Rafael Trelles: Axis Mundi | October Gallery

October Gallery is pleased to announce the first solo exhibition of new works by Rafael Trelles, which will open on June 17th, 2021.

Rafael Trelles’ oil paintings explore humankind’s ever-changing relationship with the natural world and the intricate web of interdependencies humans share with the plants and animals of their surrounding environment. The exhibition title, Axis Mundi, refers to the notion of a mythic ‘world-tree’ that represents a portal between this and other worlds. Located at what T.S. Eliot called the still point of the turning world, Trelles deploys this iconic tree as a leitmotif running through his series of mysteriously haunting visions. Both trees and forests are presented as natural sites of refuge and transformation, while the imaginary scenes portrayed make reference to shared ancestral beliefs and practices common to many cultures in Europe, Africa and the Americas. Trelles also pays tribute to the historical resilience of the indigenous peoples of his native Puerto Rico, recently plagued by devastating natural disasters – hurricanes, earthquakes and floods – even before the current global pandemic.

Click here to register for the talk accompanying the exhibition.