Long time Deus Bali family member, Ijal Mariachi, opened his solo show here last Saturday night. We couldn't have been happier to help and support him.
‘Transfigrasi’ is his exploration across the many meanings of transfiguration when overlaid on his reflections and perceptions from growing us as a millennial onto who he has transformed into today; A father, a husband, an artist.
Peer group pressure pushed for the curtain to come down earlier than advertised. People flowed into the Deus Gallery space like treacle. Eager to absorb the family friendly show he cleverly litters with underlying complex societal themes. This is one of those ones that puts a smile on your face. It nudges you in the ribs like your naughty mate, while at the same asking you to dig deeper, but only if you want. Non believers can still skate across the surface grinning with his imaginative characters and propositions.
Ijal painted out the end wall of the gallery, he's been honing his mural skills these past years on an astounding number of examples you’ll find across the west side of the island. He went one further for this his solo show, adding a massive foam and plaster head he’d crafted. The relief piece, bereft of expression, as if its waiting for something to happen. The head looks out and over the visitor, almost making you look behind you to something you might have missed.
The exhibition shows just how happy he is in either small or large format. Which is contrary to his pallet and for that matter, the cache of metaphors he draws from. Both of which he restrains before cleverly rearranging them resulting in each piece coming across as fresh and fluid, and espousing his litany of change and evolution. Each piece seems to lock down a time and space, re-imagining things bigger than himself, these masterpieces of his mind's journey.
Rather than push the visitors to put away their devices, five pieces actually invite you to rip out your phone and head to Instagram. Augmented reality filters on them turn these 2D artworks into wonderfully whimsical animated pieces.
We invite you to come and enjoy this wonderful exhibition and see for yourself, Transfigrasi, by Ijal Mariachi runs until August 28.
Want more? You can check out Ijal Mariachi's instagram.
Massive thanks for their kind support must go to Island Brewing & Two Island Wines for supplying us with much needed thirst quenches during the opening.
