BOUND BY WATER
by
Aldara Ortega
Bound by Water is a captivating series by Spanish-born artist Aldara Ortega, created during the summer of 2024 in Ibiza. This collection showcases Ortega’s ability to transform spontaneous collaboration into deeply evocative art. The series seamlessly integrates the intricate beauty of Shibari, the Japanese art of rope binding, into a powerful visual narrative. Drawing from her Spanish roots and a lifelong passion for dance, Ortega weaves vivid red fabric, rope, and the fluidity of water to explore the profound tension between freedom and constraint.
Rooted in Ortega’s fascination with the sensations water evokes—liberation, suspension, and heightened awareness—Bound by Water invites viewers to immerse themselves in its layered meanings. “This series reflects the intimate tension between opposing forces,” Ortega explains. “The ropes bonded to the body restrain, but the water with its sensation of weightlessness feels liberating, producing this paradox of unboundedness of water while you are in it. All of this happening in the same moment, pulling you into a heightened state of awareness.”
The series pays homage to the rhythms of Spanish dance, infusing each composition with a timeless energy. By incorporating the intricate artistry of Shibari, Ortega creates a cultural dialogue between her Spanish heritage and Japanese rope art, where the interplay of tension and fluidity mirrors the movement of dance. In the underwater setting, boundaries dissolve, and a surreal harmony between movement, light, and form is revealed.
Rooted in Ortega’s fascination with the sensations water evokes—liberation, suspension, and heightened awareness—Bound by Water invites viewers to immerse themselves in its layered meanings. “This series reflects the intimate tension between opposing forces,” Ortega explains. “The ropes bonded to the body restrain, but the water with its sensation of weightlessness feels liberating, producing this paradox of unboundedness of water while you are in it. All of this happening in the same moment, pulling you into a heightened state of awareness.”
The series pays homage to the rhythms of Spanish dance, infusing each composition with a timeless energy. By incorporating the intricate artistry of Shibari, Ortega creates a cultural dialogue between her Spanish heritage and Japanese rope art, where the interplay of tension and fluidity mirrors the movement of dance. In the underwater setting, boundaries dissolve, and a surreal harmony between movement, light, and form is revealed.