
Galeria Paloma presents ‘Idyllic Reverie,’ an exhibition of sculpture, paintings, and digital work by Carlos​
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Galeria Paloma is pleased to present ‘Idyllic Reverie,’ an exhibition of artworks by Carlos, on 10-12 November, 2023.
This exhibition will display Carlos’ signature, bright, colorful, and joyful canvases in all their kinetic energy. These vistas are symbols and tools Carlos uses to point to the beauty in life, seeing beyond our perception of reality and finding joy in even the smallest flowers, sunsets, or a dazzling moon.
‘Modern life doesn’t afford us an easy way to appreciate the simple things–a blue sky, a bougainvillea shrub, or the company of our loved ones,’ says Carlos. ‘The scenes I paint may seem idyllic, but if we truly take the time to stop and enjoy the joys in our life that are gifts to us, we will find them.’
Music and dancing also appear a lot in his canvases. ‘I use music and dance as metaphors for relishing the joys of life.’
His wine glasses also make appearances in almost every painting: ‘I don’t necessarily always recommend drinking wine to enjoy life, but it’s the exercise that I am most interested in,’ the artist says. ‘You sip it, slowly, and its story unravels, tells you how it was grown and where, and some can even tell the whole story of how it grew, all the harsh or sweet conditions. You can’t hurry its enjoyment, or it ruins the experience. I’m 74 years old soon–and my hope is the viewer is moved by my paintings to take a pause to relish their present and be grateful for their past. It’s a piece of wisdom I hope to share.
‘To me, the subjects in my paintings and my sculpture are related. I try to create an environment that encourages the viewer to examine within their own lives a feeling of appreciating life and the moments we tend to take for granted. Sometimes, we have to be reminded to stop and take it all in.’
Abundant flowers abloom on an old building; lovers, never in the painting but only alluded to, are wrapped in lavender haze; music rooms reverberating in full color; peaceful, but vivid, sunsets: these are the subjects that one can expect in ‘Idyllic Reverie.’
A piece that is devoid of most color is the painting, ‘There is Color in Gray.’ A running theme throughout the artist’s career, ‘There is Color in Gray’ is a series of paintings almost fully monochromatic except for a few elements in full color. On display is a version with the sun, a pair of wineglasses, and a pair of chairs in a bright palette while everything else is in plain black, white and gray. ‘Even in times of difficulty or confusion–when things are quite dim–we can find strength and love in the company we hold dear. The sun, of course, represents a Being that watches over us in benevolent care, even if things seem dark.’
‘Idyllic Reverie’ is yet another collection that represents the heart and soul of a man full of wisdom, contentment, and deep appreciation and gratefulness of life.