L’Aigle et l’hibou 2020

Carlos Sablòn created this painting of an owl family in an idyllic landscape, with no date provided. The image is filled with symbolism, referencing the eagle and owl, two birds that have potent cultural associations in many societies. The composition is split between the immediate needs of the family of owls, and a broader view onto an imagined landscape. Sablòn's work invites us to think about how we shape the natural world through our cultural imagination. The owl family is nestled in the foreground, but the background alludes to political themes. Are the birds looking out onto a scene of devastation, of renewal, or of an idealized past? Is the 'eagle' of the title present or absent from this scene? To understand this work, one might delve into the cultural and social context in which Sablòn is working, looking into the history of Guatemalan art, political movements, and the social function of art. This might clarify how this image challenges or reinforces the existing order.