When touched, the hypersensitive makahiya plant folds its minuscule leaflets inward, defending itself from any potential risk.
Florence Solis attracts on this defensive response in an ethereal assortment of portraits. Starting with digital collages that meld figures and delicate, natural ornaments, the Filipino-Canadian artist interprets the imagined types to the canvas. Shrouded in dainty, beaded veils or entwined with botanicals, every protagonist seems sure and hid, their our bodies and faces obscured by hair or grass.
As Solis sees it, the figures could also be restricted, however they’re additionally capable of finding energy and transformation. “Filipino women, much like the makahiya, have been taught to yield, to soften, to take up less space,” she says. “And yet, beneath this quietness lies an undeniable force—one that persists, adapts, and reclaims space in its own way.”
Working in saturated, typically single-color palettes, Solis renders figures who seem to harness magical powers. She references Filipino folklore and the idea within the energy of the on a regular basis to result in the divine, portray girls rooted in custom and fable, but decided to see their transformation via.
The vivid portraits proven right here can be on view at EXPO CHICAGO this week with The Mission Tasks. Discover extra from Solis on Instagram.
