Mireille Gros: Instinktverstarkungselixiergarten: Planetary Plants Series

Ronewa Art Projects is proud to present the "Instinktverstärkungselixiergarten" exhibition, a collection of captivating botanical drawings by the renowned Swiss artist, Mireille Gros. Set against the backdrop of the prestigious Berlin Art Week, the exhibition explores the delicate dance of invention and extinction, painting a poignant narrative of fictional plant biodiversity. 

 

According to the artist, the gallery space is transformed into a magical "garden" (GARTEN) where an "elixir" (ELIXIER) brews and "reinforces" (VERSTÄRKUNG) your "instincts" (INSTINKT). The "Planetary Plants" series aims to engage both local and international audiences, seamlessly bridging the gap between the familiar and the fantastical. 

 

Gros's foray into this genre was catalyzed by her visit to the Taï National Park in West Africa, a UNESCO world heritage site, in 1993. Reflecting on the experience, Gros says "It was one of my childhood dreams to walk in a true rainforest. During my visit, I realized many of the species I witnessed were endangered, which prompted me to start (re) inventing my own species." This evocative blend of reality and imagination drives the ethos of the "Planetary Plants" series. 

 

Gros's artistry operates beyond the confines of theory or specific concepts. Every idea is treated with equal importance, maintaining a fluid receptivity to nature, behavior, and the world's ever-changing landscape. 

 

Dynamically responding to the present, Gros assesses and navigates the potential of her immediate environment. This ongoing evaluation allows her methods and techniques to evolve as needed, ensuring that her artwork remains authentic to the spirit of the moment. 

 

Embodying"sponte sua" - pure spontaneity, Gros's creations often blend diverse elements that may appear disparate in our daily perceptions. These components seamlessly transition between universes in her artwork, devoid of any forced intention, showcasing her ability to unite diverse elements into a singular, harmonious work of art. 

 

Her newest works, especially tailored for Ronewa Art Projects in Berlin, oscillate between two distinct scales, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in her vivid, imaginative world, irrespective of the dimensions. All visitors are free to explore the artworks, engaging in a dialogue between perception and creation. 

 

Join us for the gallery opening on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, from 18:00 to 20:00. This exhibition runs from September 14 - November 8, 2023, at Potsdamer Strasse 91, 10785, Berlin. 

 

 

 

The work of Mireille Gros echoes an ideology that places plants at the center of life on earth rather than as its embellishment. Gros does not attempt to document, catalog, or reproduce nature. Instead, she works adjacent to the plant world, drawing inspiration from its diversity and complexities.

"I don't work after nature; I like to work with nature - making the (plant) life intelligible through lines and colors."

Touched and dismayed by witnessing the rapidly disappearing biodiversity of the virgin rainforest in the Taï National Park in the Ivory Coast, Mireille Gros began drawing and painting plant species from her imagination. "Every day a species disappears - every day I invent a new one." Through her long running “Fictional Plant Diversity” project, which began in 1993, Gros has created an entire taxonomy of invented plant life.

Gros lives and works between Basel and Paris. She has held local and international solo exhibitions since 1990, including the recent Kabinettausstellung at Kunstmuseum Basel. Her work is housed in private and public collections worldwide, including La Chalcographie du Louvre (Paris), Helvetia Art Collection (Basel), and Fonds d'art Contemporain (Paris). Gros has received numerous awards and held residencies in China, Mali, and Bulgaria.