Edén Expresionista, Siobhon Riordan

From 20th December to 26th January

A colourful exhibition around the natural world. In ‘Expressionist Eden’, Siobhon Riordan conjures up a tropical vitality that verges on the aesthetics of vanitas. Between lush foliage and withered petals, he alludes to the transience of existence that John Berger emphasises in his contemplation of the natural. The tension between colour and decay - in the manner of Walter Benjamin - leads to a reflection on the intrinsic expiry of beauty. And, as Gaston Bachelard would suggest, this vegetal imagery becomes a ‘poetic space’ where life and finitude are knotted in each brushstroke. Curated by Agustín Linares Pedrero

The idea of using dolls to recreate the garden's history was conceived by the artist Alberto Martin, who has been putting together displays with Barbie dolls for many years. After studying a number of late 19^th-century photographs, mostly from the Silvela Legacy, he created a series of almost identical scenes using not only the world-famous Barbie but also Ken, Madelman and other similar figures. Sponsored by the Malaga Foundation and the Friends of La Concepcion Association.

The aim of this exhibition is to portray both a key period in the history of La Concepcion and the Bourgeois lifestyle of the time in a way that will appeal to visitors of all ages. All of the materials used in the displays have been recycled: bottle tops, sink racks, clothes pegs, pencil sharpeners, pin cushions etc. Each figure is dressed in a different costume and hat made from dressmakers' cuttings; the hairstyles, fans and parasols sported by the women are all unique and were inspired by 19^th-century clothing catalogues.