Reynold Dela Cruz
Opening
October 28, 2021
Provenance Art Gallery
Shangrila Fort BGC, Taguig
In the Odyssey of Greek mythology, Homer refers to the Elysian Fields as a place in the Underworld where “nor snow, but Oceanus breathes ever with a West wind that sings softly from the sea and gives fresh life to all men.” Hence, a site where heroes come to rest and an abode of the blessed. It is where the grace of immortality resides and where the immortal grace of divinities thrives. It is the perfect place, the realm of happiness, and the paradise of the souls. The righteous are welcomed here and the wicked are banned for in this final lair of bliss, only the worthy are entertained to stay. A peaceful and glorious place where all the days are pleasant, this is where all the needs of the senses are satisfied, and each day is a beautiful experience of what the afterlife can offer.
In this exhibition, artist Reynold Dela Cruz re-imagines Elysium as a utopia with inhabitants who are forever in high spirits and glee but among powerful women, goddesses and queens, descendants of Aphrodite, and friends of Persephone. As a tribute to all the female figures in the life of the artist, Dela Cruz illustrates scenes where women have created their own beautiful legacies, thus, dominating the foreground and overshadowing the representations of masculine power and male ascendancy. In Between Elysian Fields recreates the place where the women of heroism and virtue remain.
Dela Cruz looked at his relationships with these women of power. The women in his life like his mother, his wife, and every woman he knows who had made a difference in his life are women whose love and joy could be seen through the lens of a heavenly place. From these emissaries of light, he had received a similar utopian experience.
– Gwen Bautista
