De la série ‘Les createurs d´Adamu’ 2014

This painting, by Carlos Sablòn, is part of the series ‘Les createurs d´Adamu’. The medium appears to be oil paint, applied with considerable detail. The way Sablòn has handled the paint is key to understanding the work. The meticulous brushwork captures light and shadow, while the transparency of the egg-like orb that enfolds the figure gives an ethereal quality to the overall image. This is not photorealism, but it is a close relative. The artist is clearly engaged with representational traditions, and the skilled labor involved in producing this kind of image is significant. The painting's impact stems from its material execution, which lends the scene a compelling presence, as if it were somehow possible. It reminds us that these are not just pictures, but objects made through specific processes, by the artist. When we acknowledge the labor and skill involved, we move beyond considering only the image itself, and begin to understand the broader implications of the artist’s intention.