Métropole I 2016

Carlos Sablòn painted Métropole I, though I don't know when, with a detailed, surreal, almost dreamlike quality that really draws you in. It's a head trip, but in a good way. Look at the surface, at how Sablòn has built up layers to create texture, especially in that massive tree trunk, or the mushroom cap which supports a whole city. The paint isn't too thick, but it's definitely there, giving a weight and presence to the forms. Notice how the light catches on the slightly raised edges of the leaves and bark, creating a shimmering effect. The tiny details in the city, those precise lines defining buildings and structures, are amazing! It's a little like a Hieronymus Bosch painting, but with a gentler, more playful sensibility. I love the weirdness and ambiguity of this piece, and the way it invites us to question our assumptions about reality and perception.