Veneradas y Temidas: El Poder Femenino at the CaixaForum
https://caixaforum.org/es/valencia/exposiciones
Veneradas y Temidas: El poder femenino is an exhibition at the CaixaForum in Valencia. The title translates to “Revered and Feared: the Feminine Power” and encompasses five millennia of female power in the world.
This exhibit is not to be missed. It runs through August 31 and the exhibition highlights the multiple faces of female power.
Goddesses, spirits, demons, or saints, figures who have been venerated and feared to this day and who have influenced and continue to influence people’s lives.
From the CaixaForum Web site:
“A journey through 5,000 years of beliefs of spiritual power: from hindu divinity shakti to oshun, the orisha of fertility in nigeria’s yoruba culture.
With sculptures, sacred objects and works of art from various continents and from the ancient world to the present, this exhibition shows us how goddesses, demons, saints and other spiritual beings have played a relevant role in our understanding of the world. From wisdom, passion and desire to war, justice and mercy, a cross-cultural journey is made through different expressions of female spiritual powers all over the world.
The selection of 154 pieces from the British Museum, in dialog with a selection of renowned contemporary artists, invites us to reflect on the feminine power and femininity today.”
Reading museum descriptions can often be a bit hyperbolic, but in this case the exhibit is truly powerful with images and sculpture from diverse cultures, including Greek, Roman, Hindu, Japanese, African, and Indonesian.
The exhibit combines pieces from the British Museum with video and art from across six continents and includes contemporary art from artists such as Marina Abramovic, Ana Álvarez-Errecalde, Tania Berta Judith, Niki de Saint Phalle, Ana Mendieta, and Zanele Muholi.
The exhibit is spread across five thematic rooms including Creation and Nature, Passion and Desire, Magic and Evil, Justice and Defense, and Compassion and Salvation.
Images and figures range across cultures and time, including more familiar female icons such as Tiare Wahine (Hawaiian akua of the volcano), Demeter, Ishtar, Aphrodite, Venus, Minerva, Medusa, Lakshmi, and the Virgin Mary. These are interspersed with Japanese Noh masks and performance art from Marina Abramovic.
Through the end of August at CaixaForum
About CaixaForum
CaixaForum is a network of cultural centers in Spain managed by the “la Caixa” Foundation, one of Europe’s largest charitable foundations. These centers are dedicated to promoting art, culture, and education through a wide variety of public programs.
CaixaForum is a space where visitors can enjoy:
- Art Exhibitions: Ranging from classical to contemporary art, often in collaboration with world-renowned institutions like the Louvre, the British Museum, and the Prado.
- Cultural Events: Including concerts, film screenings, lectures, and performances.
- Educational Activities: Workshops and programs designed for schools, families, and general audiences.
- Striking Architecture: Most CaixaForum buildings are iconic, often transforming historic or industrial spaces into modern cultural hubs.
Main Locations:
- CaixaForum Madrid: Located near the Prado Museum, known for its vertical garden and unique building design by Herzog & de Meuron.
- CaixaForum Barcelona: Situated in a former modernist textile factory (Casaramona), near Montjuïc.
- Other cities: CaixaForum centers are also found in Seville, Zaragoza, Palma, Valencia, Tarragona, and Lleida, among others.
Accessibility:
Many events and exhibitions are free or low-cost, with special discounts for students, seniors, and members of the “la Caixa” Foundation.