Delirio Exótico #9 and #13, 2020

Paloma Castello  

This artwork juxtaposes two striking doorways, each imbued with vivid, contrasting elements. On the left, a white door is framed by bright, tall cacti under a clear sky, invoking a sense of mystique and adventure. The minimalist façade, adorned with a subtle sign reading “teatro," suggests a dramatic narrative waiting to unfold. On the right, an ornate archway houses a meticulously detailed depiction of lush, blue feathers draped elegantly, hinting at exoticism and grandeur. This stark contrast between the natural and the ornate elevates the artwork's visual intrigue, compelling the viewer to ponder the stories and worlds behind each portal. The combination of architectural elements with natural motifs challenges conventional perceptions, creating an innovative fusion that captivates and inspires curiosity. This is a masterful interplay of color and texture, epitomizing a seamless blend of reality and imagination.

Castello's “Exotic Delirium" series pays tribute to the constant hybridization and miscegenation, to the richness that springs from the intersection of different universes, to the possibility of cohabitation and the need for adaptation, and to the landscape as a historical and a dynamic composition where dreams, reality, and fiction are interwoven. The artistic work of Paloma Castello, giving life or a different narrative to the past of an object. She is interested in playing with memory and relating it to the present, creating an atmosphere between reality and fiction. Castellos' family and social origins have a powerful influence on her work. She grew up surrounded by objects and anecdotes inherited from her ancestors that inspire endless surreal stories. Her work arises from these experiences; They are evidence of her “autofiction." 

Paloma Castello presents us with a work full of nostalgia. Her artistic work represents the soul of her proposal: inherited objects discovered or found that have become the tip of the iceberg of her past. They are elements that she collects, remembers and then classifies following a method that frames her anachronistic attitude that shows the youth of her art. It also shows that experimentation on herself is common for an artist just starting her career. Without a doubt, this resource, valid and true, becomes the path that determines the author's experimental character. 

From the series Exotic delirium. Photographic print on cotton paper. Overall size: 47.2 x 65.2 in. Individual size: 47.2 x 32.6 in. Edition 3/5 + 1AP Other sizes: 19.6 x 27 in. Edition of 3/5 + 1 AP