John Pastoriza Pinol
Pushing the boundaries of contemporary botanical art and accurate realism, the works of this artist urge the viewer to explore the deeper, more layered themes that are presented.
Rich luminous hues and gorgeously exotic and rare botanical specimens epitomise John Pastoriza-piñol’s work, however his are much more than mere flower paintings: closer inspection reveals a certain ambiguity of form and intent directing us towards a dark and complex narrative. The familiarity and pleasure we derive from looking at a depiction of a beautiful plant or flower is somewhat challenged, and the artist suggestively urges us to look beyond the aesthetic and move into slightly more uneasy territory. There are much deeper themes being explored here, along with a tradition that spans back through centuries.
The art of botanical illustration is highly specialised, where plant portraits combine finely observed detail with artistic expression. Traditionally, as a form of scientific representation fundamentally for the purpose of identifying and classifying plants, botanical illustration has the ability to transcend the borders between art and science. This makes it difficult to categorise – as a field of study that dates back to antiquity it
cannot be isolated from the social and cultural milieu in which it is produced. A more concentrated reading reveals it to be rather uniquely intertwined with so many other fields, or perhaps more accurately those other fields are given an alternative perspective through the window of botanical art. Economics, politics, science, the history of discovery and colonisation, religion, education, intellectualism, the evolution of technology and aesthetics, the rise of psychoanalytical theory and of course, gender issues and sexuality.
Today, botanical art is experiencing a resurgence with artists adopting more contemporary interpretations and pushing the boundaries. John Pastoriza-piñol’s work fits uniquely between both the centuries-old tradition of botanical illustration and current contemporary art: while his paintings are botanically accurate and the verisimilitude is exceptional, purists might say that they do not strictly conform entirely to the precise definitions of botanical art. They inhabit a territory somewhere between scientific analysis and symbolic realism, prompting a reading that goes beyond the purely representational and literal. The artist himself says he aims to engender an appreciation
“Today, botanical art is experiencing a resurgence with artists adopting more contemporary interpretations and pushing the boundaries. ”
for contemporary botanical art and accurate realism, however critical to his creativity is the exploration of an elaborate narrative in the deliberate choice and composition of his subject matter – he cites the unusual and macabre as enduring influences.
It’s certainly not a new notion –the intriguing characteristics of the plant world, sensual aspects of botanical illustration, and the analogies with human behaviour have long been a source of fascination. Countless artists before John, even outside the field of botanical illustration, have used the depiction of flowers for centuries as metaphors to express other complex themes.
John has developed a distinctive iconography in his work, and his colour palette is extraordinarily vivid. A master of his medium, his perfectly executed watercolours remain true to the accuracy that is vital to botanical illustration yet they have a fluidity and sensuality that stirs the viewer to experience more than a mere marvelling of technique. A sense of unease is created by the recurrent use of certain motifs that are
uniquely his own: floating subjects devoid of shadows, minimalist compositions, clever use of negative space, and notably the broken or torn branches of his specimens. The scientific, the decorative and the subversive are daringly combined to create a contemporary narrative that goes far beyond the art of close observation: subtexts of separation, birth, death, sexuality, anxiety and the human experience elicit a more emotional response in his audience.
An interest in rare and unusual plants coupled with a strong academic background in botany and horticulture are invaluable doctrines for this genre. The documentation of plants through the fine and precise art of botanical illustration seemed to be a natural progression for his long-held interest in plants and in gardening. John desired to know more about the plant, including the mechanics of flowers – as a gardener who went on to pursue studies in Botany, he became familiar with how plants would grow and develop, and this comprehensive understanding of their structure and behaviour is fundamental to his compositions.
James Kay, former Illustrations Curator, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, notes that:
“The botanical studies that John produces are tirelessly accurate, and yet are not shackled by their attention to detail; appearing as they do as
fluid as well composed illustrations. John’s acumen for the medium allows his paintings to maintain a bright and luminous palette, indicative of specimens growing in the warmer climates. Artists like John are important not only in the world of taxonomy for their accurate portrayals of plants, but (because) they help to raise the profile of the remarkable flora of the world that is seldom seen as fast becoming endangered.”
John completed his docturmiento in Botany at University of Vigo, Galicia, in Spain. After returning to Australia, he was encouraged to formally study botanical illustration at the Botanical Art School of Melbourne under the direction of Jenny Phillips, one of the most influential Australian botanical artists and renowned around the world. The transition from amateur to professional was relatively brief for John, prompting him to develop his own style and exhibit further afield. He began showing work at the Royal Horticultural Society winter shows in
Westminster London. Immediately after his Gold medal winning show in 2005, John Adams, curator of Ebury Galleries in London, offered him his first ever solo exhibition of botanical art to coincide with the 2006 Chelsea Flower Show. The exhibition was formally opened by the then Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency the Honourable Richard Alston, and was attended by many fine art collectors. It was an extraordinary opportunity for John to exhibit at a prominent fine art gallery in the heart of London.
Success from the UK exhibition resulted in his work being selected for inclusion in the Highgrove Florilegium, a project created under the aegis of the Prince of Wales’ Charitable Foundation that celebrated and permanently recorded the flora in the garden at Highgrove. His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, kindly invited John and others involved in the Highgrove Florilegium to visit the garden at Highgrove in July 2008.
John’s work is now held in numerous public and private collections around the world including: Hunt Institute, Carnegie Mellon University; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London; State collection, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne; RMIT University and the Collection of Alisa and Isaac M. Sutton, to name a few. Along with private commissions, John is actively showing his work globally and has secured international venues in London, Paris, New York and Madrid. Being a recipient of many awards and accolades has afforded him international recognition. John teaches intermediate/advanced classes at the Geelong Botanic Gardens, and has expanded his teaching circuit to include interstate and international master classes demonstrating his unique approach to the art form.
John is proudly represented by Nellie Castan Gallery in South Yarra, Victoria, one of Australia’s most respected galleries committed to exhibiting emerging and mid-career artists. Last year he presented an exciting new body of work for his fourth solo exhibition at Nellie Castan
Gallery. Titled Hermes-aphrodite, the slightly provocative depiction of exotic botanical specimens alluded to the gender lines in our society which are becoming increasingly blurred, and the fact that our bodies are the site and subject of on-going debate and contention. Of John’s work, director Nellie Castan says it has “enormous appeal with many audiences and continues to enrich the quality of Australian contemporary art.” John Pastoriza-pinol has an exceptional ability to create a tension between the beauty and perfection of the specimen depicted and the symbolism with which it is infused. This perhaps points to the innovative and unique quality of his work. For a lesser artist this might simply be an insolent thumb-in-the-nose towards the formal requirements of botanical art, however John’s ability to render his subject with such meticulous accuracy enables him to uphold that formalism as well as to reveal to us something about the darker aspects of our own nature, perhaps showing us that we do in fact have something to learn from the natural world. ■