Art    Illustration    ABOUT    SHOP

CREATING DURING THE LONGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

AN IDEA BORN IN THE WINTER SOLSTICE

This painting is the large scale limited version of the original idea. Which was born during a painting marathon performance on a winter solstice night. The artist Sonsoles Masiá, intrigued by astronomy, creates during astronomical events as equinox, solstices or metheor showers.

A COLLABORATIVE PAINTING PERFORMANCE

A collaboration with other artist, hand by hand with solar sister Shanna M. Casey, we honored the solstice night on a streamed performance during the longest night of the year, 20th - 21st of December of 2020. The performance was divided in two parts: YIA and SOLSTICE NIGHT as a transition during the dark hours.

Photo: @rosannesteeneken

PROJECT MANIFESTO:

Since the beginning of humankind, we have looked to the sky to find signals that guide us through the transitions of the seasons and the times to sow and harvest. Proof of this are the many found traditional astronomical observatories like Stonehenge, or any other Neolithic archaeoastronomical sites. In the modern day, there is still something magical and primitive about looking up to the sky and trying to understand the movement of the celestial bodies and our position among them. Observatories not only provide a functional and scientific aspect; they also explore a spiritual dimension. There is hope for the rebirth of the sun; when the days slowly become longer, and the nights are marked by lingering sunsets. These moments have influenced the spiritual emotions of humans, and has similarly inspired the artist to create this performance.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Sonsoles Masiá (Madrid, 1991) has a degree and master in Architecture and Fine Arts from the European University of Madrid. She currently lives and works in Delft (Holland) where she develops her artistic production. She is particularly interested in astronomy and observatories, which has led her to paint during astronomical events such as equinoxes, solstices and meteor showers. In 2021 she arrives in Lanzarote thanks to the Artistic Residency Programme of Hotel Meliá Salinas, to create her Colour Observatorium exhibition after having showed her work in cities such as Rotterdam, The Hague or Delft, as well as winning the first prize of the ArtSci Competition Water Youth Network (2019).

21:58 Winter night

Winter Solstice 2020

Acrylic on Canvas - 130cm x 130cm

GRANDEUX ANTWERPEN

Original version for sale on a 35 x 50 cm paper.

On the 20th of December, the artist presents the longest night of the year materialized in a streamed performance and a painting collection. The dark will witness her creations, starting from 2 hours after sunset, when all light is gone. At 18:38 is the moment when the astronomical dusk takes place, the third twilight. In that darkness the artist will start her performance. The performance will take place until two hours before sunrise on the 21st of December, right at the astronomical Dawn, at 6:42 the first twilight. 13 hours and 02 minutes of artistic expression where she induces herself into an extreme state of mind of exhaustion, finding a primitive instinct based on the hope for the rebirth of the sun. Searching for the ancient feeling of uncertainty and faith for longer days that our ancestors experienced during the saturnalia's festivities.

Photo: @rosannesteeneken at the atelier.