Cristina Mejías and her work 'Otro es el río que persigo', at Vinya dels Artistes

Cristina Mejías, visual artist from Jerez de la Frontera, emerges as the central figure of Year 13 of the Vinya dels Artistes in La Pobla de Cérvoles, with her work entitled Otro es el río que persigo. This week, the work has been meticulously integrated between the vines and olive trees of Mas Blanch and Jové.

La Vinya dels Artistes, designed by Josep Guinovart and inaugurated in 2009, is an open-air art gallery located in the Mas Blanch i Jové winery. This year celebrates its fourteenth edition and already has a permanent collection of 17 works by artists such as Joan Brossa, Carles Santos, Frederic Amat and Susana Solano, to which the sculptural ensemble of Cristina Mejías will be added from July 6, thus expanding his artistic legacy.

Mejías' work consists of a set of metal sculptures that coexist harmoniously with the rural landscape of Les Garrigues. Four structures stand out that, hidden near a small plateau, emerge from the earth and move with the direction of the wind. The work is enriched with a set of arches and individual stems finished in points, leaves or mirrors.

The title Otro es el río que persigo is a literary reference taken from the short story The Immortal by Jorge Luis Borges, a deep reflection on time, eternity, knowledge and the essence of humanity.

Mejías has emphasized the importance of the integration of his work with the natural landscape, choosing a location outside the conventional itineraries of the farm. Visitors follow a path that mimics the course of a river, observing and listening to the piece from a distance. The project is conceived as a choral installation where each component has a defined role. Mejías' intention is for his work to act as a sounding board capable of capturing the essence of the environment, offering an immersive visual and sensory experience for visitors.

Participation in the Artists' Vineyard has been an enriching experience for Mejías, allowing him to share the space with other renowned artists such as Eva Lotz and Susana Solano.

Joan Jové, the blacksmith in charge of materializing the artist's vision, has played a fundamental role in the creation of the work. As part of the Artists' Vineyard, Jové is responsible for the manufacture of the pieces on display, making sure to follow the artist's guidelines without affecting the estate's natural heritage.

Jové highlighted the technical challenges involved in Mejías' project, from the interpretation of his creative point of view to the execution of the pieces, including anchoring them to the ground to withstand wind gusts of up to 100 km/h For the four central pieces of the installation, more than three kilometers of steel straps have been used, arranged in multiple layers to ensure their stability.

The work will be presented to the public on July 6 in the artistic space of the Mas Blanch i Jové winery in La Pobla de Cérvoles.