Inspired by expansive seascapes and the grandeur of Greek mythology, suffused with the uncharted path of Covid-19, Alejandro Cardenas recently completed a thought provoking body of work now on view at Harper's Books in East Hampton. The eight paintings unfold a surreal, modern version of the Odyssean myth, exploring the age-old, symbiotic, but conflicting relationship between humanity and nature.

 

By titling his exhibition, Aeaea, after the island where Odysseus and his crew were held captive on their way home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, Cardenas creates a parallel between the ancient story and contemporary life. Setting the island as a symbol for nature's beautiful, indulgent bounty, the Chilean-born, LA-based artist poetically portrays we humans’ inability to stay in harmony with our surroundings. The presence of a single anima as protagonistl in some of the images evokes the story of the enchantress Circe who ruled the island, notorious for transforming those who offended her into wild animals. 

Placed in quintessential, languid, sandy seaside landscapes, the images are dominated by Cardenas' alien-like, humanoid characters who are currently experiencing more isolated, solitary lives. Portrayed alone, accompanied by another wildlife creature, or, in some cases, hanging in small groups, each tableau from the artist's unique universe reflects his interpretation of the social dynamics of enduring a global pandemic. Depicted in moments of leisure, exploring the sea, or in contemplation, their tense, tight bodies create a sharp contrast to the pure, elemental surroundings, contrasting the imposition of humanity with the organic flow of nature. This conflict extends all the way to the animal skin patterns of the figures, evocative of still lifes and museums of natural history, an element that suggests if not genetic adaption, a lyrically imaginative narrative. —Sasha Bogojev