MARÍA JESÚS VALENZUELA: FLORES DE INVIERNO
María Jesús Valenzuela presents her solo exhibition "Flores de Invierno" (Winter Flowers) at Galería NAC in Santiago, Chile. The exhibition showcases a multidisciplinary approach to the natural world, featuring hand-embroidered cotton paper, color pencil drawings, and fine art photography. Valenzuela’s work acts as a contemporary field notebook, documenting landscapes ranging from the mangroves of Caddo Lake to the forests of Curaumilla, utilizing both ancient techniques like embroidery and modern digital printing.
The exhibition positions Valenzuela within a long lineage of landscape artists, drawing parallels between her practice and the plein air traditions of the Impressionists and early scientific expeditions. By blending delicate craftsmanship with photographic documentation, the artist addresses the urgency of contemplation in an era where the natural landscape is increasingly viewed through the lens of environmental catastrophe. Her work serves as a bridge between historical botanical illustration and a modern, emotional response to the vanishing wilderness.