Paradise Found: The Promise of Palms  | ARC Fine Art

ARC Fine Art is pleased to present Paradise Found: The Promise of Palms, a virtual exhibition of photographs and works on paper by gallery artists: Marcelo Bengoechea, Idoline Duke, Richard Dupont, Michael Haber, Gary Komarin, Anouk Masson Krantz, Chris Leidy, Charles Ruger, Bastienne Schmidt, and Gustavo Ten Hoever.Since antiquity, the palm tree has been a recurring motif in the history of art, celebrated as a symbol of fertility, prosperity, resilience, and paradise. In Ancient Egypt, palms adorned tombs and temples, signifying abundance, beauty, and devotion to the gods. Palm leaves were often used as protective elements, intended to ensure eternal life for the deceased. In Mesopotamia, the palm was considered a sacred tree, emblematic of prosperity and fecundity. Valued for its ability to provide food, shade, and materials for construction and craft, the palm became an essential presence in both daily life and symbolic thought - a status it continues to hold in tropical and desert regions worldwide.Across religious traditions, the palm has been revered as a symbol of peace, victory, and faith. In Christianity, palm branches signify martyrdom, triumph over death, and the promise of resurrection. In Islam, the palm appears numerous times in the Quran as a sign of divine blessing, sustenance, and paradise, embodying resilience, righteousness, hospitality, and fertility within Middle Eastern culture.During the nineteenth century, European and American artists such as Jean-Léon Gérôme, John La Farge, and Paul Gauguin incorporated palm trees into their visions of both real and imagined paradises. Whether accompanying expeditions or traveling independently in search of the unknown, these artists produced images of earthly Eden - lush landscapes where palm fronds sway beside emerald seas.Over time, the palm became synonymous with leisure and ease, emerging as a defining emblem of places like California and Florida. In recent decades, contemporary artists including David Hockney, Ed Ruscha, and John Baldessari explored the palm as a potent symbol of escapism and hedonistic aspiration. Today, artists still return to this enduring form, drawn to its sculptural presence and visual rhythm. Whether rendered in stark black and white or saturated, jewel-like greens, palms stand in striking contrast to their surroundings, defined by erect trunks, fanning fronds, and textured surfaces built from repeating patterns.While approaches and media differ, all of the works presented in Paradise Found: The Promise of Palms share this centuries old narrative of the palm. A dramatic use of shadows and silhouettes marks the three vibrant works on paper by Richard Dupont, brilliant examples of his Islands series. Anouk Masson Krantz captures the dramatic coastline and lush forest of Cumberland Island, Georgia in three black and white photographs. In iconic images of Palm Beach and Lake Como by Charles Ruger, palm trees frame entryways, both natural and man-made, beckoning visitors. In hand-weaving the photographs of his late brother Fernando, Marcelo Bengoechea presents iconic coastal images, “a silent collaboration between brothers—one in Heaven, one on Earth.” Underwater photographer, Chris Leidy masterfully captures reflections of palm trees in his Palm Pool series. Throughout his global travels, Gustavo Ten Hoever creates images that blur the line between observation and reverie- visual meditations that invite introspection and transformation. Idoline Duke’s palm studies in watercolor reveal the artist’s mastery in capturing subtleties of texture and tone while also conveying her innate love of the subject. Less formal and more refined are the whimsical series of palms by Gary Komarin created on mismatched found papers decorated in unexpected color combinations. Los Angeles based photographer, Michael Haber presents exalted views of palms up close and crystal clear or in misty groupings reaching heavenward. Shot on Paradise Island, in the Bahamas, Bastienne Schmidt's Palm distills the essence of paradise in a single imperfect tree. Backlit by the rising sun, this image speaks volumes of the unspoken promises that lay ahead.