EVENT DESCRIPTION
Whitestone Gallery Hong Kong is thrilled to announce Waterfalls and Magpies, the first solo exhibition by renowned Spanish artist Nuria Mora in Hong Kong. This exhibition will explore the dual nature of interpretation and the transformative power of narrative through Mora’s unique aesthetic, which combines geometric abstraction with thoughtful dialogues inspired by the urban environment.
Waterfalls and Magpies is inspired from a personal encounter between Nuria Mora and her friend during a moment of vulnerability. While caring for her friend who was feeling unwell, a solitary magpie appeared on their terrace, triggering feelings of fear and anxiety due to its association with bad luck in Western cultures. In contrast, Eastern cultures—including those in China, Korea, and India, celebrate the magpie as a symbol of good fortune, joy, and auspicious encounters. This striking contrast between interpretations prompted a deep exploration for Mora.
The magpie’s dual significance inspired her to reflect on how the same experience can evoke vastly different emotions and narratives depending on cultural context. This encounter served as a catalyst for Mora’s artistic exploration of perspective, prompting her to consider how individuals can choose the stories they inhabit—narratives that can transform fear into hope and chaos into renewal.
By channeling these themes into her work, Mora invites audiences to experience this extraordinary artistic journey. The exhibition symbolizes this journey with a waterfall that flows into countless reflections, showcasing the infinite potential for transformation within narratives. Waterfalls and Magpies aims to celebrate the freedom of individual choice and emphasizes the ability to find light even in darkness, revealing the multiple dimensions of symbols across different cultures. As a vibrant intersection of Eastern and Western cultures, Hong Kong resonates deeply with this perspective, embodying a rich tapestry of cultural coexistence. Mora’s art fosters open dialogue among the diverse environments of the city and encourages viewers to appreciate the various possibilities of narratives within our urban landscape through Waterfalls and Magpies.
ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER
Nuria Mora (1974) is a prominent figure in the international urban art scene, one of the very few women in the world practicing unauthorized art in public spaces, and certainly the most pioneering in Spain. She studied Interior Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Madrid and Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid. She began her career in the late 1990s with illegal street interventions that bridge space, context, and form. Her aesthetics spring from geometric abstraction and natural metamorphoses, transcending simple intervention to communicate universally through subtle and delicate poetry that engages rather than dominates the surroundings, creating an “open language” and spaces for free thinking amid urban saturation.Her work has garnered attention in a variety of galleries and art fairs, starting with her debut at ARCO Madrid in 2005 and most recently highlighted at Kiaf in Seoul in 2024. Additionally, she has exhibited in respected institutions such as Tate Modern in London, the Joan Miró Foundation in Barcelona, and Matadero and La Casa Encendida in Madrid. Her work has also been exhibited at the Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation in Mallorca, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Johannesburg, and as part of a collateral event at the 2022 Venice Biennale. In her indoor projects, Mora employs installations, videos, murals, and watercolors, all while connecting her work back to the urban environment. She currently lives and works in Madrid.
