What is 'X-Ray art' and where can you find the unique exhibit in Boca Raton?
BOCA RATON — Beyond its arches lie books and even a wedding venue. But the Spanish River Library now also will be home to a new exhibit derived from an ancient form of art.
“The Beauty of Bones,” by artist Angela Belmonte, features colorful animals drawn in colored pencil. But they’re not your typical drawings — they're from a form of art called “X-Ray art.” The style depicts the skeletons and organs of the animals drawn.
Belmonte’s exhibit, free of charge, can be found at the Spanish River Library, 1501 NW Spanish River Blvd. Here’s what else you should know:
What is X-Ray art?
The form of art is thought to have developed around 2000 B.C. and occurred primarily in caves and shelters of Australia's Aboriginal people, per an essay published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“Indigenous people created these early drawings incised on rock walls and beautifully rendered them in rich earth tones, dots and various textural surface designs,” Belmonte said. “X-Ray art is a symbolic representation of an animal.”
Its purpose, she said, was to capture the soul and spirit of the peoples’ prey. The art could be found deep within caves or in sacred spaces. In the hunters’ eyes, the art ensured the survival of their people with respect to the lives of the animals being sacrificed.
X-Ray art was influenced by rock wall paintings
Turtles and gators can be depicted in myriad ways, but Belmonte’s style and interest in bones is influenced by the rock wall paintings of Australia’s Aboriginal people.
“When observing animals, we tend to focus on their outward appearances,” Belmonte said. “Rarely do we consider what their insides may look like. What is the possibility of their skeletons being just as interesting and beautiful as their outsides?”
Belmonte’s hope is that her drawings portray this.
“As an artist drawing with colored pencils and working with organic forms, I hope to capture the beauty of bones for others to enjoy and appreciate,” she said.
Where will 'The Beauty of Bones' be located?
“The Beauty of Bones” is located in the second-floor art gallery of the Spanish River Library. The exhibit will run from Jan. 8 until Feb. 16, 2024.
Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: X-Ray art: Check out Spanish River Library's 'Beauty of Bones' exhibit
