Shop the Show: Artist JuanCarlos rLora Contemplates Alternative Realities in Three Bodies of Work on View in Miami

ArttoSaveLives Contemporary is inaugurating its Miami gallery with a sprawling showcase of the artist's works.

Installation view "Flor del Sol" 2022. Courtesy of ArtToSaveLives Contemporary.

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What You Need to Know: ArttoSaveLives Contemporary, a gallery formerly located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has recently relocated to Miami, and is inaugurating its new space with an expansive exhibition of the conceptual abstract artist JuanCarlos rLora’s series “Flor del Sol.” The works convey an ongoing narrative centered around the “Flower of Love,” a flower that, upon witnessing the ecological turmoil on Earth, asks to be reincarnated on the surface of the sun. On the sun, the flower exists perpetually engulfed in flames, a warning against the continued devastation of our terrestrial planet. Works from two more series by the artist will also be on view: “Earth: An Immersive Installation” and “Audrey’s Journey,” a brand new series that tries to imagine what the universe would look like if created by a child. The gallery, meanwhile, is continuing its unique mission of fostering animals, and a portion of the profits from each sale will be contributed to rescue efforts. 

Why We Like It: rLora’s canvases have a gestural immediacy that imbues his works with dynamism and energy. Though the paintings possess spontaneous qualities, the artist develops the series themselves over the course of many years, building into complex philosophical narratives. The works in his “Flor del Sol” series range from jubilant, brightly colored scenes to foreboding ones, splatted with darkened pigments, allusions to pollutants, while his two newer series in their own way ask viewers to look to the world around them with new eyes. 

What the Gallery Says: For the opening of the new location we wanted to come in strong, so this time we will be showcasing three stories by our resident artist, since the gallery itself splits into three different spaces. In the Project Room at the entrance, we wanted to flex JuanCarlos’ artistic muscle for all to see as it is also the gallery window. There, we will be showingEarth: An Immersive Installation’ which serves as a reminder of how beautiful, yet fragile our planet is and ways each one of us can contribute to a better future. In the main space, we will be showing a beautiful curation of JuanCarlos’ parallel narrative story titled ‘Flor del Sol’ (Flower of the Sun)’ a story that encompasses eight series in paintings and three series in sculptures to recount the love story. This story took the artist around 15 years to complete, he began it around the time we brought in our first three rescues: Zoey, Luna, and Nova. Lastly, in the third gallery space, we are showing our new beginnings, the artist’s new parallel narrative titled ‘Audrey’s Journey.’ This story won’t have the traditional tale written up that JuanCarlos has accustomed us but rather is a question for us to ask ourselves: What if God was a little girl from a different dimension, how would the journey of her creation of all that exists be? This series thus far leans more towards a philosophical, scientific, and theoretical framework, asking questions of the origins of the universe and existence, all while taking us on a journey of the imagination through the eyes of a child,” wrote Luba Kladienko-Ramirez, the founder of the gallery.

 

The Awakening
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JuanCarlos rLora, The Awakening.

JuanCarlos rLora, The Awakening. Courtesy of ArtToSaveLives Contemporary.

Lone II
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JuanCarlos rLora, Lone II. Courtesy of ArtToSaveLives Contemporary.

JuanCarlos rLora, Lone II. Courtesy of ArtToSaveLives Contemporary.

Field of Dreams
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JuanCarlos rLora, Field of Dreams. Courtesy of ArtToSaveLives Contemporary.

JuanCarlos rLora, Field of Dreams. Courtesy of ArtToSaveLives Contemporary.

 

Hollow II
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JuanCarlos rLora, Hollow II. Courtesy of ArtToSaveLives Contemporary.

JuanCarlos rLora, Hollow II. Courtesy of ArtToSaveLives Contemporary.


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