By By Samuel Medina III/ south news editor
South Campus’ latest art exhibit stems from the history of art and literature and blends them into a series of paintings through the use of perception.
Paintings After Proust features Claudia Baez and some of her minimal paintings.
As a longtime admirer of French writer Marcel Proust, Baez said she was inspired to create her own rendition of Paintings in Proust: A Visual Companion to In Search of Lost Time by Eric Karpeles.
The novel In Search of Lost Time is what inspired both Karpeles and Baez to paint their interpretation of the references described by Proust.
“My inspiration in all those paintings was twofold — Proust and the painting itself,” Baez said.
Her exhibit features 11 paintings using different styles. From simple, minimalistic paintings to an expressive, robust burst of colors, Baez leaves interpretation open to the viewers.
Photos by Karen Rios/The Collegian
“What the students should get from my work is ideas of their own work,” she said.
Baez was born in Mexico City, now living in New York City, which has also had an influence in her artwork.
South art assistant professor Joshua Goode said a few of the students could relate to Baez in more ways than the art.
“Some of the students are from Mexico as well,” he said. “So they got to connect with her a bit more, which was interesting.”
Baez said she takes pleasure in the unfolding of her paintings and the way they converge into the final result.
“All of my paintings take time, and it is the process which interests me — the process of making something that pleases my own aesthetic,” she said.
South student Camden Nunez said he didn’t understand the paintings when he first saw them, but now it’s clear.
“It’s hard to make out what some of the paintings are at first,” he said. “You just have to really open your mind and look at it. They really are amazing.”
