Navigating Memory's In-Between Realms with Marisol Ruiz

In The Psychic Landscape exhibition opening next month at NYC Culture Club in partnership with Domingo Comms, this group of Latinx artists challenges societal expectations by embracing abstraction as a conduit to blur the lines between representation and visibility.

By introducing a variety of visual strategies and mediums, five artists - Paola de la Calle, Francisco Donoso, Kathryn Godoy, Elsa Muñoz, and Marisol Ruiz - embark on an exploration of imagined spaces, deploying color as a seductive force to dissolve the boundaries of identity, spirituality, and locality.

In this immersive blog series, we delve into the evocative narratives and unique perspectives of each artist, beginning with an interview between co-curators Francisco Donoso and Veronica Petty with Marisol Ruiz.

Marisol Ruiz (she/her) creates paintings that spring from her Puerto Rican heritage and subconscious. The imagery travels through different dimensions of the ethereal and the intangible experience of life. She creates a visual language that transcends the limitations of reality, transporting viewers into ethereal realms where imagination and memory intertwine. The poetic visuals are meditations on the complex and healing nature of memory.

The exhibition The Psychic Landscape explores the realms of memory, interiority, and temporality through visual strategies of abstraction. How does your work in this exhibition reflect or respond to these themes, and what unique perspective do you bring to the exploration of these poetic terrains?

In The Psychic Landscape exhibition, my artistic exploration revolves around memory and temporality. Through the visual language of abstraction, I aim to navigate life's ethereal and intangible aspects, creating a poetic meditation on the intricate and healing nature of memory.

The scenes depicted in my paintings are like a collage, blending personal and inherited memories with imaginative depictions. The exhibition invites us to reflect on the universal human experience, engaging with the layers of memories that shape our understanding of self and existence.

Your paintings often contain elements of contemporary life in Puerto Rico. Can you share more about the role of color in your artwork and how it mediates the retrieval of past experiences and conversations?

Color plays a pivotal role in my artwork as it mediates the retrieval of past experiences and conversations. The color palette becomes a language that communicates the emotions and vibrancy of the memories I explore and revisit. Color has become a vehicle to transport me to my memories of growing up in rural Puerto Rico.

They’re also a blend of personal memories and imagination. Could you provide an example of a specific memory or experience that has directly inspired one of your recent works and how it manifested in your art?

One poignant memory that significantly influenced a recent piece of mine is rooted in my father planting numerous mussaenda trees around our home in Puerto Rico. These trees, in shades of red, pink, and white, particularly the vivid pink ones, left a mark on my recollections. My father, aware of my affection for them, acquired many, creating a landscape of soft, velvety flowers.

The memories associated with these trees, particularly captured through photographs after special events, hold a special place in my heart. Each encounter with these trees is a powerful reminder of the warmth and love inherent in those moments I shared with my father. In my art, these memories manifest in various ways, with one notable expression being through the vibrant hues of the flowers, a testament to the emotional resonance of color in capturing the essence of cherished experiences.

The concept of "the in-between" and the intimate meditation of memory are central to your art. Could you elaborate on how these elements influence your creative process and the emotions you hope to evoke in your viewers through your paintings in The Psychic Landscape exhibition?

By exploring the “in-between” and the intimate meditation of memory, these elements have influenced the emotional landscape of my paintings, inviting viewers to explore the nuanced spaces between reality, memory, and imagination. A center of focus is that I study how memories change. Each memory is a memory of a memory. The paintings in The Psychic Landscape serve as windows into these in-between realms, encouraging contemplation of memory's fluid and dynamic nature and its emotional impact.  

Your art is described as a blend of inherited and imagined memories. Can you share how the process of weaving these memories together informs the narrative and storytelling within your works, and how you aim to engage the audience in this storytelling experience now with abstraction.

Through my paintings, I extend an invitation to the audience to step into the realm of my memories. Each artwork delves into different memories linked by a common thread, whether it be flora, food, the human figure, or more. These scenes serve as threads weaving together the past and present, initiating a conversation between personal history and universal emotions. Abstraction becomes the language through which shared memories and feelings are expressed.

In essence, my art within The Psychic Landscape creates an intricate tapestry of memory, encouraging viewers to navigate the delicate interplay between personal history, imagination, and the shared human experience. Through the medium of abstraction, my paintings act as gateways to the ethereal and poetic landscapes residing within the subconscious.

Marisol Ruiz, “A dance of light and soul”, acrylic and oil on canvas, 16 x 20, 2024.

In closing, a heartfelt thank you to you Marisol, for sharing your incredible work with us.

As we step into The Psychic Landscape, Ruiz’s art serves as a bridge between the tangible and the ethereal, weaving a vibrant mosaic where personal history and universal emotions intertwine.

Join us on the exhibition opening taking place at Thursday, February 1, 6-9pm, World Trade Center, Oculus, C1 Level, South Concourse, 185 Greenwich Street, to explore the captivating landscapes Marisol has created with her vision.