At first glance, the bright colours of the engravings catch our eyes. Each one has a different colour and a variety of figures that interlap within the linen. Looking deeper, the figures create a nostalgic feeling for any Latino as they are based on our animals and the pre-Hispanic style, focusing especially on the Inca period.
In her latest exhibition, Patricia Bidi explores her Peruvian roots, her dreams, and her experience of moving from her home to a massive city like London. This exhibition focuses on Peruvian heritage, as the paintings depict the culture and tell a story through their vibrant colours and patterns.
Like many of us, Patricia came to London with dreams, which have been the primary focus of her art.
"One of my dreams when I was younger was to come to London. I love the idea of living there and the culture. Whenever I saw it in any movie, I was like, "I want to live there!"
When she was 26 years old, the opportunity came knocking. Patricia recalls that it was her sister who was going to London, and she asked her if she wanted to come. "It was really spontaneous, and even so, I wanted to go. That moment for me was if I go, it's now or never."
Patricia didn’t know English when she arrived, but loved the culture, the history, and architecture. "I love seeing the buildings and exploring around the city. I admit I came to London because I wanted to expand my horizons, learn, and live. I wanted to feel something new."
Ever since Patricia was a child and could grab a pencil, her favourite activity was to draw. "And when I was about five years old, I lived near the Lima Art Museum, about an eight-minute walk away. It was the place where I spent my weekends and vacations because it was very close and cultural events were always happening. It was part of my inspiration as it holds a pre-Columbian collection. For me, it was a second home." Patricia recalled.
As she grew older, she started to get better at painting, and her parents supported her as she started to join various workshops. But when she came to London, adapting to this new style made her put art aside.
"During my first years, I had to do everything from cleaning to being a massage therapist. After doing that for years, I then trained as a reflexologist and beauty therapist. Until one day everything changed," Patricia remarked.
Patricia continued telling how one day she got very sick. All her body ached, and she couldn’t even get up from bed. After a few days, she went to her GP, and while she was being attended to, she noticed a painting in the waiting room.
"It was a Kandinsky painting that drew my attention. The colours and the figure caught my attention. So then, I went to the library to learn more about his work, as I had no idea who he was. The more I read about him, the more inspiration I found in a world I had forgotten about, it had been 11 years since I last drew; this was my way back to art," Patricia remembered.
From then on, Patricia started to focus on making her art and creating a style that would reflect her identity. "It gave me a new energy from my life, which was so monotonous. I found something exciting, and little by little I started drawing and painting." Patricia recalled that she took a course as well, where her art became more defined.
"I see my style as my own, which I have never seen before in other exhibitions. It is my own way to see life. As of now, I have done around 400 master lino cards focusing on nature, but the style was created as I did more," Patricia explains.
Her new work shows the culmination of her journey as she travels back to her roots. Patricia explained that this is a continuation of her previous exhibition, "Dreams & Traces." She explained how this exhibition is about more than just Peruvian dreams as a representation of her past, but also about the present and the future.
However, instead of focusing on herself, she explains that this is a way to honour her parents. Patricia recalled her father's initiative and love for Peru as she explained how her father worked his whole life to represent and share his love for Peru.
"My father had a tourism magazine in Peru called Peru Turistico that focused on travelling inside Peru. His mission was to get people to travel across Peru. When he travelled a lot abroad, we used to ask him, why don't you take us to Spain or the United States? And he said, no, I want you to get to know Peru first. So, his motto was to explore and promote Peru for a national and international audience."
"As for my mother, she loved animals, and she said her dream was to draw and paint them," Patricia continued. This exhibition is her way to pay tribute to her family and to the people who raised her. It's her way of sharing a glimpse of her life in Peru and how it intersects with her current life on the other side of the world.
And with the memories of her past, as she used to go to different festivals where this kind of style was represented, she explained how most paintings have a story behind them.
"I consider that there is a kind of magic realism in my work. If you take a closer look, you will see magic happening inside the engravings. You can see that there is a lot going on in one frame, with the figures interacting with one another. How the past and the present are connected, and for me, that represents Peru and London."
For her public, Patricia wants to give them a small escape from reality. This exhibition is meant to give the public a rest and let them reenergize their exploration of Peruvian culture. "I want people to be inspired by it. Not only by promoting Peru but also by having the chance to know it. As well as London, I want to share my love for this amazing city full of lights, museums, and history."
Patricia feels very proud of her career journey. Having her work exhibited in the Peruvian Embassy is an amazing honour. Her past exhibitions have also featured in cities like Vienna, Stockholm, and New York.
"For me, art is as Henri Matisse said: What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity, and serenity... something like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue. And that is what I want people to take away from my drawings."
