In an effort to leverage our brand’s tradition to the benefit of our community, Los Cabos Sotheby’s International Realty has launched a series of exhibitions under the title "Inside the Gates of Eden: Showcasing the Work of Emerging Local Female Artists." The name is inspired by a Bob Dylan lyric that in turn refers to the story of Adam and Eve, a couple that enjoyed, albeit briefly, a harmonious relation between the genders. The roster of exhibiting artists will feature rising female stars in the Baja artworld, and their works will be shown at our beautiful office in downtown San Jose del Cabo.

Untitled 3, Acrylic on canvas, 150 X 200 cm

Opening on December 1, 2022, the first exhibition in the series comprises recent works by San Jose del Cabo artist Frida Gutierrez Martinez. Gathered under the name “The Colors of Woman,” these powerful paintings convey the sacred mystery of femininity. Several of the paintings feature intriguing characters: fictional female figures that the artist retrieves from her own memories of strong and intelligent women that have somehow been part of her and made an imprint on her inmost being. “I only take their essence, which I mix with my imagination to then produce a painting that shows their intelligence, strength, and beauty,” Frida explains. “Sexual liberation is also part of it, as well as their mysterious connection with nature – my women are empowered and magical,” she says.

The paintings in the exhibition have been carried out with acrylic, as this is the ideal technique for Frida’s subject matter. Acrylic is docile and easy to handle, allowing a good displacement when generating textures and lines. Likewise, acrylic paints come in a wide variety of tones and colors. This allows the artist to work in the psychedelic style, following in the footsteps of two of her inspirations: painters Alex Grey and Yayoi Kusama. The term “psychedelic,” according to psychiatrist Humphry Osmond, means “manifestation of the soul,” and such a manifestation is palpable in the works making up the exhibition.

Also included in the exhibition are paintings representing vaginas and the multiple meanings associated with them, including femininity, fertility, sexuality, desire, and erotic enjoyment. “These images involve opening oneself to self-acceptance and spirituality, characteristics typical of the goddesses who provide knowledge and wisdom,” says Frida. Each of these paintings includes different symbols, like the fish, pointing to spiritual ascension, or the hare, representing abundance, regeneration, desire, and magic.

Taken as a whole, Frida’s work contains the secret of feminine beauty and offers the viewer clues for approaching it. As poet Luis Bagá writes: “Frida’s characters take the spectator by the hand and lead her to a universal consciousness in which the self merges with the whole. When painting is understood as an exercise of introspection and desire, the work of Frida must be carefully contemplated.”

Explaining the reasons behind the project, Marco Ehrenberg, owner and broker of Los Cabos Sotheby's International Realty, said: "When people hear the word Sotheby’s, whether about the auction house or real estate, they immediately think artful living. We are always looking for opportunities to give back to our community, so these exhibitions, where art and real estate come together to support emerging local female artists, make perfect sense."

Frida Gutierrez Martinez was born in San Jose del Cabo in 1998. She is a graduate of the University of Guadalajara’s Visual Arts for Plastic Expression program. Her work has been exhibited in different venues in Mexico, including Patio de los Angeles Cultural Center in Guadalajara. She has won several awards – most recently, the photography contest organized by Los Cabos County Government to celebrate the 300 anniversary of the town of Santiago. “The Colors of Woman” is the first exhibition in the series Inside the Gates of Eden: Showcasing the Work of Emerging Local Female Artists sponsored by Los Cabos Sotheby’s International Realty opening on December 1, 2022.