Onduladamente V 2016

Sofia Areal’s “Onduladamente V”, made with ink on paper, presents us with a striking interplay of serpentine lines and structured grids. The undulating forms, reminiscent of snakes, have wound their way through art and culture for millennia, often symbolizing primal energy or transformation. Consider the Ouroboros, the ancient symbol of a snake eating its own tail. Like a recurrent dream, it reminds us of the cyclical nature of existence, where beginnings and endings merge, continuously renewing themselves. Here, Areal’s lines echo this ancient symbol, but the presence of a contrasting grid adds another layer. This grid reminds us of the Apollonian desire to impose order on the Dionysian chaos, to structure the fluidity of life. Perhaps Areal is hinting at the eternal dance between order and chaos, a dance deeply embedded in our collective psyche. This pushes us to seek harmony between our rational minds and the untamable energies that shape our existence.