olga diego : Jardín Autómata / Carmen Museum / Valencia 2018

JARDÍN AUTÓMATA

Olga Diego

Today our greatest sin is plastic.

Would it be possible to recreate Bosch´s The Garden of Earthly Delights in an installation of inflatable and electronic sculptures?

This might be a somewhat outrageous and daring idea but who is not tempted to plunge into the enigmatic universe created by Bosch?

If that could even be attempted, the result would be Jardín Autómata: A massive installation made up of a hundred inflatable-electronic sculptures inspired by Bosch´s enticing, extravagant and provocative characters.

The focal point that sparked the idea is the Cavalcade of Desire painted on the central panel of the tritych. There, naked human beings revel with animals of different species, a world of unlimited pleasure. Lust, portrayed in a myriad of unimaginable ways. A voluptious world where beautiful birds, fish and exotic fruits are also found.

These elements are also present in Jardín Autómata. A visual creative orgy. A labyrinth of great translucent and transparent bodies that suggest a magical world.

A variety of humanoids, quadrupeds and hybrid creatures are suspended through the expanse of the room, in an aereal composition and in continuos movement, while other inflatables are perched on the ground recreating more earthy and wanton scenes. Motors like electric hearts, blow air into those translucent bodies, marking the rhythm of an undecipherable electronic symphony. Coloured lead lights make up the last part of the bodies and electronic circuits hang from the figures all the way the ground.

Jardín Autómata has not only meant a building challenge, but also a tantalizing paradise respecting the creation of the figures.

The characters: humanoids of all genders, simple and mixed quadrupeds, hybrid beings, large antenna- breasted women, balloon-headed animals, the mutant giraffe, the bird-like boy with omelette ears, legged eggs and fish, tentacled fruits, two-headed dogs, bizarre birds with adapted wings, and many more.

However, behind Bosch´s work, which today seems so attractive to us , lies criticism of sin, to the lust which he portrays. Being deeply religious , Bosch was trying to illustrate the terrible consquences which would befall the human species should they allow themselves to be seduced by the pleasures of the flesh.

How vast the distance between his intention and what we today see in his work.

A suggestive and idillic world, a disturbing paradise of freedom.

Well then...nowadays, without a shadow of a doubt, sexual desire is no longer humankind´s greatest sin (fortunately much freer now).

We have become a capitalist society, with no notion of respect t respect towards our environment, generating excessive waste , and its therein that our greatest sin lies – PLASTIC.

Translation: Eva Orbe

Making-of: Olga´s studio in Alicante
Photos: Carolina Diego