The Vice Rectorate for Culture at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) is proud to announce the exhibitions of ‘La ciudad intermedia’ by artist, Elia Torrecilla, and ‘The Human Landscape’ by artist, Frans Van Lent. The first of these is on display in the Universitas Room of the Rectorado & Consejo Social Building on the Elche Campus, while the second is showing in the Gray Room of the very same building. Both exhibitions are open for viewing through September 30.

Fuente: UMH.

According to the Vice Rectorate for Culture, these two individual exhibitions address the issue of the landscape via performance and walking. They are embodied artistic visions that attempt to examine what the landscape is through the elaboration of traffic patterns, measuring it and establishing (or undoing) coordinates for a more direct understanding of territory, one beyond maps.

Elia Torrecilla is the third recipient of a Boomerang Grant, an award that recognizes artistic production, intended for graduates from this university’s Faculty of Fine Arts in Altea who are venturing forth in artistic professions. In order to support and publicize their work, these grants provide 2,000€ for the production of an exhibition project, along with the possibility of working again in the studios and facilities on the university Altea Campus and to take advantage of its technical equipment, infrastructure, guidance, and human resources there. ‘La ciudad intermedia’ is the project on display in the Universitas Room on the Elche Campus. Her exhibition is the result of a process that is still ongoing, like a work in progress, or as the artist says, a “walk in progress” amidst a space and a time “between” or “(in-)between.” This process was forced to coexist with the pandemic, which postponed this exhibition until the current year, however it enabled its creator to continue and to understand the limits of the city, understood as a space for work, a theme, and a reference. The exhibition consists of a series of photographs, videos, and objects found and collected, which show the documents picked up along various walks where the artist walks transformed, aimlessly, without a set course.

Alongside this, the UMH has put together a small sampling by Dutch artist, Frans Van Lent, who complements the exhibition tandem and who in fact has collaborated with Elia Torrecilla on occasion. ‘The Human Landscape’ is the name for the exhibition presented in the Gray Room that presents three action videos, in which the very body of the performer appears as activator and integrator of the space, taking the gaze toward the landscape as its center. This artist uses his own body for another experience of the territory or a specific space/time.

The viewing capacity for the exhibition spaces is limited. Patrons must respect social distancing measures and wear a mask at all times.