The evolution begins from a primitive memory suggesting that a path had already been undertaken, which is why
“13” marks a point of maturity in a pictorial, conceptual, and spiritual investigation in which the artist Nadya M. Aguilar
has been working on for the past few years. Through her series “13”, Mendoza immerses herself in a symbolic journey
through this number, a number traditionally associated with death, but here interpreted as a symbol of transformation
and rebirth. This interpretation reflects her own spiritual quest and constant evolution as an artist.
The number thirteen itself offers a broad reading; for Pythagoras (n.d.), all things are numbers, the idea that the
universe was governed by mathematical principles and that numbers had a deep and universal significance. This belief
manifested in various areas, from music to astronomy. On the other hand, esoteric numerology is a practice that stems
from Pythagoras’ initial idea, where it is considered that numbers operate in the spiritual realm; through its study, one is
capable of understanding the orderly progression of life cycles, delving into more mystical and metaphysical concepts.
Each number has a unique vibration and represents specific energies. Connections between numbers and more spiritual
aspects of existence are explored.
For Nadya (2022), “13” is an end and a beginning, a change, just like the number, which represents the arcana of
death in the Tarot, death as change or beginning, it is both the death caused by degeneration and regeneration. Although
its name may sound ominous, in reality, this arcana does not refer to physical death, but rather to transformation, change,
and rebirth. “13” the series, stages her own spiritual evolution, which is constantly transforming in search of reconnection
with the source, with God, through her own healing and self-discovery. A sort of energetic transmutation that passes
through her to be palpable in each of her paintings. They are objects charged with her personal history, her own energy,
and vibration. In them, layers upon layers can be observed, depth, fluidity, and the use of washes, giving importance to
water as a fundamental element in the pictorial process, understood as part of the same purification of what is contained
on the canvas. The use of palettes inspired by the representative colors of archangels, tarot arcana, or chakras, for
example, allows her to link color to spiritual and magical practices, and not just from its aesthetic function. It is a reminder
that change is inevitable and often necessary to reach a greater understanding of oneself and the world around us. Nadya
receives it from the figure of the artist, which allows her to expand on a ground that other people might consider infertile
and expand her creative ideas, transforming her environment.
The connection between visual art and the esoteric dates back through art history, with artists like Hilma af Klint
exploring these symbolisms to express their personal visions. Af Klint’s works shift the focus towards the role of the artist,
towards the spiritual background of modernity, and perhaps also towards the retrograde positions of art history.
Kandinsky (2018) was also deeply interested in the relationship between art and spirituality, exploring metaphysical ideas
in his art and writing. He believed that art had the power to convey deep emotional and spiritual experiences and sought
to create paintings that could evoke an emotional and spiritual response in the viewer.
This comparison is not arbitrary; Nadya herself had the opportunity to access another kind of knowledge and
embraced spiritual practices and their place in Cuban culture when she lived and developed her artistic practice for
several years in Cuba. A language and an experience that perhaps only Nadya fully knows but decides to share through
her painting. Mendoza continues this tradition of the spiritual in art and invites reflection on the nature of change and
transformation, reminding us that through art, we have the ability to imagine or access other realities.
From these premises, it makes sense to refer to the metaphor of the cave as a portal; through visual language and
art history, caves evoke the notion of portals to the past, to ancient and unknown worlds. Caves have been places of
refuge and exploration for humans since prehistoric times, and they have also been spaces where traces of artistic
expression have been left dating back thousands of years. The theory of portals in rock art suggests that these caves were
not only physical shelters but also symbolic or spiritual portals to other worlds or dimensions. Some researchers interpret
rock paintings as representations of shamanic journeys or visions and transcendental experiences, where prehistoric
artists may have entered altered states of consciousness to communicate with spirits or access different planes of
existence. It is thus possible to connect with other realities in the cave. Another type of cognition.
An indispensable part of the preparation for this exhibition is Nadya’s own spiritual preparation for the creative act.
Nadya sees herself as a channel, where painting acts as a mirror, revealing things about herself. Painting is also a ritual,
the physically gestural work observed in her paintings, the strokes that only one arm, accompanied by the movement of
the whole body, forms. They refer to those spiritual practices. Just as the meticulousness of the lines and those contained
gestures behave like the repetition of a creed, mantra, dance, which in some cases slows down the pulses and returns
again to a state of calm.
If the pieces of “13”, or the work in general that arises through Nadya, cannot be separated from her, then she also
symbolizes the 13, she also signifies rebirth. Her language is the painting that functions as an interpretative code of what
she experiences, but the language is different. There are more types of languages, of information that escapes us, and she
has found a way to allow us to access it in some way; we perceive that something is happening, we do not know exactly
what, but her work is more than a painting.
Text written by Cristina Ramírez
