Released on: October 29, 2008, 9:26 am

Press Release Author: Studio Abba

Industry: Entertainment

Press Release Summary: In November and December 2008, Dutch artist Jackie Sleper
will exhibit "Dulce y Amargo" in the Museo Regional de Durango "El Aguacate",
Durango, Mexico

Press Release Body: From 5 November - 19 December 2008, the Museo Regional "El
Aguacate" in Durango, Mexico, will host the famous Dutch artist's, Jackie Sleper,
touring exhibition "Dulce y Amargo" inspired by, and dedicated to, Mexico and the
Mexican painter Frida Kahlo and curated by Matty Roca.

Jackie Sleper, the winner of the section "Sculpture and Installation" at the
Florence Biennale 2007, has always been fascinated by Mexico and the artist Frida
Kahlo, for whom she has a profound admiration and so, when she received an offer
from Matty Roca to depict her vision of Mexico she readily accepted. Over the course
of the following two years, Jackie Sleper spent many months in situ, about which she
says "I took in everything around me, spoke with lots of people and, in particular,
got a sense of the country. My previous love of Mexico only grew stronger."

Her works are at times reminiscent of a variety of artists: Rivera, Orozco, Tamayo
and Pollock. Jackie Sleper assumes absolute freedom in applying various techniques
and introducing experimental elements: her work is characterised by combinations of
photography and painting, and the use of mixed media. In addition to painting,
Jackie also creates objects using a variety of materials, which she then transforms
into wholly a new and surprising entity, such a the wonderful and fun piece
"Rocatizada", dedicated to her curator Matty Roca. The artist other works to be
guided by a profound sense of humanity, and she is an artist in the truest sense of
the word, her work has always been grounded in her exploration of the human
existence and its significance. The art critic, Wim Van der Beek said about Jackie's
work prior to her 2007 Netherlands exhibition: "Jackie Sleper's aim is not to shock,
but to make things tangible and manageable. She does not want to magnify injustices,
but to offer solutions in the form of positive and unorthodox ways of seeing."

The Durango show is the fourth and last step in 2008 of Jackie's touring exhibition
and she is delighted to be holding in a city which she feels has a close link with
her own home town of Utrecht. The museum, "El Aguacate", is known by this name
Aguacate, or avocado, due to the avocado tree planted in the garden. It is one of
the most beautiful buildings in the city centre, built in 1890 and was the residence
of the family of Francisco Gomez Palacio, son of the famous governor.

Jackie's exhibitions showing throughout Mexico in 2008 and 2009 are all being
curated by Matty Roca, art historian, museum curator and art critic. They have so
far been a huge success, the first was held at the Museo de la Cultura Maya in
Chetumal in March and April of this year, in May-June at the Museo de la Isla in
Cozumel, and most recently at the Museum of Modern Art of Gmez Palacio in July and
August.

The artist will, as always, be present at the vernissage of "Dulce y Amargo" on 5
November, at the Museo El Aguacate, along with important local personalities from
the political, cultural and educational scene in Mexico and from the Dutch and
European communities living in the state of Durango.


Jackie Sleper was born in Amsterdam and studied at the Utrecht Academy for Visual
Arts. Between 1988 and 1995 she spent time in Ireland, Spain and Prague for study
purposes. Works produced in her home country, the Netherlands, include a tile
plateau in honour of Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen, commissioned by the municipality of
Utrecht, and 'light objects' for the Kruisheren Hotel, a design establishment that
opened in Maastricht in 2005. Outside the Netherlands, she has exhibited in Antwerp
(Art-Event), Stockholm (Art Fair), Marbella (Marb Art - Feria Internacional de Arte
Contemporneo), Geneva (Europ'Art), Klagenfurt (Biennale Austria), Salzburg (Mozart
Festival), Florence (Museo Diocesano and Biennale Internazionale dell'Arte
Contemporanea), Milan (Studio D'Ars), New York (Carrozzini Von Buhler Gallery and
CVB Space), and in Mexico. One of her sculptures, "Modestia", was exhibited during
the Venice Biennale, at Open 2007. She won the 1st prize for "Sculpture and
Installation" at the Florence Biennale 2007.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Jackie Sleper
website: http://www.jackiesleper.com

Images:
You can also see images of Jackie's art at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dulceyamargo


For journalists only:
High resolution files of these images or other press related information can be
requested directly from the press office:
Vito Abba press officer
Studio Abba - Corso Italia, 6 - 50123 Florence, Italy
info@studioabba.com
http://www.studioabba.com/

Other images and further information are available at:
http://www.dulceyamargo.com/
It will be possible to follow the various stages of "Dulce y Amargo" thanks to the
information and images that will be posted on www.dulceyamargo.com.

Visitors to Jackie's exhibitions in Mexico can also upload photos taken during the
exhibitions on Flickr and share them with
http://www.flickr.com/groups/dulceyamargo
At the end of the exhibition series, the authors of the three photos that Jackie
likes most, will each receive a signed lithograph of one of her works.

For general comments contact:
dulceyamargo@yahoo.com

Web Site: http://www.jackiesleper.com

Contact Details: Studio Abba
Corso Italia, 6
50123 Florence
Italy
tel. +39 055292082
fax +39 055292082