Les filles de Enlil 2015

Carlos Sablòn's painting presents a figure emerging from what appears to be a surreal landscape, realized in a meticulous oil technique that feels both timeless and otherworldly. You wonder what he was thinking when he conceived of such a hybrid being. The woman's head has been transformed into a kind of abstract, cosmic event with a tendril-like cord running down her spine that mirrors the plant life surrounding her. The earth tones of the background contrast with the surreal elements of the figure, but they are harmonious because they echo each other. The light! It is both real and unreal, theatrical and dreamlike. There's something about the smoothness of the surface, the blending of the colors, and the attention to detail that reminds me of the Old Masters, but it also anticipates painting today. The history of painting is a conversation between artists who push the boundaries, borrow ideas, and reinvent the rules, as Sablòn does here. It is a constant dance of trying things out, messing up, discovering happy accidents, and following hunches.