JOSEP ROS
PINTURES
Texts
ALTERED REALITIES
The reality can be altered in many ways, by imagination, by dreams, by the ingestion of psychotropic substances or consciously through art and emulating the above.
Already in classical antiquity by mythological representation of gods, used an altered reality to make it understandable then understand realities.
The perception of reality is subjective and everyone transforms according to a series of conditions, based on a common element that is distorted and eyelet images that live in the subconscious. This is the starting point of the exhibition, where their own experiences or from common iconography developed particularly suited to reading and at the same time contemporary collection of the iconographic tradition and iconic painting European classic.
The work is based largely on emblems Alciato and iconology Ripa, transforming them and adapting them to modern times, adding more interpretable iconic images so that the viewer can make a reading of the work .
As part of the "lowbrow" or pop surrealism, offered disturbing scenes in theater scenes where the characters interrogate the viewer and invite him to participate in the scene.
The characters themselves are painted so deep dreamlike thoughts that can denote unspeakable desires.
The figures are in the stage of a theater of dreams, surrounded by elements that connect to reality, botanical and zoological species clearly identifiable, very Mediterranean weather effects that take the scene outside palatial interiors or very suggestive that invite us to imagine a peculiar everyday.
Each observer has in these oil paintings, many doors insinuated to construct their own reality, alteration done to everyone who is watching is unique, like dreams that everyone makes in his subconscious made from common in all, we all have a freedom that few develop.
Vicent Josep Garcia Cervera
FAREWELL TO DUCHAMP
Critical writings published just before visiting an exhibition can limit the interpretative possibilities of a spectator, reducing him to a simple passive art consumer.
This however is in no case my intention: to prove my good faith, I declare that this review will not take the form of a routine exercise, always stating the same traditional examples. Over more, as difficult as it may appear, the name of Duchamp shall not be taken in vain.
To begin, I would ask that we situate ourselves in that delicate area of pleasure, that mine-field of enjoying post-Auschwitz art, whom Adorno considered as being “ugly”.
Josep Ros however is a valiant painter, more present in figurative art, but never turning his back on the mandatory classic consisting of situating man at the centre of all things. Courageous to be against artistic fashions that have been around now for decades, where photography, “happening”, videos, installations, para-sculptures and paintings as far away from what we would identify as being a “painting”, are the only vectors allowed to be conveyed by the contemporary artist.
But how did we manage to arrive at this point? Easy, as like anything, art now exhibits itself in the idea that all is valid and consequently tastes and choice are no longer required. All can now be summed up by the outward appearance of a supermarket, that global cannibalization that condemns us to be submissive to speculation and the most vulgar at that. It would have been fitting for Houellebecq to have mentioned it.
Humour therefore is now a privileged form of heroism, indispensable to escape the homogenization funnel of Duchamp, where any physical or ethical reasoning comes to a halt. This is the avatar that possesses Josep Ros when he puts us in front of one of this paintings. Powerful and immediate presence make us glance a second time, curious and entertained amongst the disjointed scenes, intensified by the most daring colours, questioned by the countless meanings hidden or ambushed behind the uncloaked nature, dead or alive.
With this ample generosity, we are offered a special singular viewing, an opening beyond the unexpected, “astonishment”, to be allowed to see what was before invisible. We are surprised, and we happily accept to be plunged inside this larger game.
We know where there is danger there is also a solution. Someone said it but we don’t know who.
Josep Ros is a placid man, he doesn’t however flee combats or discard what is most dear to him: the authenticity behind the rich and meticulous universe he offers. He is a person who does not allow imitations around him, except for entertainment purposes, such as disguises, irony or laughter. He never abandons his principals, making his art totally personal. The only true art possible. As Balthus said “let the hypocrites die!”
Through his art we can acknowledge an expanding world, inviting us, like small children, to be carried along by images of architectural symmetry or excessive scenery.
We are captured by the persuasive simplicity of the illusionist – “come close, don’t be frightened. Everything is visible, I hide nothing.” Sensuality enters and moves us along. We give in to the paintings’ unavoidable request for our eyes to look directly into theirs. “Come in front, come close,” just like the vampire saying, “let me in.”
Then suddenly, we notice some small detail, discarded at the beginning (or that omnipresent that it didn’t catch our attention). We become gripped, shivering as if we were experiencing a premonition. There is darkness in Paradise. Even though later on you may prefer to avoid it, it then becomes impossible to escape.
Whatever, then as if trying to test our final limit, in true Henry James style – we realize (and we already knew it), that without shadows light can blind us, that light only can illuminate flat realities, without prominences.
An acknowledgement that this show is life, the Life which Josep Ros allows us to closely observe through the various characters we see face to face. Or, are they confronting us?
Perhaps Duchamp would have the answer, but after all, do we really care? We purely vindicate the consciousness of pleasures and the pleasure of being conscious.
Without a guilty conscious, or Duchamp neither.
Anna Serrano