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Global Sindoh

Ivan Navarro, the Installation artist holds solo exhibition at Sindoh Cultural Space


Ivan Navarro Solo Exhibition (April 17~June 12, 2020) 


Sindoh Cultural Space will host a solo exhibition by Ivan Navarro, a Chilean installation artist who delivers messages of freedom, truth, and hope as well as socio-political criticism by using neon and florescent light and mirror in his works. The exhibition will present works that feature reflection, sound, and text, creating magically visual illusions as well as a window of time for contemplation. 


▲Drums (2009) 

Neon light, mirror, one-way mirror, plywood, metal and electric energy 121.9 x 121.9 x 121.9 cm 

© Ivan Navarro Courtesy the artist Photo by Jorge Martinez Munoz 


Delivering socio-political messages through enchanting artworks 


Ivan Navarro is internationally known for his socio-politically charged, fascinating works of art designed to create visual illusions by using mirror and neon and florescent light. Influenced by minimalism and modern designs, his works contain pinpointed socio-political criticism. 


Born in Santiago, Chile in 1972, he grew up under the brutal military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet who initiated a coup and ruled Chile for 17 years, during which he ruthlessly suppressed anti-government protests. His childhood memories of the military dictatorship caused Navarro to turn to light -- a tool for controlling the people during the dictatorship -- as the subject matter for his artworks. Pinochet imposed curfews and cut off power to keep people in their homes and limit their outside activities. These childhood memories drew Navarro to mirror, neon, and florescence that glow in the dark and reflect light. 


He crafted a variety of works using neon and florescent light including an electric chair in florescent light and the lives of immigrants expressed in text in an effort to shed light on the dark history of humanity and cruel reality of life as well as to present the desire for freedom, truth, and hope. His works - characterized by the symbolic glow of hope that is gentle yet powerful - have earned raves for the fascinating visual effects and sincere and insightful messages. 


▲ Spectrum (Vanity) (2018) 

 Light Bulbs, LED, Wood, Mirror and Electric Energy, 152.5(Diameter) x 13 cm 

© Ivan Navarro Courtesy the artist Photo by Jorge Martinez Munoz 


The exhibition will feature six works of installation art that use light, reflection from the mirror, sounds, and text. It will give viewers a special opportunity to experience magical visual illusions and to contemplate on life. Among these works are , a giant installation work that visually depicts the blurry borderlines of senses and perception that lie between sounds and human languages, and series that show transparent letters in three different mirrors in three different shapes such as circle, triangle, and square. 


▲Revolution IV (2017) 

Neon, drums, mirrors, one-way mirrors and electric energy 

(From above) 34.5 (diameter) x 30.5cm, 42 (diameter)x37cm, 

60 (diameter)x42cm, 74 (diameter)x46cm, 95.5 (diameter)x51.5cm 

© Ivan Navarro Courtesy the artist Photo by Jorge Martinez Munoz 


“To me, art is not about creating something great. It is about delivering messages.” -Ivan Navarro 


Ivan Navarro is an active New York-based artist whose works have been exhibited in major art museums and art galleries including Guggenheim Bilbao (2017), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (2014), Haywards Gallery, London (2013) and Hirshhorn Museum, Washington D.C. (2007). His works were displayed at the Chilean national pavilion during the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009. Navarro’s works are also owned by major museums and galleries including Guggenheim Bilbao, New Work, Saatchi Collection, London, LVMH Collection, Paris, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, and Amore Pacific Museum of Art. 


Due to COVID19, the exhibition will be held at Sindoh Cultural Space without any audience attended.