Violeta Monreal – When the Earth Speaks: Artworks on Japanese Shikishi Boards

From October 24 to November 17, 2025, the San Agustín Cultural Center in El Burgo de Osma (Soria, Spain) will present When the Earth Speaks, a solo exhibition by artist Violeta Monreal. The exhibition brings together a series of works created on Japanese shikishi boards, inspired by the natural spaces of Castilla y León.

Violeta Monreal, "Hoces del Alto Ebro y Rudron", collage on a Japanese Shikishi art board : paper, real stones, dried plants. 23 cm x 33 cm.

What stands out above all is Violeta Monreal’s compositional mastery. Each board is a carefully balanced structure where torn papers, stones, and fragments of plants establish the main forms—cliffs, rivers, horizons—while smaller elements create rhythm and detail. Often a real stone or a pressed plant is placed at a decisive point, turning it into the anchor of the whole composition, and small accents of color—like a little red sun or a small flower—act like sparks of life. These touches are never decorative; they establish dialogue across the board, connecting forms and creating rhythm.

Human figures or houses are sometimes included, always modest in size compared to mountains or rivers. Their reduced scale emphasizes the monumentality of nature, while reminding us of our place within it—present, fragile, and integrated into the larger environment. Such details bring vitality to Violeta Monreal’s compositions.

Equally important is the treatment of space. Large areas of white paper are intentionally left untouched. These are not voids but active intervals, comparable to the Japanese concept of ma (間), spaces that give structure and rhythm to what surrounds them. The works breathe through these silences, echoing the silence that underpins Violeta Monreal’s vision.

The shikishi board intensifies all of these effects. Its golden edge reflects light and frames each composition, while its compact size demands proximity. To appreciate the textures of paper, stone, or plant, the viewer must come close, experiencing the work almost as one would read a poem. The result is an art that is both grounded and dreamlike: grounded because natural fragments are physically present, dreamlike because simplified poetic forms evoke images closer to memory or reverie than to description.

When the Earth Speaks is an encounter with works where composition, color, and material form a precise harmony, and where human values are inscribed into the language of art. At Art San Gallery, we take joy in discovering how Violeta Monreal transforms the shikishi into a medium of contemporary exploration, and we encourage you to visit her exhibition from October 24 to November 17, 2025, at the San Agustín Cultural Center in El Burgo de Osma (Soria, Spain).