IONE & MANN is delighted to present in spirit and truth [come closer and see], an exhibition that explores opposing tensions inherent in balance within humankind’s fragile entanglement with the natural world.

Referencing non-duality, folklore and the unseen, the show brings together the practices of eight international artists who negotiate these tensions through a shared connection with the elemental, within an intentional, precise, often self-referential structure set free by an openness to what is unknowable.

Through painting, drawing, sculpture and textiles the works in the this exhibition offer a visual interplay between definition and soft focus, structure and freedom, symmetry and discordance, order and apparent chance. The figure is notably absent but humanity feels ever present - through an implied quest for its origins, its place and a deep yearning for connection through ritual, belief and acts of defiance, the need to assign meaning but also to reject it.

Heraclitus mentions the term palíntropos harmonîe which implies a dynamic unity of opposites, a relational whole that arises precisely because of its elements and the continuous shifts and adjustments that exist in a state of perpetual entanglement.

Today, in a hyper-accelerated, post-truth environment marked by extreme polarisation, pervasive uncertainty, and ecological precarity, the exhibition casts light on the emergence of countertendencies to bring things back to balance: softness in response to aggression; simplicity in response to excess; restraint in response to the drive for insatiable growth; introspection in response to constant connectivity; but also a willingness to seek understanding beyond human intelligence, learn from the natural cycles and access alternative forms of wisdom and consciousness.

This is not a proposal for escapism through distraction, detachment or reactionary nostalgia. At time where finding an anchor and grounding feels imperative, the exhibition posits a path forward through acceptance of opposites and the dynamic process of change which is essential for sameness to exist. 

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The Fern Flower is a magic flower in Slavic and Baltic mythology. It blooms for a short time on the eve of the Summer Solstice, between midnight and dawn, shining with a golden, purple or blue glow. It brings good fortune, love, abundance and allows humans to unlock secrets, and understand the language of animals and trees.

Yelena Popova chooses it as a gateway into a new body of work that taps into the unbreakable bond between humanity and the natural world. Known for her precise, elegant abstract paintings and monumental tapestries informed by the aesthetics of Russian constructivism, minimalism and spiritual abstraction, she ventures into a more intimate realm, reflecting on the complex systems of a forests and perennial truths hidden within folkloric traditions. As she incorporates shapes and patterns from the natural world and chooses a smaller format for a textile piece, her imagery remains precise - almost perfectly symmetrical, diagrammatic, resembling a scientific blueprint attempting to decode what lies beyond human perception. She imagines links between rhythms of nature and artificial intelligence, a world where humanity might turn to both for ritual, healing and hope, embracing this new path as part of a never ending natural cycle.

Also inspired by the language of diagrams and schematic representation, Irini Bachlitzanaki’s practice explores material culture, artisanal traditions, the biographies of objects and the domestic sphere. She recontextualises recognisable, familiar forms to examine our relationship with the world and ourselves; she is particularly interested in the object as image, signifier and vessel. Unlike Popova’s Fern Flower, the inspiration for the work presented in this exhibition doesn’t come from the realm of myths and legends but from something resolutely man-made.

Of all the works of man (Agalipa) is based on the shape of a pin insulator, a specific porcelain structure used for cable insulation in overhead power lines which still form a vital part of national grids worldwide. The piece is glazed and embellished with patterns that derive from the tradition of local (Skyrian) folk Greek art, which, in turn, was influenced by the Chinese blue-and-white ceramics that first appeared in the Tang dynasty (618-906) and reached Europe around the 16th century.  The work is premised on the intermingling of different worlds and origins in the creative process and operates through the tension created by the false impression of initial recognisability and subsequent ambiguity with regards to the object’s origin, function and meaning. It also aims to open up a dialogue surrounding skill, authenticity, artistic and cultural value within contemporary society. In a playful challenge to representational meaning, the pin insulator, a symbol of the technological progress that has supported our modern way of life, is re-imagined as a household item supporting the domestic traditions and rituals that help us cope with its pace and pressures.

The domestic sphere and the allegory of objects are also fundamental to the practice of Bárbara Alegre who views painting as a shelter, a quiet act of healing in a world that often feels overwhelming. Her starting point is often an emotional state, a feeling, which, through a slow intellectual and psychological process she carefully untangles, interprets and shares through symbolism and unexpected references to familiar objects and the natural world.

Humanity is at the heart of Alegre’s practice but in this exhibition she offers us an almost photorealistic rendition of objects presented seemingly devoid of context, in stillness and great detail. The paradox of inanimate objects as vessels / conductors for emotion and energy is hinted at by the paintings’ titles; Whatever You Want, Wants You alludes to manifestation rituals and the law of attraction and 8-12 Hz is the frequency range of Alpha brain waves which occur when the body is in a calm, relaxed state or in a creative mode. Using a muted palette and layered oil compositions, she creates intimate vignettes that invite us into a reflective exploration of the entangled relationship between the physical and the psychological realm, the illusionary symmetry and homeostasis that resides in all living beings and systems that exist in dynamic equilibrium. Alegre observes this with empathy and tenderness, offering a vision of unity and deep healing.

