Santiago Andúgar - Idols, Cape and Sword - XL

Santiago Andúgar (Alicante, 1991) My work arises from the dialogue between chance and the unconscious. Each painting begins with an almost bare canvas: I let the splashes, spills and stains of earth tones spread freely across the fabric until a territory is created. Then I observe, like someone looking for shapes on a peeling wall, and I let the image appear. Thus figures, characters and symbols emerge that I incorporate in a state of absolute concentration, that flow in which the hand anticipates thought. I do not decide in advance what they mean. I recognize them later, as one interprets a dream upon waking. I feel close to surreal automatic writing and to the freshness of art brut, and I also draw from history, mythology and humor. In my painting I try to combine the spontaneity of gesture with attention to detail. I work in mixed media (acrylic, pigments, oil stick, pencil and charcoal) and build surfaces where the accidental stain and the meticulous drawing coexist, the emptiness of the canvas and the density of the layers. The result are open scenes, without a single narrative, pierced by humor, irony and a certain craziness. My paintings do not illustrate a prior idea. They are maps of what happens when I let the subconscious speak. I like to think they invite the viewer to do the same thing I did in front of the canvas: look slowly, recognize and build their own story. I have established my career with works sold to collectors across Europe and the United States. You can follow my work and artistic evolution on my Instagram profile:https://www.instagram.com/santiandugar/