Currently open at the Akimori, a part of the Akipelago complex operated by Akiko Kinoshi (A Kiko), is an exhibition by the talented Mareea Farresco. It is entitled Tapestry, with the subtitle Medieval Fantasy.
Presenting nineteen images, this is a narrative exhibition, unfolding a story of a maiden and her encounter with a travelling troubadour in medieval times. Mixing images of landscapes with images of avatars, the images are designed to be viewed in a specific order, starting with the image of cathedral, located on the far left of the information board listing the names of all 19 pieces. From here, the story progresses past the introductory board and on around the worlds of the exhibition space.
Thus, the pictures progress from the cathedral and through the streets of a medieval town, their ordering suggestive of a walk taken by the maiden, out of the town and past the tall towers and strong walls of a Norman-style castle standing proud on a hill. As they continue around the walls, the pictures introduce us to the maiden with a subtle hit of her love of music, before moving on to her encounter with the troubadour and the blossoming of an apparent relationship – one which we instinctively know will not last.
The images themselves are beautifully processed to give the appearance of paintings produced if not within the period of the story, then possibly by one of the great masters of the renaissance period, the start of which overlapped the end of the medieval. This is particularly true of the images of the unnamed town and its guardian castle, all of which are rich in detail, capturing moments in time. The images of the maiden and her troubadour are equally engaging avatar studies, vividly telling the tale of love and loss (or is that perhaps abandonment?) and the inevitable hurt and loss.
In this, Tapestry appears to offer a story within a story: just how genuine is the troubadour in his feelings for the maiden? Is it a genuine love, or the opportunity for a dalliance as he goes about his travels, singing his songs to whomever will pay him, staying only so long in any one place as meets his needs before his inevitable wanderlust causes him to move on? From the perspective of the maiden, their relationship is real, and she is clearly heartbroken following his adieu and departure. From this, our imagination might build a number of possible tales within the tale, adding a personal depth to the images.
With the exhibition space decorated to match the tone of the images, Tapestry is an engaging and expression exhibition, ideal for art lovers and storytellers.
SLurl Details
- Tapestry (Akimori, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 