Roses of Heliogabalus

Marking the curatorial debut of Aidana Bergali, this group exhibition explores the tension between beauty and violence through classical symbolism and contemporary artistic expression.

‍

The exhibition gets its title and primary inspiration from a work by Lawrence Alma-Tadema under the same title- “The Roses of Heliogabalus” (1888). At first glance, the painting strikes us with its opulence, yet the longer we look, the more we notice what is veiled behind the beauty - the symbolic violence of being drowned in a sea of fragrant flowers.

‍

The tension between aesthetic splendor and brutality is a central theme of this exhibition. Flowers - roses especially - have long been symbols of femininity, the ideals of which have often concealed the harsh realities of objectification, control, and pain. This exhibition aims to confront how excess, pleasure and violence are forever intertwined, particularly in the female experience from myths to the present day.

‍

One could also feel the influence of Cy Twombly in the curation and exhibited works. His gestural abstraction, raw emotional intensity, and reverence for antiquity have long inspired my approach. The selected artists, similar to the painterly poet, engage in symbolism and classical allusions, bridging the past with contemporary discourse through vivid artistic language.

‍

Layered textures, delicate palettes, and references to antiquity and myth work together to create a dreamlike world that entices the viewer as much as reminds them of the underlying themes of darker truths. Through painting and digital art, Roses of Heliogabalus becomes a meditation on the tensions between beauty and violence- classical references with contemporary interpretations of indulgence, aesthetics, and destruction.

‍

‍

Featured Artists

‍

Michael Alexander Campbell

Nina Hunter

Shantaye McMorrow

Petra Schott

Gianna Tesone

Kevin Watson