painful too. At that point there were too many sad memories hidden in every corner, everywhere was a reminder of a past life that no longer existed, the city became uncomfortable and it felt like if it was pushing me out, so I left. I used to paint a lot the city when I lived there and I did a lot of cans inspired by it. But now it’s the first time going back to this subject after all these experiences, so I decided to hide some little symbols alongside the architecture, the same way I feel this city hides my story in its streets."

BIO

Mar Delmar is an illustrator from Barcelona, Spain.

"As an illustrator, watercolor painting and paper are the base materials of my work, both used in watercolor prints and in little dioramas made of cut papers.

I work for several publishing houses illustrating Children’s books mostly and I also create little dioramas, displayed in galleries around the world.

My training in cinema and audiovisual, and my specialization in art direction, are facts that have emphasized my fascination with scenography and the treatment of space, I firmly believe that a character can be defined by a space, even if is not present at all."

This is a Craft Contemporary satellite event.