Exhibition Opening - Vian Borchert: The Magical Garden at Lichtundfire (New York)

Vian Borchert: The Magical Garden
LICHTUNDFIRE – April 4 to April 27, 2024 New York (US)

Here is the Artwork Statement for the new Sakura / Cherry Blossom collection:
For noted artist, Vian Borchert, the latest theme of Lichtundfire April exhibition titled The “Magical Garden” brought joy to Borchert since the artist loves beautiful gardens and feels a magical element when Vian is in them. These sentiments started at a younger age, being in gardens made Borchert feel good and healthy. Growing up with parents and grandparents who had gardens; Naturally, for Vian having a garden is a form of connection to the earth and its splendid bounties. The artist states, “Growing up we had numerous trees and flowers in our garden. I remember as a child walking around the pretty pink rose bushes smelling from one flower to another. The exquisite aromas of the roses’ scents along with the jasmines’ fragrances still linger in my olfactory memory. My whole senses were perforated in my childhood garden. It was a treasure, the flowers, their beauty and natural abundance.” Borchert resides in the DC area which made her appreciate the Spring time with its blooming Cherry Blossoms. Around this time, in April, one can already see the blossoming trees with their pink petals as they unveil their Spring fashion collection to the world and awe us all with their annual beauty. It is like magic every year, Spring comes around and the pink cherry blossoms pop-up, awakening us again to the renewal and rebirth along with the magical beauty of Springtime.

2015.

In 2015, Borchert took it upon herself to paint a number of Cherry Blossom themed paintings that created a ripple effect in the DC area and beyond, becoming a source of inspiration for numerous artists to follow after. With the “Magical Garden” theme, Borchert exclaims that she “went back to the same enchanting place that I visited before, and aimed to revisit it again artistically with new paintings that embody a modern, edgier and minimal touch but still reflect the awe and wonder of the Cherry Blossom season. The paintings are delivered through my abstracted aesthetics and painterly touch. The new paintings marry together the magical sensations along with my abstract sensibility to bring forth works that are playful, joyful along with a mystery and enigma to the Spring-full magical concept. I kept thinking about Sakura (桜) – which mean “cherry blossom” in Japanese, and also: to bloom, or alternately to smile/laugh. It’s true, the sight of cherry blossom trees does bring a smile to the face as well as a twinkle to the heart.” It is indeed quite the sight to see, beautiful Sakuras lined up, pretty, framing a panoramic vista with their branches, pink petals, overlooking water views: rivers, ponds, lakes. Borchert continues by saying, “Sakuras are a feast to the eyes, and a joy to the soul. One approaches such natural beauty as a child awakened to a Birthday gift. Sakuras are nature’s gifts to us in the time of renewal and rebirth of the magical season Spring.”
The paintings are executed in the acrylic on canvas medium in the artist’s signature abstract expressionist painterly touch and are intentionally suggestive rather than explicit to bring about imagination along with a sense of wonder to the meditative elements that such a season emits. Borchert states, “As the coming of spring exudes rebirth, as the blooming of the cherry blossoms arouse awakening and recommencement – life unfolds its offerings as one takes one step after another within one’s journey.”