The exhibition of Marta Ubach is patent until the 27th of November, in the web, of the Teatro Baltazar Dias. An artistic proposal filled with enchanted bugs and bucolic scenarios, which must be contemplated slowly.
What does this exhibition "Slow" add to your work over the years?
Marta Ubach: In all the exhibitions there is always a need for the artist to improve his work. Go getting closer to what will be the best of his work. The methodology is always the same, one tries to make the work better.
Your work focuses a lot on a certain type of characters, animals, there is an almost fantastic scenario. What inspires you to create these beings in your drawings?
MU: That of the inspiration I do not know, I have no idea. But, really are elements that are present, that are communicative and almost always appear on the canvas is a fact.
But from your part is there much contemplation of nature?
MU: Yes, that is well observe, I think I'm contemplative.
And the characters come from books that you read?
MU: No, they appear on the canvas. I have no idea, it's a huge set of memories, from childhood, the books I read, or the people I've met.
When you paint in a canvas is there a story behind when you finish the painting?
MU: No, the picture is born alone at that moment.
Let's talk about colors, it has a very restricted palette, almost monochromatic. What is the reason for this choice?
MU: It's not a very thoughtful palette, it's the colors I approach and with which I'm dealing, but it's not a very rational process, either.
But there are some with lighter tones and some darker ones, almost as if we were in a more enchanted forest. Do the latter reflect more introspective periods of your life?
MU: Maybe, it's very difficult to know, my work is something very genuine, it goes further than we do. I do not know, sometimes the pictures reflect a time when
I was with the stars more aligned.
In terms of method you only go to the atelier at a certain time of the day, or only work when inspired?
MU: I really go out of obligation, like when we go to work. I know I must work and then I start little by little.
And there are days when nothing comes out?
MU: Of course, like any of us when you're working there are times when we're not doing it well, it happens to everyone.
In this "Slow" series have you any favorite for some reason, or is it better achieved?
MU: That would be unfair to others (laughs). Of course, there are three that were already exhibited in Lisbon, the rest were held for this exhibition. I think I would take the first one home, but I like everyone.
What attracted you to the work of Marta Ubach to have her as an artist residing in your Salgadeiras gallery and to be the curator of this exhibition "Slow"?
Ana Matos: Marta Ubach is the artist I've worked with the longest. This is the third exhibition, the first was in the gallery in 2003, we have a relationship of great complicity. Bringing it to Madeira results from the partnership we have with the Baltazar Dias Municipal Theater and was very natural, because she likes to come to the island, as the issues of nature is something that is very present in this exhibition and a certain state of mind of calm and quiet hence the name "Slow" that must be also with her way of being.
But, what do you like about her work?
AM: I like the figuration of Marta, it is mysterious sometimes it has a darker side in the creatures that she brings us, and it is a painting that interests me by its monochrome. Her painting is closer to the drawing, because of her composition and it was these two characteristics that interested me in her work.
You just said that you have a partnership with the City Hall do Funchal, but you already have an approved project?
AM: When we made this proposal to the Chamber and TMBD I proposed two expositions, because it did not make sense otherwise. I have already done four exhibitions with artists here in Madeira, in “Casa das Mudas”, and now, in this partnership, I have presented an idea already in the pipeline. In the background are two exhibitions, this one in November and a second one by Joana Latka, next year, who is a Polish artist who has lived in Portugal since 2002. Her work focuses on engraving and drawing, she is an observer, not so much nature as in the bucolic scenarios of Marta Ubach's work, but it is more a day-to-day record of daily life. For now, there are these two and we need also to have an interest from both parties, so let's see what happens next, the intention is to have this continuity.
