Cristian Mesa Velazquez - La carga del instante

Oil on canvas
Cristian Mesa Velázquez

In The burden of the moment, Cristian Mesa Velázquez proposes an image of intense emotional density, where the male body becomes a territory of tension, memory, and resistance. The figure, captured in an introspective and restrained gesture, appears suspended in a critical moment: a second in which the weight of lived experience manifests physically on the flesh.

The monochromatic treatment of the body, worked with a solid understanding of anatomy and a brushstroke that balances precision and expressiveness, allows the musculature to be not just form but language. Each plane of the torso and arm conveys effort, not as external action but as internal pressure. The tilted head and raised arm reinforce an almost ritualistic reading: the body sustains itself against an invisible load.

The red background, structured and enveloping, bursts forth as a symbolic field of high intensity. It is not merely a chromatic curtain but a psychological space that amplifies the feeling of conflict, passion, and internal struggle. This red directly dialogues with the gray containment of the body, establishing a visual tension that captivates the viewer and compels them to stay in the scene.

From a curatorial perspective, this work is part of a contemporary figuration that addresses masculinity through vulnerability and introspection, moving away from traditional heroic representation. Mesa Velázquez does not idealize the body: she presents it as a place where decisions, silences, and forces accumulate, which do not always find an outlet.

For the collector, La carga del instante is a work with a strong spatial and emotional presence. It functions as a central piece in any collection that values figurative painting with psychological depth and contemporary discourse. It is an image that does not exhaust itself in aesthetic contemplation but accompanies and dialogues with those who inhabit it, becoming a constant and meaningful presence within the domestic or exhibition space.

Note for collectors

Certificates of authenticity will be sent along with the artworks only for sales exceeding 500 euros, ensuring their documentary support and artistic value.



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Studies
2013 - Intermediate Level in Fine Arts. Professional Academy of Fine Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.

Collective exhibitions (selection)
2010. Nicolás Guillén Iconographic Hall. UNEAC, Las Tunas, Cuba
2010. “Offspring” Exhibition. Provincial Center for Plastic Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2011. Martiano Hall. Sculpture Workshop Gallery, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2011. “Lithographs” Exhibition. UNEAC, Las Tunas. Cuba.
2011. “Comprehensive Final Exercise” Exhibition. Professional Academy of Fine Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2012. Martí Hall. Huellas Cultural Center, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2012. “The Eve” Exhibition. Provincial Center for the Visual Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2013. “Guernica” Hall. AHS, Las Tunas. Cuba.
2013. “Plastic Arts in April” Salon. Provincial Center for Plastic Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2013. Group exhibition “Art, a Social Image.” Provincial Center for the Visual Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2016. First Fine Arts Salon. Guáimaro Art Gallery. Camaguey, Cuba.
2016. Group exhibition, Aires de Cubanía. Casa del Alba Cultural, Havana, Cuba.
2017. 3rd Edition of the Fine Arts Salon, Guáimaro, Camaguey, Cuba.
2017. Collective Exhibition, One of a Hundred, Rita Longa Sculpture Workshop Gallery. Las Tunas, Cuba.
2017. Review of the traveling group exhibition, Aires de Cubanía, Ibero-American and Caribbean Magazine "Arte por Excelencias" Year VII/NO. 32/2017/Quarterly. Page: 18.
2018. “Plastic Arts in April” Salon, Provincial Center for Plastic Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2019. Collective Miniature Exhibition “Painting, Noble Lady of the Spirit” Ciego de Ávila, Cuba.
2019. “Osmosis” Collective Exhibition, AHS, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2020. Tribute Exhibition to Anette Delgado, Havana, Cuba.
2020 Luxembourg International Arts Fair
2020 International City of Lights Fair Paris 2020
2021 International Fine Arts Fair GERMANY 2021
2021 International Fine Arts Fair France 2021