Viviana Puello – Editor-in-Chief
Art Tour International Magazine
Toronto-based visual artist, muralist, architect, and educator Lydia Panart brings us her latest collection of acrylic paintings on canvas, entitled “Huellas” (Spanish for “footprints or traces”). A deeply reflective body of work brimming with representational imagery. “Huellas” is themed around movement, and particularly the traces left behind in the mystical journey of discovering one’s true self, as well as finding one’s meaning and purpose in life. These traces are depicted with nuanced detail through successive, densely textured, and chromatically rich layers, encapsulating the depth and subtlety of life experiences.
Panart’s flowing, instinctive brushwork and close attention to colour and line renders the iconography of the “Huellas” collection. Deeply emotional and powerfully engaging, it invites audiences to immerse in meditation on life’s magic and nostalgically recall personal memories that have left a mark on their hearts. Reminiscent of the painterly lyrical abstraction, her canvases are poetic waltzes, evocatively capturing the passage of time, motion, change, and the myriad emotions throughout one’s life journey, from melancholy, to hope, to sheer happiness. Of particular resonance in this collection si the striking painting that pays tribute to famous Argentine painter Raul Soldi, best known for portraying theatrical figures with a distinctive melancholic appearance.
In the space-themed collection of paintings called “Eclipse”, Panart vibrantly captures recollections and impressions of different spaces that have struck a chord with her during her travels. As an architect, space has always carried special connotations for Panart, but the iconographic appeal of this collection lies in the artist’s emotional response to the spaces depicted. Panart’s body of work also encompasses the colourful, fiery “Layers” collection, portraying the intricacies of human nature, as well as the Dubai-inspired “Synergy” collection, centered on compositional elements in opposition.
Holding a degree in architecture from the National University of Buenos Aires and a diploma in interior design from MOBI Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Panart has participated in countless international art symposia, as well as art exhibits across Canada, South America, and Europe. She was presented with the 2005 Mississauga Visual Arts Award. Mentored by the late master artist Kenneth Kemble, one of the most prominent figures of the Art Informel in Argentina, the award- winning artist serves as an educator and mentor to aspiring artists in the Southern Ontario community proactively offering creative support through art studio workshops and courses. This Canadian artist is commissioned to create murals and other community art projects for public institutions and private corporations.
She offers full-color architectural renderings in various media.