A Secret Gallery In La Manzanilla….Shhhhhhhhh

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Secret Gallery - close-up
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Yes, a secret gallery! Want to know more? Read on!

Last year, while on my annual stay in La Manzanilla, my friend and art mentor Patrizio shared a discovery with me.

There’s an abandoned house near him in front of which he has created a lovely garden. (I believe the impetus was to deter all the litter throwers who had decided the empty space was their personal garbage dump. And it worked – there’s very little ‘basura’ found there now.)

One day, Patrizio went inside the building. Rather than the empty space he expected to see, he found some imaginative and large paintings of rather strange beings. These paintings are unseen from the street, only visible upon entry. And entry is through bushes and around the side so not easily seen or accessible.

Who did these paintings? We may never know. Certainly someone with a creative soul who wanted to quietly leave his or her mark in this small fishing village.

Needless to say, I was delighted by what I saw.

 

I was in La Manzanilla again this year and a couple of times wandered through the secret gallery. Since last year, Patrizio has added his own creations to the secret gallery – a delightful surprise. When my niece Aly was visiting, I shared the secret with her.

 

And now I’m going to share the secret with you!

Let me take you on a tour:

Secret gallery - You enter and this is what you see straight ahead
You enter and this is what you see straight ahead

 

Secret Gallery: The first image we see on entering. (Looking back at the entry way.)
Turn to your left and you see this. (Looking back at the entryway, Aly in the doorway.) Strange art yes??

 

 

 

 

Secret gallery - Turn to your right and you'll see this painting on the wall which then leads you to....
Turn to your right and you’ll see this on the wall which then leads you to….
Secret gallery - Turn right again and you'll see these paintings. The entry is just to the right of the photo. When the artist painted these images, the papier mache eye was hanging in the window space (the one that is partially visible as it leans against the wall outside). Evidently, the eye was part of the whole scheme. If we read from the previous photo we get: You See (pointing to the eye) New. What shall you fill in that blank space?
… these paintings on your right. The entry is just to the right of the photo. When the artist painted these images, the papier mache eye was hanging in the window space (you can see it partially visible as it leans against the wall outside). Evidently, the eye was part of the whole scheme. Reading from the previous photo we get – You See (pointing to the eye) New. What shall you fill in that blank space?

 

Secret Gallery - Moving into another room, you come across this sleeping figure...
Moving into another room, you come across this sleeping figure…

 

Secret gallery - And in yet another room, this strange combination of a being sitting over a severed arm with fish hanging from above. What do you make of this?
And in yet another room, this strange combination of a figure sitting over a severed arm with fish hanging from above. What do you make of this?

 

Secret Gallery - And there's this rather gentle soul...
And there’s this rather gentle soul…  I don’t think the writing says anything but is rather asemic writing. Any other opinions?

 

Secret gallery - Added to the secret gallery by Patrizio is this bottle painted with 'Embrace'
Added to the secret gallery by Patrizio is this bottle painted with ‘Embrace’

 

Secret Gallery - Another Patrizio addition with figures created from his theme 'Mirar' ('Look')
Another Patrizio addition with figures created in his theme ‘Mirar’ (‘Look’)

 

 

I had an uncontrollable urge to add my own stamp to the secret gallery. What would it be? An installation of hangers and cloth that I had found? Or a selection of figures from my On The Edge theme? (Read more about this series here.) Aly convinced me to add figures, saying that they are my unique signature. Materials to use? Well, happily, Patrizio had just given me a box of pastels that had come into his possession and which he had decided he would never use. Perfect.

 

So one afternoon, I took the box of pastels and went to the secret gallery. I spent an hour plus, looking, seeing, and adding a number of figures. I examined the walls and let the contours, design, and colours lead the way.

 

Here’s what happened.

