May 17th – July 10th
Self curated by the gallery
The present moment is marked by a profound sense of flux. The familiar structures that once seemed immutable now appear permeable, and the line between what we understand and what remains elusive grows increasingly indistinct. This state of transition, this in-between space, is not new to the human experience, but its intensity in our time demands careful consideration, a consideration that informs the work of artist Ileana Moro. Her art doesn’t seek to resolve ambiguity, but instead leans into it, finding energy and resonance in the spaces where clarity slips away.
“On the Edge of Magic” isn’t just a poetic phrase — it’s a clue to Moro’s way of working. Her pieces emerge from a deeply introspective process, one that gives form to the half-thought, the half-felt. What she calls “visual spells” feel less like fixed images and more like moments suspended in a kind of quiet tension — part dream, part gesture, part invocation.
In this endeavor, she draws upon a compelling array of sources, seeking to illuminate the hidden connections between the seen and the unseen. Ancient symbols, the archetype of the “magos,” and the evocative language of the Tarot serve as guides, offering a framework for understanding the transformative journey she undertakes. These symbolic systems don’t explain; rather, they suggest, offering a kind of poetic logic that resists simplification. Moro uses them not to decorate her work, but to ground it in something ancient, intuitive, and emotionally legible.
There’s a certain risk in making work that’s so closely tied to the subconscious. It demands a level of vulnerability, a willingness to be guided by instinct rather than intention, which she doesn’t shy away from. Her process is open-ended, sometimes playful, often searching. What results is a body of work that feels alive to the moment — work that listens as much as it speaks.
Moro positions herself at this juncture, at the threshold of the known and the unknown, attempting to articulate the ineffable through her art. This requires a rigorous examination of her own internal landscape, a willingness to confront ambiguity through experimental techniques, and the skill to communicate these insights in a visually coherent manner. Her intuitive approach, guided by a sense of curiosity, suggests a process of discovery at these very edges.
Ultimately, her exploration of these in-between states reflects a quiet but persistent human impulse: to create meaning where there is none guaranteed. She has no interest in offering easy interpretations or neatly packaged truths. What she gives us, instead, is a space in which the unknown is not something to be feared, but something to sit with — to witness, and perhaps, to approach in a new way.
Installation views
