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Mixed-media artist Celia Jiménez, a recent fine arts graduate from Mijas, presents her debut solo exhibition, Emotional Archaeology, at the Casa de la Cultura de Las Lagunas.
The exhibition, which runs until August 18, explores Jiménez’s personal journey to reclaim her family’s historical memory and its deep connection to nature.
Inspired by her parents’ rural upbringing, Jiménez began investigating the moment when humanity drifted from living in harmony with natural cycles. “My parents were raised in the countryside in the mountains, and they only ate tomatoes and peppers in season. “That way of living fascinated me,” says she. The first photographs in the exhibit were inspired by her curiosity about her mother’s childhood house.
After the death of her parents, the project took on a more personal tone. “I lost both my parents during my studies. I also lost my mother. Their ashes are buried at this house. I first went to the house to take photos, bringing flowers, as you would do at a cemetery. I experimented with composition, flowers, and objects taken out of context, and that’s how the first series was born,” Jiménez explained.
From there, Jiménez restored the family home, unearthing objects that became integral to the exhibition. “I allowed myself to play the role of an archaeologist—hence the title, Emotional Archaeology. She said, “I documented everything as though I was an archaeologist. This led to another series of photos, which culminated in two large photographs showing the house today.”
The exhibition provides a compelling look at the past from a modern perspective. Visitors can experience Emotional Archaeology at the Casa de la Cultura de Las Lagunas until August 18, in Calle San Valentín, 5, Las Lagunas de Mijas.
