Cristobal Gabarron, a new action painting with hypnotic energy
Cristobal Gabarron’s artistic endeavours in Hong Kong
Cristobal Gabarron Foundation
The Gabarron Foundation launched two projects in Hong Kong, Ambit and Cristobal Gabarron: The Humanist.
Founded in 1992, the Gabarron Foundation was established to provide a philanthropic approach to addressing societal gaps in the promotion of arts and culture.
Starting with a blank canvas
Juan Gabarron, CEO of the Gabarron Foundation Asia, noted that the foundation’s work in fostering art and appreciating cultural heritage has been among its most critical aspects. “Our motto is making cultural bridges and connecting people,” he says.
Cristobal Gabarron wanted to be an artist
The genesis of this generosity lies with Cristobal Gabarron, a multifaceted and multi-talented creative. He has explored many fields and worked in different media, becoming an internationally renowned painter and sculptor.
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Largely self-taught, Cristobal was born in 1945 in the town of Mula and grew up in humble surroundings in post-war Spain. From an early age, he knew he wanted to be an artist and worked hard to develop his talent.
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He married young, had five children within seven years, and worked boldly as an artist while supporting his family.
Spain was poor and still rebuilding its economy, so societal funding for arts and culture was not a priority. Aspiring for a career in the arts was not easy.
Driven to success
Driven to succeed, Cristobal learned to promote himself and became well known among collectors.
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International recognition of Cristobal’s artistic works emerged as he toured collectors, galleries and museums and attended exhibitions and art biennales abroad.
Concept of private philanthropy
After many years of hard work and travelling internationally, Cristobal became familiar with the American style of private philanthropy.
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He decided to give back to society. Returning to his roots in his Spanish hometown, he focused his philanthropic efforts on art and culture with the Foundation and the Gabarron Museum in Mula.
5 Gabarron children
For Juan Gabarron, one of the five Gabarron children who work in the foundation to some degree, the growing acclaim for his father’s work provided a pathway into the life and career that now occupies him fully.
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Juan commented on how his father made it a family endeavour. “He has a vision that art can fill gaps where government and society have not yet arrived.
He likes to reach out through art and bridge gaps between people and disciplines; this is a constant in his life. Once he explained that to the family, we supported and joined the Foundation.”
Of the many programmes the Foundation sponsors, one exceptional project was brought to Hong Kong as a continuation of its multi-year, multi-location celebration of the Gabarron Foundation’s thirtieth anniversary.
Ambit Creative Journey Across Five Continents
Ambit, a Creative Journey Across Five Continents, was conceived by Cristobal to unite different facets of art and highlight the identity and culture of a specific habitat and place.
Previous editions of Ambit in Spain, India, Germany, the USA, Malta, Egypt and Belgium met the objective of bringing audiences and artists together at a specific location and moment to provide an “improvised encounter with creation.”
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At Ambit’s local launch at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center, Alice Mong, the Executive Director, welcomed Cristobal, the Gabarron Foundation, and the audience to the spectacular venue on the centre’s rooftop garden for its lucky eighth edition in an atmosphere full of art and creativity.
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Nestled amongst rugged natural beauty and offering expansive views of Hong Kong’s business districts, the location provided an ideal setting for the Ambit initiative.
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Cris Gabarron, President of the Gabarron Foundation, explained, “Ambit is a special event that gathers artists from different disciplines together.”
Watch action painting in action
Ambit is envisioned as a “Happening + Performance + Action Painting”. It is a collaborative artwork that includes a live-action painting by Cristobal, alongside readings and presentations by poets, singers, musicians, dancers, performance artists, composers, and sound artists, in the presence of an audience.
Happening + Performance + Action Painting
Comprehensively, every aspect, the artists, the audience, the music, the words spoken and sung, and every action is a consequential part of the creation of the artwork.
