The Whispers Inside by Alex Proba
Multidisciplinary artist Alex Proba’s new body of work, The Whispers Inside at Uprise Art in New York, draws inspiration from the influence of her grandmother—the paintings full of vibrant colour and boundless joy.
Words: Hande Renshaw I Photography: Nicholas Peter Wilson
Alex Proba with her latest body of work, The Whispers Inside.
The Whispers Inside draws inspiration from the enduring influence of Alex Proba’s ‘babcia’, [polish for grandmother] and the vibrant hues of her garden.
‘Oil paint let me add layers and depth, while watercolors gave a playful touch. Using these new mediums helped me show intuition in a more lively way,’ say Alex Proba.
‘Embracing messiness and imperfection makes my art feel more real and honest. It's like showing the wild and spontaneous side of creativity, which is pretty cool,’ say Alex Proba.
‘My grandma and her garden were big inspirations for me in all my work and who I am as a designer and artist, as she was the only creative source in my childhood until my teenage years.’
‘Nature isn't perfect either, and by embracing imperfection, I'm diving into the depth and authenticity of nature itself. As we all are surrounded by nature and the beauty of it. The imperfect perfect beauty,’ says Alex Proba.
Sunlit Gardens by Alex Proba.
“I think there’s something beautiful in not being perfect. My paintings aren’t neat and tidy because life isn’t like that. In the messy and imperfect, there lies a rawness and honesty that speaks to the human experience.”
Each artwork is a dialogue between past and present, a celebration of the enduring power of memory to shape our perceptions and fuel our artistic endeavours.
‘In these new works I want people to feel a mix of emotions when they see my paintings. I hope they feel happy remembering good times, but also take a moment to think about their own memories.’
Growing up, multidisciplinary artist Alex Proba was incredibly close to her ‘babcia’ [polish for grandmother]. As the main creative source in her family, Alex’s babcia was the person she went to for inspiration and creative nourishment. In particular, her garden was a place that was pure magic for Alex… alive with form, colour and incredible scent.
‘My grandma taught me a lot about being creative and sharing stories. Her garden was like a magical place full of colours and smells and how much joy they spread in their presence only—that’s what I want to achieve with my art: joy,’ shares Alex.
Alex’s latest body of work, The Whispers Inside, at Uprise Art in New York, taps into the enduring influence and inspiration that she received from her grandmother, exploring the intricacies of intuition through a dynamic interplay of texture, colour and emotion.
‘Texture, colour, and feelings were super important in these paintings because they helped me show how intuition works. Texture made the art feel real, like you could touch it. Colours were like the feelings behind the art, making it lively and emotional. And every stroke of the brush carried emotion and memories from the past, like my grandmother's whispers guiding each stroke,’ she says.
The Whispers Inside is an exploration of new mediums for Alex—delving into oil paint and watercolour effects, she embraces the inherent unpredictability of the creative process, allowing intuition to guide her hand as she navigates the canvas.
The paintings in the collection embrace imperfection, each a free flowing artwork, equally authentic and spontaneous. ‘I think there's something beautiful in not being perfect. My paintings aren't neat and tidy because life isn't like that. In the messy and imperfect, there lies a rawness and honesty that speaks to the human experience,’ Alex says. ‘It's like showing the wild and spontaneous side of creativity, which is pretty cool. Nature isn't perfect either, and by embracing imperfection, I'm diving into the depth and authenticity of nature itself. As we all are surrounded by nature and the beauty of it. The imperfect perfect beauty.’
Through the new body of work, Alex wants the viewer to feel a mix of emotion, ‘I hope they feel happy remembering good times, but also take a moment to think about their own memories. My art is supposed to make people feel something personal, and that’s hopefully positive and joyful.’ Just like she felt walking through her babcia’s garden many years ago, on a bright and magical day.
THE WHISPERS INSIDE
Uprise Art
264 Canal Street #4w
New York, NY
Exhibition dates:
From Thursday, April 25