Mitografías, alegorías pictóricas, is quite an appropriate title for the exhibition now being shown in Forma. For that is precisely what they are. Unlique the far fetched titles other exhibits often have, Silvina Ibañez’s works dwell in legendary fantasies yet bringing them down to earth in a very tangible way. For what first meets the viewer’s eye are scenes an portraits of city dwellers, but of the less than well to do group. Not surprisingly the music of Piazzolla seems to hover all over the place. Indeed, one of Ibáñez’s favourite characters is “Maria de Buenos Aires”, the heroine of the master’s operita rantifusa (Little ragged opera – he didn’t dare call it opera as so many other, lesser musicians’ jazz, especially rock works are sometimes named). María is a sort of musical equivalent of Antonio Berni’s now legendary Street urchin, “Juanito Laguna” and Ibáñez has now made it visible with different but no less expressive means. For her pictures although anything but gay and on the dreamy almost nightmarish, expressionistic side, are vividly alive witht strong hues and equally strong contrast. The visual power packed by them is inhanced by skilful use of texture. Ibáñez also turns toward other mythic figures, such as a faun, or Orpheus and Euridice, for instance. And she brings them recognizably down to the reality of tenement houses or sleazy joints as well as the subway. A world live by those who, as the tango says, have lost all faith. But who still stubbornly tread along, just in case.
Alfredo Cernadas “Realizing Myths” Reseña exposición. B.A. Herald 2005