Gabriela Bertiller’s "Emotional Billboards" Thursday April 7, 2005 Consulate General of Argentina Gallery Written by Wendy R. Williams Photographed by Mary Blanco   "Resurrection"

Gabriela Bertiller's Emotional Billboards exhibit at the Argentine Constulate consisted of a stunning group of large scale, vibrantly colored, religious based paintings which are embellished (outlined) with Swarovski crystals. Gabriela, a charismatic and petite artist, paints her vision of religion on huge (museum size) canvases that were appropriately hung in the museum-sized reception room at the Consulate. In fact, these stunningly beautiful paintings could only be appreciated in museums, galleries, castles and a few homes in the Hamptons, because you must have enough room to step back and appreciate the painting's large scale beauty and intricate beaded detail. As the show's title states, these are Emotional Billboards.

"Passion"

At the exhibit, Mary and I met both Gabriela and her friend/publicist Genna Terranova. Gabriella told us that she had moved to New York from Buenas Aires to attend the School of Visual Arts from which she graduated with Masters of Fine Art in 2001. She has subsequently had a residency at The Red Gate Gallery in Beijing, China (where she fell in love with the color red and the hummingbirds she now uses in her art) and is now on her way to a residency in Seoul, South Korea at the Changdong Art Studio. These Far East influences can be seen in Gabriela’s love of radiance, expressed through her use of crystals, sequins and glitter with oil on canvas.

Gabriela Bertiller and Genna Terranova in front of "Crucifixion"

During my conversation with Gabriela's publicist, Genna Terranova, Genna told me that Gabriela fell in love with both beading (exhibited by the Swarovski crystals in Emotional Billboards) and the use of ribbons in art during her childhood visits to the mercerias of Buenas Aires. Mercerias are small trim shops where women go to both buy embellishments for their clothing and to sit, sew and visit. Gabriela's fascination with this soon-to-be-lost-art (the rents are rising in Argentina too) led to her use of embellishments in her work. The story of her love of embellishment (along with her corresponding paintings) was recently told/exhibited in a show, "La Mercería de Maria Gabriela" (sponsored by Art for Change) at Carlitos Galería, at 1701 Lexington Avenue between 106th and 107th streets (closed on April 3, 2005). As Gabriela says when talking about her fascination with the mercerias, "Mercerías are trim shops where one can find everything needed to decorate, renovate, fix or create pieces of clothing and accessories. These forgotten places of beauty are like spaces from another time. Their employees are lovely old ladies that sew and knit, sweet grandmothers of fashion - artists without knowing it".

Pablo Beltramino - Cultural Attache Argentine Consulate

The show is over and that is a shame, but do not despair, Gabriela will return from Seoul and when she has another New York based show, New York Cool will be there to tell you about it. Gabriela's show at the consulate ran show ran April 7th through April 28th at the Consulate General of Argentina in New York 12 West 56th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues. The curator/cultural director for the consulate is Pablo Beltramino. Genna Terranova was the publicist for the exhibit.

To see some  online images of the artist's work please visit:
http://www.wooloo.org/gabrielabertiller/