In the works of the Cuban Art historian and visual artist Martha Limia, there is an absence of concession, a search for a personal world, for a harmony which seems to be born from feelings. Movements, lights, suggested shapes which fit together in his creations, to the point, sometimes, of being close to abstraction. Her sculptures with numerous abstract effects to which the almost exclusive support on her emotions and the material never prevents her vision from remaining that of an underlying philosopher. The art that this visionary artist gives us to see and appreciate is an integral part of contemporary practices open to the experimentation of new forms to conceive Art.
Needing only escape, in solitude to find happiness, for Martha Limia joins the Rousseauist idea in her Walks from one sculpture to another, like open windows…It is above all this freedom to create that she loves and by which she defines herself. A rare but meaningful experience in the way of living and thinking about art, from this unclassifiable visual artist and art historian for whom sculpture is her true companion on a long journey that began more than 30 years ago .
Martha's technical frenzy can be explained by the profusion of materials that are not generally part of the traditional materials of sculpture such as metals, stones, even resins, cardboard or chemicals created in the laboratory. She rather prefers materials that come from nature and have undergone no or minimal industrial process, and which can be easily malleable by my hands, such as raffia, bamboo, ratan, sisal, ropes , fabrics, etc.
Alongside this type of materials, there are the techniques for working them, which do not fall under the artistic term, but those that we qualify today as artisanal, those which are used in weaving, basketry, ambient architecture, in short, artistic expressions related to ancient cultures that are still used today.
From anthropology to ethnology through ancient cultures, this artist and art historian draws her subjects from the interaction of man with his environment. The broad outlines of these dialectics of the attraction of consciousness make it possible to reconcile the intention for oneself and the status conferred by others. Thus, examining Martha's works, from this point of view, allows us to see the conditions of production, diffusion, reception of works of abstract art in its states and to exercise a critical mind there. She took care to introduce her dreams, her reflections, her visions, her convictions which plunge us straight into the heart of her sumptuous universe. “I like to work with emotions, fears, dreams, loves, reflected in stories, fables, poetry, songs, proverbs, rituals, etc. All those human actions which show the fragility, the strength, the uncertainty, the power or control of nature, the victories and failures of Man in his adventures on earth, and mainly the imagination that Man expressed,” Martha Limia tells us on this subject.
Art and escape are expressed as a scenic universe which has been considerably transcended by a burst, abstract and lyrical pictorial narration. Despite the vicissitudes of life, Martha is always in search of beauty and a certain taste of happiness. This constant research is amplified thanks to mixed techniques and styles. His works appear before our eyes in different formats which form a coherent whole and which clearly define the character and style of the artist. This quest and reclamation of the happiness of living and discovering the things of life is the essence of the universe of our visual artist when it is possible to discover the artistic and cultural heritage of the world through its many human riches as well.
“Having been born in Cuba, my first approach to this type of theme was religious practices inherited from Africa. Deepening this interest I embarked on the study of black Africa and its diaspora. Today I am in Morocco where the Amazigh culture has survived for centuries and centuries, which offers me the opportunity to come into contact with this other part of Africa and its living mysteries.she continues.
In short, Martha Limia's works allow you to give free rein to your emotions, to move away from reality to open up all the possible fields of creation, mixing matter with an energetic background. The spirit of each of his works having its free will adds to the other, and all enrich each other, analyzing his feelings or the simple impulse of lucidity. A true immersion in her own world, made of imagination and dreams where all spiritual transcendences are welcome.
Ayoub Akil