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Cris noted that “Ambit’s vision came from Cristobal Gabarron” and is supported by the Gabarron Foundation in partnership with local cultural institutions and sponsors, such as the Asia Society Hong Kong Center.
It is a singular opportunity that brings artists together to perform and create.
The idea is to make a “cultural photo of the planet in a moment in time”.
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The resulting painting by Cristobal reflects the moment, the place, and the ambience created by the spirit and energy exuded by many artists in an extraordinary surge of collaboration.
During the three-hour happening, a continuous flow of performances by various artists produced sounds, music, sights, gestures, and movements in the spaces in front of and around a huge 3 x 9-metre canvas set up for the live-action painting.
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As these artists created their work, Cristobal drew inspiration from their creative process and left his own marks on the canvas.
Dancing silhouettes, by Cristobal Gabarron
From a blank slate, and as time passes, Cristobal applies dynamic marks with colour paints and builds upon those until he covers the canvas with inspired memories, ultimately memorialising the event in the finished work.
A moment in time
On the canvas, the idea of a “cultural photo of the planet in a moment in time” is evident by the forms, lines, figures, brushstrokes and meticulously drawn geometric shapes on its surface.
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A grouping of black dancing silhouettes reminds one of the dancers who gracefully glided around the venue.
A Homage to Hong Kong’s Iconic Skyscrapers, Cristobal Gabarron
White flakes and splotches are a nudge toward a heap of feathers that were tugged from a pillow by a performance artist, then twirled into the air, into the audience, and everywhere else by blustery gusts of wind, creating an ethereal atmosphere.
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A triangular spire in the middle is a homage to Hong Kong’s iconic skyscrapers looming over the rooftop venue.
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Blocks of pure colours allude to abrupt jolts of sounds and music that sometimes pierce the quiet of the space.
Ambit, Cristobal Gabarron, 2023
Dark, dripping paint raining on dancing figures hints at the day’s ominous, cold, and wet monsoon climate.
Pang Jiun provided a visual contrast
On the right, painter Pang Jiun applied his own uniquely inspired brushstrokes and colours, providing a visual contrast that complements Cristobal’s work in the centre and on the left of the canvas.
Artist Pang Jiun applies his own artwork to the action painting by Cristobal Gabarron
The completed painting is the ultimate visual representation, capturing the Ambit vision of connection and harmony.
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Although the final artwork has a story to tell, the concept behind its creation is even more remarkable than the finished work.
Cristobal Gabarron: The Humanist
Cristobal’s works on show at Ora Ora gallery in Tai Kwun in Central are less conceptual and more conventional.
The Elequence of Silence 9, Christobal Gabarron, 2023
In the Gabarron: The Humanist exhibition, five new series of works were created for local audiences, including oil paintings and sculptures suitably sized for local homes and spaces.
Left to Right: Old Skins 9, Old Skins 16 and Old Skins 20, Cristobal Gabarron, 2023, Mixed media, Oil and pigment on handmade paper
Each series features bright, bold colours that radiate exuberance and vitality.
The Sacrifice of Metaphor 11, Cristobal Gabarron, 2023, Mixed media, Oil and pigment on canvas
The Gabarron Foundation’s launch of Ambit and Gabarron: The Humanist projects in Hong Kong has brought the creations and vision of founder Cristobal to the forefront.
The Elequence of Silence 19, Christobal Gabarron, 2023
With a philanthropic focus on promoting arts and culture, the foundation has bridged societal gaps by fostering cultural connections.
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Ambit, a collaborative artwork spanning continents, has united artists and audiences, providing improvised encounters with authentic creativity.
Gabarron: The Humanist showcases Chistobal’s vibrant works, radiating life and offering a unique glimpse into his artistic mastery.
The Elequence of Silence 14, Christobal Gabarron, 2023
Through these projects, the Gabarron Foundation continues to leave a lasting impact, promoting creativity and connecting people through the power of art.
Text and photos Cammy Yiu
