Venezuelan Orchids
Ivan Mikolji’s photographs have become paradigmatic images of scientific publications in international books and magazines. They are highly valued both for their compositional beauty, and for having identified various unknown species of fish, wildflowers and orchids, and thus make these biomes known in their vast complexity, as a way of protecting them for their conservation.
This sample is a selection from his photography portfolio of orchids; each of these images was photographed in their natural context, with the artist’s sensitivity to create compositions that show an aesthetics of the hidden. Dr Gustavo A. Romero, researcher and curator of the Orchid Herbarium at Harvard University, identified each species.
The artist has recreated the colors of each of these orchids in the mikotones, isolating their chromatic essence in a biological Pantone belonging to each specie. In this way, a link is established between nature, science and digital art.
Eduardo Planchart Licea
PhD History of Latin American Art, UNAM.
The most important thing in my work is to teach people what it is, such as an inventory of the biodiversity that must be preserved and protected to maintain life on the planet since everything is linked to a planetary ecological system, which is extremely fragile. It is curious for me that in my work’ exhibitions, people thank me for showing them the indissoluble plot on which life on Earth depends. It is as if I was inspiring them, changing the cultural mindset of the people who see the photos, and you make them love the planet more and feel part of it. In addition, that change of attitude is one of the objectives of my work.
Ivan Mikolji
Explorer and visual artist
Venezuelan Orchids has been exhibited at:
Rosa Bela Hotel & Convention Center, Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela, 2018
Barquisimeto Photo Library, Venezuela. 2019
La Salle Foundation of Natural Sciences. Caracas, Venezuela 2019
MIKOTONES
Curatorial Statement
Ivan Mikolji: Venezuelan Orchids
Ivan Mikolji’s underwater and riverside landscape pictures have become paradigmatic images of scientific publications in international books and magazines. They are highly valued both for their compositional beauty, and for having identified various unknown species of fish, wildflowers and orchids, and thus make these biomes known in their vast complexity, as a way of protecting them for their conservation.
Mikolji’s passion for all the plots of aquatic life in rivers, channels, lakes, estuaries has made him a renowned explorer, visual artist and tireless activist through his foundation, where he promotes the research of other scientists to protect the hydrological basins of the planet. Emerging from hours of taking pictures of the riverside bottoms, he visually recreates himself by finding outbreaks of Edenic beauty in orchids and wildflowers among unknown and lonely landscapes, thus evidencing the biodiversity of the continent, on whose conservation the future of civilization depends. She has focused on the current exhibition on orchids, through macro and microphotography. Gustavo A. Romero, a Venezuelan researcher and curator of the herbarium at Harvard University, identified the orchids.
In addition to his continuous presence on the network with successful documentaries and the actions of the Wild Aquariums, Mikolji complements this work of promoting knowledge of these areas of the continent through the exhibition of his work to show the fragility of the beauty around these ecosystems, hence the meaning of many individual exhibitions in private spaces devoted to art and photography. In addition, in public spaces such as the Orinokia Mall, in Ciudad Guayana 2018, to expand the vision and understanding of the spectators, of the importance of preserving these hydrological basins essential for the survival of humanity.
On this occasion a selection of his photography portfolio of orchids is shown, each of these images was taken in its natural context, with the artist’s sensitivity to create compositions that reveal the secrets of nature, in a tension between science and the art. Where the spectator will be able to see in detail compositions that break with any known reality, such as the Catacetum Barbatum orchid with its vegetal skin and its varied pigmentation of greens, whites, and other biological elements that allow flower pollination. And whose shape and color will make the spectators wonder if they are in front of a plant, or another being like a butterfly. The artist has recreated the colors of each of these orchids in the mikotones, isolating their chromatic essence at the moment of taking the picture to create a biological Pantone, allowing the spectators to recreate these flowers in their imagination. Establishing through art, a tension typical of Greek philosophy between the idea and the archetypes, as sustenance of reality.
Eduardo Planchart Licea
PhD History of Latin American Art, UNAM.
