Olas con Aroma a Tabaco, LiLeón’s proposal

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, October 2024. — Visual artist LiLeón (Lidia León Cabral) presents Olas con Aroma a Tabaco, a large-scale artwork that invites a sensory and contemplative experience, where matter, memory, and time engage in dialogue through the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi, which values the beauty of imperfection, transience, and authenticity.

With dimensions of 320 × 146 × 15 cm, the piece is constructed from a stainless steel frame containing white paper and tobacco leaves sealed with gelatin. These materials evoke fragility, resistance, and transformation, establishing a delicate balance between permanence and decay.

The work proposes a direct relationship with the viewer through the visual experience, where the tobacco leaves are arranged as symbolic elements that refer to history, identity, and the cultural memory of the Caribbean.

Olas con Aroma a Tabaco is part of a recent series in which LiLeón explores the balance between control and chance, permanence and erosion, integrating organic processes and natural materials as vehicles for aesthetic and poetic reflection.

The “wave” appears as a contained gesture, suspended in time, where movement is not literal but rather emotional and sensory, inviting slow and mindful contemplation.

Recognized for her ongoing research into sensory experience, LiLeón develops an artistic practice that moves between installation, sculpture, and conceptual art. Her work is characterized by a deep connection with memory, nature, and processes of transformation, proposing spaces for intimate contemplation and contemporary reflection.

Additional information:

More information about the work: linktr.ee/lileon
Artist information: lileon.net
Instagram: @lileon.live