 

Secret Gallery - On entering...
On entering…

 

Secret Gallery-close-up
Close-up

 

 

 

Secret Gallery - Around a couple of corners
Around a couple of corners….
Secret Gallery - detail
Close-up

 

Secret Gallery - close-up
Close-up

 

Secret Gallery - Behind Patrizio's 'Embrace'
Behind Patrizio’s ‘Embrace’

 

Secret Gallery - close-up
Close-up

 

Secret Gallery - Below Patrizio's 'Embrace'
Below Patrizio’s ‘Embrace’

 

Secret Gallery - I added figures to the bricks in the window
I added figures to the bricks in the window. (Another installation, possibly by Patrizio, on the floor.)

 

Secret Gallery - close-up
Close-up

 

Secret Gallery - close-up
Close-up

 

Secret gallery - close-up
Close-up

 

Secret Gallery - Additions against yellow paint
In another room, the yellow paint called to me! (Notice the cool hanging installation…by Patrizio? You can see the ‘Mirar’ figures below.)

 

Secret Gallery - close-up
Close-up

 

Secret Gallery - close-up
Close-up

 

Secret Gallery - And as you turn to leave...
And as you turn to leave… (Notice that the ‘eye’ now hangs again.)

 

Secret Gallery - close-up
Close-up

 

Secret Gallery - One last one
One last figure before you leave…

 

The walls are rough and sometimes I was frustrated that I couldn’t get more detail. Also, there was no erasing once the pastel was down! All in all, a most satisfying hour of contemplation and creation. I wonder who will see my creations, this hidden graffiti?

 

Talk to me! What do you think?? Leave a comment on the blog with your thoughts  🙂

 

Until next time,

~ Gail

 

And in case you were curious, here’s the secret gallery from the outside. Shhhhhhh…..

The Secret Gallery from the outside

15 thoughts on “A Secret Gallery In La Manzanilla….Shhhhhhhhh”

  1. After looking at the renderings placed there before and your figures, I was reminded of cave drawings. Secret little drawings drawn on walls to tell a story or just to say I was here. You were there! You added the figures on certain chosen areas of the walls like along a crack to create people walking on a precipice as we all walk in life. Brilliant as always ! Gail.

  2. Gailen Lovett

    I like your lotus figure contemplating the enigma of this place. Your series of shadow figures dwell elegantly in the secret gallery. You have left your mark.

  3. Gwen McDonald

    What a wonderful secret space… your figures are so delightfully whimsical… a true voyage of discovery for the next soul who wanders in and finds this space. Magic.

  4. Patricia Fraser

    Carolyn sent this to our Wed. Writers group, Gail, and I am absolutely thrilled. Your figures are so vibrant and alive and full of movement. ‘Shadow figures’ in a hidden gallery, who could ask for more? I’ve long loved your work, but this is the best of all. Thank you so much for sharing the Secret Gallery. Long may it guard its secret art and may each addition be as worthy as yours is!

    1. Thank you for your wonderful words about my work Pat. Glad you enjoyed the Secret Gallery and yes, I hope it remains quietly there, with new additions as the months go by. I can’t wait to return next year to see what’s changed!

  5. I finally ventured into the ‘secret gallery’; thanks for pointing it out Gail! How wonderful, I’ve been going by that place for years and never knew…

    1. I know, it’s so cool that this empty ignored building holds treasures unseen by most! Glad you had a visit 🙂

  6. Linda Crosfield

    …just wants to say thank you! Truly a place of magic and inspiration. I’ve been twice now. Shhhhhh!

  7. correction….i did not do the hanging!again by someone unknown.i did create the figures below and the mountain….originally there was an american dollar bill between two pieces of glass hanging from the ceiling……that has since left the building….
    patrizio

    1. Gail Sibley

      Thank you for correcting my assumption that you perhaps had created the mobile. I had thought it didn’t ‘fit’ what you had been doing artwise but with you and your work, anything new is to be expected! I love that we have another unknown in the Secret Gallery.
      I laughed about the dollar bill – movable installation!

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