Body and the soul

 

Gersony Silva's poesis comprises sensitive and feminine aspects. On her aesthetic journey, feet become wings; legs show scissures; sweat earns redemption, and the discipline of motion transmutes to freedom. Drawings, paintings, objects, photographs, performances and installations transcend bodily limitations and ascend to the sublime. Almost all of her pieces are dominated by a deep red-blue duet. In many of them, colors sketch the attributes of body and soul.

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The dialogue between body and soul is in the series Offerings and Clouds Gatherings At first sight, the predominant light-blue and white allows only the presence of timelessness. Absent red but adding white, where is the body? Where is the movement that invariably leads to freedom? Where are the poetic principles so dear to the artist? All troubling questions. Searching for their answers enables our fruitful reading of the series.

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In Clouds Gatherings serie photographs of skies (heavens) from various parts of the world refer to a sense of divineness. Scudding clouds and flashing lights alternately disturb and soothe the gaze. As well as the skies, there are six cloud offerings with golden wings for supports. The white clouds evoke ethereal becoming and metamorphosis. Let us recall that every offering conveys some of the essence of its offeror. The constancy of wings takes on the function of Silva's affectionate signature. From the photographs and offerings the temporal becomes present

In short, the Gersony’s art does more than ask us to contemplate; it offers space for reflecting, reliagre [rejoining] and reconnecting. Body and soul joined by sacredness of place. Contemplating these series, visitors sense ruah (spirit or breathe, air, wind). They feel welcomed and simultaneously reaffirm the sensory experience of the sublime.

 

Alecsandra Matias de Oliveira

Doctor in Visual Arts, ECA-USP; post-doctorate Instituto de Artes, UNESP

Member of the Brazilian Association of Art Critics (ABCA).

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