Alice Kemp finds inspiration in nature and the mundane, painting traditionally decorative subjects like plants, flowers, animals and landscapes yet choosing to accentuate both their beauty and inherent asymmetry, what she describes as natural “crookedness or bulginess”. Kemp’s nature is not idealised and often not quite accurately represented even though she usually paints scenes or details of what she sees on a daily basis. Her starting point is not just observation but an immersion in a sensory experience and a genuine connection with the natural world. Kemp’s nature is also mainly urban; inspiration comes from natural forms in her own garden, the side of the road or the local park in South London. She paints her own version of nature, unapologetically, capturing the imprint of a fleeting moment in precisely the way that she wishes the memory of it to linger. She pays attention to texture and mark making, working in multiple layers alternating between flat, print-like surfaces and highly textural elements shifting between gestural, expressive brushstrokes and hyper precise paint application.

In her most recent work she seems to hold back on the gestural elements and relish detail and repetition and the focus it demands. Working in this way perhaps brings about the same mental and emotional benefits of actually being in nature, even if the landscape is imaginary. View from across the Street is not, although the focus of her attention, a brightly coloured veil of leaves or early blooms, results in a scene that is mysteriously cinematic rather than mundanely domestic.

Yuichiro Kikuma’s paintings are inspired by (and created with the help of) natural forms from the same part of South London as Alice Kemp’s but they are distinctively different. Whilst she reinvents and creates her own version of nature, Kikuma focuses on what he considers to be its essence. His work attempts to visualise the invisible forces, patterns or rhythms that exist around us in daily life, in the same way as any landscapes are created as a result of their specific climate. Actual form feels almost incidental and immaterial; driven by rhythm and pattern in both inspiration and process, his fluid, abstract style appears as a manifestation of energy favouring perceived spirit over direct imitation.

Silent Traces is a series of monochromatic works created using found natural objects as mark making tools. Their small scale format, tonality, and ethereal, almost translucent imagery are reminiscent of photograms, as if he is attempting to capture the likeness of the unseen. Influenced by his upbringing in Japan, where there is an ingrained reverence for nature, Yuichiro often talks about “surrendering” to nature, and describes his process as “channelling”, not making, allowing natural patterns and elements and energetic fields to choose him rather than the other way around.

The essence of memories and the bond with our surroundings is at the core of Danae Patsalou’s practice. She turns to heritage and the landscape as a vessel for storytelling, seeking resonance in a visual language that oscillates between abstraction and realism. Born and raised in Cyprus, she reflects on the island’s rich yet complex history and the bi-communal aspects of its society to explore collective and cultural identity as well as notions of memory, perception and belonging. Her work, delicate, intimate and poignant is both a personal exploration and an attempt to contribute to the discourse surrounding the island’s history and future, fostering understanding beyond geopolitical tensions and boundaries.

Sun Glitter is an ongoing series of paintings that delicately explore the potential of close-up imagery to evoke a sense of place, memory and emotion. Through abstract elements and an unexpected palette, Patsalou gives us a glimpse of sparkling trails of sunlight shimmering across the sea, an image that resides deep in the psyche of every Cypriot and anyone with profound ties to the Mediterranean region. The small scale format reads like a snippet of memory, a recollection of that rare, fleeting moment of pure communion with one’s self and one’s surroundings, an all-encompassing feeling that transcends social constructs, learned experiences and beliefs. In that moment, the Sea, constantly in flux, becomes an anchor for a shared truth and that familiar sight becomes a symbol of unity across both sides of the divided island.

Jana Emburey sees no separation between nature, humanity and the cosmos. Her meditative micro/macrocosms explore the ideas of interconnectivity, oneness and universal natural dynamics. Using a meticulous technique involving thousands of tiny ink circles or cells, individually hand-drawn on Japanese Kōzo paper stretched on board, she creates intricate compositions that reference the building blocks of all living organisms, the incredible detail of nature and the infinite fabric of the universe.

Emburey traces her inspiration back to her research drawing parallels between the process of cell division observed under a microscope and patterns of human behaviour, the human condition and its relationship to cosmic dynamics of which we are often unaware. The interplay between micro and macro elements present in her works is not easy to grasp at one glance. They quietly demand that the gaze linger, a closer inspection, to be experienced from different vantage points. The tiny cells, each perfect and complete in their own right, are also an integral part of something bigger.

Crest, an ambiguous title, appears first as a complex plant structure, maybe a fern leaf, with fractal-like repetitive patterns hinting at veins or branches referencing the flow of vital energy / qi, nourishment and support. This implied dynamic movement and energy can also be seen as a waveform consisting of infinitesimal single particles. The imagery is inextricably linked to the process of making which she likens to meditation, alternating between a single point of focus and an expansive state of flow.

With roots in minimalism and modernity, Jonathan Kelly’s approach to painting is driven by the notion of the absolute, the reduced, essential form. He recognises an affinity between abstraction, natural sciences and spirituality as ways to visualise the unseen, with the line as a fundamental element.

In his most recent works he is looking at painting also as a spatial entity, linked to the geometric underpinnings of the cosmos. In a nod to sacred geometry, he uses shaped canvases, mainly variations of crosses and circles with interlocking arcs, semicircles and waves formed by pulsating lines that feel discovered rather than painted, emerging from multiple luminous layers of colour whose order seems indistinguishable.

Kelly favours colours and textures which at first seem unnatural; they could hint at unseen dimensions and alternative ways of experiencing the world but their effect is linked to elements and senses that arise naturally and are experienced almost physically – the undeniable burning heat and radiating energy of Risen and its opposite, the cool, hard, dense, absorbing quality of 5point20. There could also be a planetary dimension to these works but, if anything, Kelly posits a self organising ‘universe’, with creation and meaning unceasingly renewed.  

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