MARIA BRITO MARTINS
ETHEREAL GARDEN




                                           

Ethereal Garden was the first group show by me and two close friends, Aheneah and Ziki. Inspired by the enigmatic beauty of nature, the exhibition reflects the life of flowers and corals, the structure of rocks and crystals and the beauty of sunlight and its reflections. Our intention was not only to portray the visible but also to evoke intangible sensations and memories.

I designed an ethereal habitat that could seamlessly blend the work of both artists and understand how the space could also be part of the narrative. We covered the floor with white stone dust to ensure that the color of the brick floor would not compete with the artworks. The unevenness of the floor allows visitors to extend the feeling of the outdoor garden into an ethereal one, also slowing down the pace of the exhibition.

The space had two recesses with windows that I decided
to close off. This allowed me to better control the lighting of the exhibition but also to create completely new and isolated settings inside them. With only a small cutout to peek inside, the setting and the artworks became one and allowed for an unexpected break in the experience flow.

In the surrounding area, I chose to distance the pieces from the wall plane with backlit panels. This not only highlights and frames each artwork, but it also gives the exhibition a new dimension, depth and colors.Year

Location


Role


Materials



Credits2024

Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal

Scenography, Graphic Design

PVC, Dibond, Stone dust, Wood, LEDs, Stucco

Artworks by Aheneah and ZIKI