The Dance
A delicate exploration of connection - soft, considerate, gentle - as if they are encountering each other for the very first time. Traces of shyness lie in their gestures, a tentative grace emerges as they move, pausing, as if feeling out of each others’ boundaries. Beneath this gentleness, a subtle curiosity flickers, urging them to discover the rhythms and forms of one another.
In this space of quiet intimacy, the water becomes a third partner. It cushions their movements, their every motion slowed and softened, and offers a world where they can explore with confidence. Each reach becomes a part of the dance—gentle, curious, and beautifully connected.
In this space of quiet intimacy, the water becomes a third partner. It cushions their movements, their every motion slowed and softened, and offers a world where they can explore with confidence. Each reach becomes a part of the dance—gentle, curious, and beautifully connected.
About the series 'Bound by Water
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.