The exhibition When the Hour Unfolds, I Will Meet You There by Maria Kozak has opened at Mareterra, inviting visitors into a realm beyond time and space — a place to glimpse the soul unbound by physical form.
The artist, Krakow-born and New York based, opened the exhibition on August 22nd, presenting large-scale oil paintings and sculptural screens at Boketto’s new Mareterra location.
Her work focuses on what she describes as the energy between people, their environment, and everything that shapes who they are. “My work is about energy and the energy around us, between us, and it’s about the relationships that we have with ourselves, with others, with the environment,” she explained.
The centrepiece is ‘There is One Day – at times it gets dark’, a breathtaking diptych where viewers can stand between two canvases, diving into past and future.
On one side, one can see figures and places melting together in an ever-ending rustic green, giving the impression of something very old and weathered, and as one painting melts into the other, the other side is less clear, more vibrant but abstract. That side, much like the future, is uncertain with no clear faces or places.
“We believe time moves forward, but in truth there is only one day,” she explained. “The planet shifts, light fades, and darkness comes, yet time itself is relative — the present always remains the same.”
Another key piece, ‘Soul Flowers’, draws inspiration from Egon Schiele’s sunflower paintings. The title comes from a Dennis Lehane quote about how “the soul flowers as the body declines”.
“As we grow older, our bodies change and perhaps fade like flowers,” Kozak reflected, “but the soul blossoms, becoming more beautiful through experience.”
Accepting societal judgement
Her piece Shame Flowers, though less imposing than the exhibition’s centrepiece, is perhaps the most striking in its ability to confront societal judgements around wildness and conformity. It draws on Kozak’s childhood memories of suburban America, where her family’s dandelion-filled garden stood in sharp contrast to the meticulously kept lawns of their neighbours.
“My mother, who’s European, would say, ‘These are beautiful flowers — natural and wild,’ but I was embarrassed by them,” Kozak recalled. “Now I see dandelions and wildflowers as natural and beautiful, while perfectly manicured lawns appear hideous.”
The exhibition also features sculptural folding screens that represent Kozak’s first exploration into design. “They also have a duality. One side is more free and one is more ordered. There’s always a duality.”
The exhibition continues at Boketto Monaco, 12 Quai du Petit Portier, Mareterra, through September 21st.
See more in Kyriaki Topalidou’s video reel below…
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Main photo credit: Monaco Life.
