Temple. Isabel Rabassa

Temple is the title of the exhibition that Isabel Rabassa is presenting at el piset on this occasion. The term “temple” refers to the strength and serenity needed to face any situation with temperance and composure. It is also known as a painting technique characteristic of medieval European art (both Romanesque and Gothic), as well as Byzantine icons that use egg as binder for pigment and water. Alternatively, it relates to the concept of temperature (neither cold nor hot) and structurally to the rigidity or stiffness of a metal or tool. A temple, as we know, is a sacred place where one can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, rest in peace, and connect spiritually. This exhibition captures all of that. The work presented by Isabel Rabassa is both subtle and resounding at the same time. It alludes to the care, respect, and protection of places and symbols as part of the union of the divine and the profane. Her work refers to the alchemy of the everyday in turbulent times, through access to a timeless inner place, as archaic as it is sophisticated. What it conveys is the value of protecting the inner temple we possess but often forget to guard. Isabel Rabassa’s paintings reflect what she considers sacred: what she preserves, nurtures, discovers, and protects. To access the secrets of what her painting holds, one must have neither too much intellect nor too much emotion. That is when the door opens.