Pashon: Gwen Garcia's wooden sculptures unveiled in Landhuis Bloemhof

The captivating work of Gwen Garcia takes center stage once again after his first ever exhibition at Landhuis Bloemhof back in 2020. This self-taught sculptor born in Curaçao, invites viewers to explore the interplay of emotions, pride, and identity through his passion in his highly anticipated exhibition titled Pashon, which will open on Saturday December 2 at 10:30 AM. Pashon will be showing till January 6, 2024. 

Unconventional journey 

Gwen Garcia's journey as a sculptor is unconventional yet deeply profound. As a self-taught wood sculptor, he merges different wood types to create an entirely new narrative through the growth rings of each piece. These growth rings symbolize the enduring connection that the Garcia family has with both art and with each other.

Garcia experimented with alternative materials like glass, metal and stone, but over the past two years, Garcia has expanded his repertoire to include tree trunks and a variety of woods such as mahogany, medlar and willow. This exploration unveiled subtle influences of his father within his sculptures. Gwen is the oldest son of the acclaimed painter Wilson Garcia. This intricately layered oeuvre triggers the observers to look closer, encouraging them to discover hidden stories within.

Gwen Garcia's mother, who passed away in 2018, remains a constant source of inspiration. Her unwavering belief in her son's talent led him to embrace his passion for sculpting and share his work with the world. In Gwen's own words, "You have to do something with your drawings, etchings, and paintings, mom said. She apparently saw much more than I did, or wanted to see at the time. She never gave up trying to get through to me."

Garcia's journey is one of transformation. After finishing high school in Curaçao, he left for the Netherlands, where he initially pursued studies at the Conservatory in Utrecht before transitioning to history and drawing. For over thirty years, he made a career in ICT as a Technical Consultant and today he works as a consultant at a large company in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

His artistic path took a pivotal turn in 2020 when he held his first-ever exhibition, Profundo at Landhuis Bloemhof, supported by the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Caribbean Region. This exhibition was a heartfelt tribute to Gwen's parents.

With the exhibition Pashon Gwen Garcia moves away from introspective reflections to delve into how people perceive their history and legacy, encompassing the original inhabitants, government, slavery, birth, death, and the complex realities of the modern world.

Artist Talk

Mark your calendars for this exceptional exhibition, which runs from December 2nd, 2023, to January 6th, 2024, at Landhuis Bloemhof. On Thursday December 14th we invite you to his Artist Talk, where he will talk about his artistic explorations from 7 PM to 9 PM.