Fundación La Nave Salinas is marking a significant milestone, its tenth anniversary, with an immersive solo exhibition titled 'La Noche De Día,' featuring new works by the American painter Spencer Lewis. This showcase presents a collection of expansive, richly textured canvases within the unique ambiance of a historic salt warehouse from the 1940s in Ibiza. The exhibition underscores the foundation's long-standing commitment to showcasing powerful, thought-provoking, and emotionally resonant artistic creations, highlighting the dynamic interplay between the art and its distinctive architectural setting.
The current exhibition, 'La Noche De Día,' is the culmination of four years of dedicated planning and collaboration. Lio Malca, the visionary founder of Fundación La Nave Salinas, was deeply impressed by Lewis's inherent artistic power, recognizing the potential for his creations to forge a profound connection with the ancient stone walls of the venue. Malca expressed that Lewis's art doesn't merely adorn the walls but integrates with the very essence of the building, transforming the viewer's interaction into a fully immersive sensory experience, rather than a conventional, static display. Lewis himself acknowledged the profound impact of the environment on his artistic process, noting how the unique elements of the salt warehouse—salt, air, and light—steered his work into uncharted creative territories. He found that the complete sensory engagement with the exhibition space ultimately led to a more profound, almost spiritual, dimension in his work.
Lewis's artistic philosophy extends to his material choices, particularly his preference for painting on jute. He views jute as both practical and symbolic, valuing its durability and its inherent honesty as a material. The fabric's ability to withstand rigorous manipulation—dragging, layering, and stretching—while absorbing some mediums and allowing others to remain on the surface, contributes significantly to his artistic expression. He emphasizes jute's porous nature and its capacity to retain integrity despite being "bruised," distinguishing it from more conventional canvas and highlighting its inherent "object-ness" and tangible presence in the artwork. This choice reflects his belief that the material itself, as a plant and a physical entity, becomes an integral component of the artwork.
Reflecting on his early artistic influences, Lewis acknowledges the foundational impact of artists like Hans Hofmann and Willem de Kooning, whose works he first encountered through his mother's art books. He credits Hofmann with shaping his understanding of spatial dynamics through color, and de Kooning with emphasizing the emotional resonance conveyed through gestural brushwork. Although he no longer consciously references these masters, he perceives a lingering presence of their ideas, particularly in the structural relationship between form and composition within his own abstract creations.
Ultimately, the "La Noche De Día" exhibition is more than a mere display of paintings; it is a profound dialogue between artistic expression and architectural heritage. The synergy between Lewis's powerful, tactile art and the raw, historical character of the former salt warehouse creates an unforgettable experience for visitors. By offering free admission, Fundación La Nave Salinas reinforces its dedication to making world-class contemporary art accessible to all, fostering a vibrant cultural hub in Ibiza that encourages discovery and engagement across all age groups.