For her first solo exhibition, Un Pétalo en la Mesa, Conie Vallese presents a selection of her floral still lifes and gouache interior paintings, alongside three handwoven wool and silk tapestries that are direct translations of three of these works.
Imbued with the nostalgic feeling of what remains of a moment past, both in the depth of their composition and the stunning marriage of colours, Conie’s works for the exhibition Un pétalo en la mesa have an intriguingly dreamlike yet lucid quality.
Produced in France, just outside Paris, by award-winning artisans who have specialised in the craft since 1958, each tapestry incorporates more than one hundred colours and required over four months to complete. Vallese closely oversaw every stage of the process, paying particular attention to the subtle nuances involved in translating her paintings into this new medium. The inspiration for these richly textured and intricate works stemmed from the artist’s desire to bring a greater sense of tangibility to her practice, introducing depth, dimension, and an additional sensory experience for the viewer: that of touch. The scenes encapsulated in these stunningly luminous and detailed tapestries depict a moment after moment, for example an interior which may recall her grandmother’s home during post-lunch siestas, when all that remained were the delicate blooms as the petals fell on the table.
The transformation of her paintings into this particular format draws the viewer even further into the sentiment imbued in the artists work - details are accentuated, and there is a certain a pull to explore the nuances that the materials recreate. What the artist has managed with these is to find a perfect balance where a traditional utilitarian object is given a contemporary twist, creating a perfect arc, a return to a time when each moment held a flowing nostalgic beauty.
Born in Argentina, Vallese developed an early interest in art through observing the creative pursuits of her family. She was inspired by her grandmother’s oil paintings, her father’s experiments with sculpture, and her mother’s affinity for interior design. She studied Film at the University of Buenos Aires and now lives and works between New York and Milan.
This collection of ethereal floral paintings carries a distinctly nostalgic atmosphere, capturing what feel like fleeting sequences of memory. One such image recalls her grandmother’s home during the quiet afternoons that followed family meals, when all that remained on the table were delicate flowers left behind. The transformation of these intimate scenes into monumental tapestries creates a powerful framework through which to revisit a time when everyday moments seemed imbued with a quiet, enduring beauty and a profound sense of nostalgia.
