Tobias Tovera
Vayus Series: Vyana, II
Pigment on Panel
48” x 48”
Artist Statement
Vayus' is a new series of paintings inspired by the five vital forces in Yoga; Vyana meaning 'outward moving air' in Sanskrit, is associated with the element of water.As an artist, I try to challenge our everyday perceptions by offering new images that reinterpret our visual world. My art experiments with alchemical processes in search of what I call “transmuted spaces,” places where energy can shift, change, or renew itself. From the diffusion of mineral pigments to the permutation of base metals, I work to reveal the connection between the physical, metaphysical, and elemental realms, through which new forms are created. My process is an attempt to capture physical and psychic topographies, informed by the way certain materials interact, transform, and self-organize. Each layer that is formed, each element introduced, is part of an intuitive movement between the artist and the materials themselves: a performative ritual that embodies the meditative state.My series DIFFUSION explores paint as a sculptural object. Using a process in which the medium diffuses into the surface, I create compositions of accumulation, conjuring layered textures of color and space. Beginning with a biomorphic shape and a color that embodies an elemental archetype, these 'formations' unfold in a natural rhythm of their own. As the material diffuses each layer informs the previous layer, creating a dialog between the hand of the artist and the material itself. My art attempts to engage the audience with imagery that is visceral and raw. I hope to spark connection with nature and through process and alchemy, create a visual form that liberates both an intimate as well as an unknown aspect of the cosmos.