Distraída: Larissa De Jesús Negrón

Guts Gallery is excited to present ‘Distraída’, a solo exhibition by Larissa De Jesús Negrón which explores the permanent state of distraction that we seem to find ourselves in every day.

The loss of presence is a theme that pervades the entirety of ‘Distraída’. In her daily life, De Jesús Negrón explains that she often finds herself wrapped up in what spiritual writer Eckhart Tolle calls ‘psychological time.’ For De Jesús Negrón, one does not simply live in the here and now. Instead, at any moment, one could be telescoping between past, present and future simultaneously. De Jesús Negrón describes finding herself gripped by instances where she becomes “obsessed with” moments of the past and instances where she can’t stop herself from mulling over “future scenarios” that have not yet and may never occur. ‘Distraída’ showcases De Jesús Negrón’s use of painting as a way to reconcile and work through the often chaotic jumble of modern, psychological life. Throughout the show, De Jesús Negrón depicts the drama of an unfiltered mind as ideas, images, potential situations and past memories race through it. The result is a show full of introspective, psychological landscapes and absurd, neo-surreal dioramas; De Jesús Negrón’s unquiet mind has been turned inside out and revealed to the viewer.

The natural world is also an overarching theme within the works in ‘Distraída’. De Jesús Negrón finds that, when the noise of internal self-doubt and uncertainty reaches an intolerable pitch, she can look to nature to re-ground herself. She explains that the “chaotic, unpredictable yet perfect order” of the natural world never ceases to bring her “peace of mind in the midst of anxiety and confusion.” For De Jesús Negrón, nature reminds her that we, as humans, are part of something greater. In a world that constantly tries to sever and conceal our inextricable ties to the natural world, De Jesús Negrón recognises that it is essential to stop and acknowledge our place in the larger ecosystem. This ‘retethering’ to nature is exemplified throughout the works within ‘Distraída.’ Whether it be turbulent seas, cool flowing rivers, lunging snakes or a solitary fly; the natural world is a constant, irrefutable presence in all of De Jesús Negrón’s work.