Marina Vargas: Las Líneas del Destino – An Exhibition of Contemporary Art and Cultural Blends

This exhibition by Marina Vargas, part of the 'Conexiones' program, features interpretations of tarot card figures on large wooden supports. The artist blends popular and high culture, drawing from diverse influences like baroque, pop art, Mexican popular culture, African witchcraft, Caribbean crafts, and Catholic tradition.

The exhibition 'Las Líneas del Destino' by Marina Vargas is the eleventh show in the 'Conexiones' program, an initiative by Museo ABC and Fundación Banco Santander that supports contemporary drawing by inviting creators to develop new work based on institutional collections. Vargas, born in Granada in 1980, draws inspiration from a tarot reading and expands upon the nine figures that appeared, rendering them on large wooden supports. Her distinctive artistic language bridges seemingly opposing elements such as baroque and pop art, surrealism and symbolism. Her unique universe incorporates references from Mexican popular culture, African sorcery, Caribbean crafts, and the Catholic traditions of her native Andalusia. As guest works, the exhibition includes two magnificent ornamental ceramic vases from the second period of the Alcora factory (1749-1786), part of the Banco Santander Collection, representing the 'two of cups' from the tarot deck. The Real Fábrica de Alcora, founded in 1727, is known for its rocaille and organic decoration during its most productive and high-quality era. Vargas uses motifs of flowers, fruits, and vegetables as inspiration for her characteristic arabesques and ornamentation. Additionally, from the ABC Collection, Vargas selected a cover from the magazine *Blanco y Negro* (November 2, 1930), illustrated by Ángeles Torner Cervera (a. t. c.), a notable female illustrator of the era. This piece features figures such as the king of cups and other card characters, creating a dense composition with various suits and horses. The connection between Spanish playing cards, the Tarot de Marseille, and Vargas's artistic interpretation forms the conceptual thread of this exhibition.

This exhibition is part of the 'Conexiones' program by Museo ABC and Fundación Banco Santander. Further details about the 'Conexiones' program can be found via a provided link. Downloadable exhibition guides and press releases are available. Specific ticketing information for this exhibition is not detailed on the page, suggesting it may be covered by general museum admission or a separate program detail not explicitly stated here.