Europe and the Jaguar 1982

Carlos Almaraz created Europe and the Jaguar with oil paint, applied in a style that seems almost feverish. The thick brushstrokes give the painting an energetic, dreamlike quality. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the canvas. The layering of color, from deep blues and purples to fiery oranges and reds, creates a vibrant, otherworldly atmosphere. It is a tour de force of color and emotion. Almaraz's technique emphasizes the materiality of paint itself, turning it into a visceral medium for exploring themes of cultural identity and political commentary. Almaraz's art sits at the intersection of fine art and social expression. By using the traditional medium of oil paint, but imbuing it with such raw emotion, he elevates his personal narrative to a universal story. His work reminds us that all artmaking is rooted in the physical act of creation, and that the materials and processes used are never neutral. They are always imbued with cultural significance and power.