PECA

AQUARIUS

opening online: Friday, June 12th 2020

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Arch Enemy Arts is proud to announce the debut of Aquarius, a new series of eight drawings by Argentinian artist, Peca, who created the entire feature while under quarantine from the pandemic in Barcelona. Like many artists who lost access to their studios during Covid-19, Peca found herself limited to the materials she had on-hand—just a few colored pencils, black toned paper, and the concept of chiaroscuro, or as the artist explains (with her typical charm), “Where darkness and light melt into balance and empower each other.” Despite such rigid technical limitations, Aquarius itself feels limitless. Each drawing depicts a different creature from the cosmos, wrought with the enchanting textural energy and metaphysical symbolism signature to her work.

In Greek mythology, the constellation Aquarius commemorates an uncharacteristic moment of mercy from Zeus, who chose to pardon his beloved cupbearer, Ganymendes, when he rebelled by pouring “all the water of the gods” down to Earth. The floods that ensued revitalized the planet, and Zeus rewarded Ganymedes with a constellation in his honor. Peca’s series is very much a meditation on the themes of the Aquarius myth and what we, as a species, can learn from it—especially in times of crisis.

 

The artist explains:
“Aquarius arises from the idea of a change of era and paradigms, where nature is revered and the connection between beings empowers magic…We can no longer continue to pretend everything is fine. What we do affects directly or indirectly other beings, so it is an unavoidable responsibility to take into account this law of cause and effect…I do not speak only of human beings but of the entire set of sentient beings—animals, minerals, plants—all absolutely."