Tending Fires During an Eclipse

Tending Fires During an Eclipse brings together for the first time the artistic visions of Rando Onia and Iya Regalario, notable for their mastery of the pyrographic pen as medium. This exhibition intersects with the momentous occurrence of The Great American Eclipse on April 8th, offering an interpretation on the relationship—and contradiction—between darkness and light, as symbolized by the celestial bodies of the sun and the moon.

Across diverse cultures and religious traditions throughout time, the sun and the moon have served as potent symbols, steeped in mystery and laden with symbolic significance, especially when they overlap during the phenomenon of an eclipse. In this exhibition, Onia and Regalario delve into the interplay between these primal forces, reflecting upon the fundamental essence of human existence and our connection to the natural world.

The principle “as above, so below” suggests a deep connection between the cosmos and human existence. In the context of an eclipse, this alignment of celestial bodies symbolizes the merging of opposing forces, echoing within human consciousness. The eclipse serves as a moment of revelation, blurring the boundaries between the celestial and the earthly, and highlighting the intertwined nature of cosmic energies that shape our reality.

In her exploration of light as a temporal element that intertwines with the fabric of history, Regalario traces lineages and narratives through time, as seen through the prism of religion, culture, and mythology. Meanwhile, Onia’s focus on carbon, derived from the process of consumption, offers a visceral and haunting depictions of cataclysmic events influenced by the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun.

Their collaborative work which forms a complete circle and alludes to an eclipse features Regalario unveiling the potent symbols of history while Onia delves into the depths of darkness, utilizing carbon extracted from exhaust fumes as pigment.

Tending Fires During an Eclipse contemplates humanity’s place within the cosmos and our relationship with the celestial bodies that have come to symbolize both darkness and illumination. It is a poignant dance between the totality of darkness and the vitality that light bestows upon human history, underscoring the enduring power of the sun and the moon as symbols of cosmic significance.