193 Gallery
Rafael Domenech , Cuba/United States
"Flowers blooming on acid"
Rafael Domenech, "The elliptical hour", 2025. Archival inkjet print on synthetic paper, commercial vinyl, plywood, bookcloth, archival adhesive, 173 x 112 cm. Photo courtesy of the artist and 193 Gallery
Carte blanche granted to Jérôme Sans
For his first monographic exhibition in Paris at the 193 Gallery, Rafael Domenech draws a new space within that of the gallery, creating entirely different possibilities in an otherwise generic white cube. Planting the seeds for a new story and context, he divides the space with wooden walls that act like folding screens – an object which traditionally holds an important place in art history. Like floating paintings in space, the architectural device is both a work of art in itself, and a recipient for other works mounted on its walls as well as contained inside it, in the manner of a Russian Doll.
As is Rafael Domenech’s custom, when creating new spaces, everything inside them, with no exception, becomes a work of art. From the outset, he thwarts categories, entirely reversing the traditional principles of an exhibition and the status of an artwork. Labyrinthine, circulatory, his redesigned space allows for multiple entrances, circulations, itineraries. Every possible passage creates new combinations, unexpected encounters, fresh dialogues between one work and the next.
Far from being linear, or easily disclosing itself, “Flowers Blooming on Acid” is an “open exhibition”, in the Umberto Ecco sense, where scenarios, interpretations, and experiences are intrinsically plural.
Solo show of Rafael Domenech
From April 1st to May 31st, 2025
The gallery
Founded in 2018, the 193 Gallery, based in Paris and Venice, aims to offer a global tour of contemporary art and to showcase the diversity of art scenes worldwide, with a particular focus on Southern scenes (Caribbean, Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia).
Guided by the discovery and affirmation of diverse identities, the gallery supports a program aimed at fostering dialogue between different regions of the world, proposing a vision of art that transcends traditional Western interpretations. We are committed to promoting diversity by highlighting unique perspectives and celebrating the cultural richness of each continent.
The 193 Gallery participates in numerous prestigious art fairs (Untitled Miami, Arco Madrid, Zona Maco, Art Paris, Art Monte Carlo, Art Genève, Expo Chicago, Tokyo Gendai, Paris Photo, KIAF Seoul, Shanghai WestBund, Dallas Art Fair, 1-54 Marrakech / New York / London) and supports its artists in various biennales. In 2024, we are proud to present the exhibition "Passengers in Transit" a Collateral Event of the 60th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia.
Gallery artists
Ben Arpéa, Valentina Canseco, Aldo Chaparro, Joana Choumali, Zoila Andrea Coc-Chang, Christa David, Modou Dieng Yacine, Sesse Elangwe, Jade Fenu, Adler Guerrier, Hassan Hajjaj, Jean-Marc Hunt, Thandiwe Muriu, Shinji Nagabe, Hyacinthe Ouattara, Javier Toro Blum, Rob Tucker, Lorenzo Vitturi
