Contemporary Painting the Edge of Reality by Valentina Maggiolo
Valentina Maggiolo’s art is about exploring what lies just beyond the surface.
Her paintings feel like the world seen through a slightly distorted lens, where the natural meets the supernatural, and time seems to stretch and compress in unexpected ways.
This makes sense, given her background. She graduated with honors from RISD in 2014, where she not only honed her skills as a painter but also developed a deep understanding of art history.
This dual focus on practice and theory is evident in her work, which is as thoughtful as it is visually striking.
Maggiolo’s paintings often feature landscapes, but they aren’t the comforting, familiar scenes you might expect.
Valentina Maggiolo: (left) Hot Landscape Oil on canvas 120 x 135 cm 2021 (right) Reptile Oil on board40 x 40 cm 2020 | Image Courtesy of the Artist
Instead, they hover between the known and the unknown, places where reality feels almost, but not quite, within reach.
Her color palette is muted, which only adds to the dreamlike quality of her work. These aren’t vibrant, lively scenes; they’re contemplative, almost ghostly, inviting you to linger and look deeper.
Themes of Time and the Uncanny
One of the central themes in Maggiolo’s work is time—or more precisely, the strange ways in which time can seem to shift and change.
She’s fascinated by the remnants that time leaves behind: ruins, deserts, and sundials.
These are objects and places that are inherently tied to time, and yet they seem to exist outside of it as well.
In her hands, they become symbols of both permanence and impermanence, reminders of how everything fades but also leaves a trace.
This interest in time isn’t just about history; it’s about the present, too. Her work often feels like it’s asking us to stop and think about the here and now, to consider how our actions are leaving marks on the world around us.
There’s a philosophical undercurrent to her art, a sense that she’s trying to get us to look beyond the surface and see the deeper, often unsettling truths that lie beneath.
The Practice of "Slow Painting"
Maggiolo describes her work as “slow painting,” and that’s a perfect way to put it. These aren’t pieces that were thrown together in a rush; they’re the result of careful, deliberate work.
She uses traditional techniques like oil painting and frescoes, methods that require time and patience.
This slow approach is reflected in the final product: paintings that invite you to slow down, too, to take your time in exploring all the layers of meaning they contain.
Her process isn’t just about painting, though. Maggiolo often incorporates elements from the natural world—fire, rock formations, dried vegetation—into her work.
These elements give her paintings a tactile, almost sculptural quality, as if they’re more than just images on a canvas.
They’re objects in their own right, things you could reach out and touch, if only you could cross the boundary between the real and the imagined.
Bridging Natural and Metaphysical
Maggiolo’s work also blurs the line between natural history and the metaphysical. She’s interested in how these two seemingly opposite concepts can actually be deeply connected.
In her paintings, you might find references to UFOs alongside images of snakeskins and bones.
It’s a strange mix, but it works because it taps into something fundamental about how we experience the world. We don’t just see what’s in front of us; we also bring our own ideas, fears, and hopes to what we see.
This blending of the natural and the supernatural creates a sense of unease, but it’s a productive unease.
It gets you thinking about the big questions: What’s real? What’s imagined? How do we know the difference? Maggiolo isn’t interested in providing easy answers.
Instead, she’s more concerned with asking the right questions, the ones that keep you up at night, wondering about the things you can’t quite explain.
Exhibitions and Artistic Spaces
Maggiolo’s work has been featured in exhibitions around the world, from Lima to Barcelona to Banff.
Each of these shows has offered a different perspective on her art, but they all share a common thread: a commitment to exploring the edges of what we know and what we think we know.
Her solo exhibitions, such as Negar el desierto at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lima and Ostras, caracoles y babosas in VASTO, Barcelona, showcase her ability to create immersive environments that draw you in and make you question what you’re seeing.
In addition to her painting, Maggiolo is also the creator of Perro Blanco, a project space in Lima dedicated to chamber concerts and workshops.
This space is an extension of her artistic practice, a place where visual and performing arts intersect in surprising and meaningful ways.
Valentina Maggiolo: (left) A New YearOil on canvas40 x 50 cm2022 (right) Scenes of a desert #7Oil on canvas35 x 40 cm 2020 | Image Courtesy of the Artist
It’s a small-scale project, but it’s an important one because it reflects her belief that art isn’t just something you look at; it’s something you experience, something that can bring people together in unexpected ways.
Reflection on Art and Life
Maggiolo’s work is a reminder that art isn’t just about creating beautiful objects; it’s about making us see the world differently.
Valentina Maggiolo: (left) Origin Site specific sculpture in the Peruvian Desert 800 x 100 x 80 cm2023 (right) Landscape Mural 210 x 190 cm 2024 | Image Courtesy of the Artist
Her paintings encourage us to look beyond the obvious and delve into the deeper layers of meaning that lie beneath the surface.
They ask us to slow down, to take our time in thinking about what we’re seeing and what it means.
In a world that often feels like it’s moving too fast, Maggiolo’s art offers a welcome pause, a chance to reflect on the things that really matter.
Valentina Maggiolo: Artist Studio Views | Image Courtesy of the Artist
Her work is about more than just painting; it’s about exploring the edges of reality, the places where the familiar becomes strange and the strange becomes familiar.
It’s about time, and how we experience it, and what it means to be a part of a world that’s constantly changing.
And most of all, it’s about seeing—really seeing—the world around us, and understanding that there’s always more to see, if we’re willing to look.
Additional Informations:
Currently, Valentina Maggiolo lives and works in her studio in Lima, where she is also the creator of Perro Blanco (@espacioperroblanco), a small-scale, dynamic project space dedicated to chamber concerts and workshops.
This space reflects her commitment to the intersection of visual and performing arts, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and a vibrant artistic community.
Follow the Valentina Maggiolo on Instagram for upcoming and future projects.
Dive into her work through her gallery representation like VASTO (Barcelona) and Reiners Contemporary (Marbella) Gallery.
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