Delirio Exótico #12 and #10, 2020

Paloma Castello  

This artwork presents a surreal juxtaposition of classical and natural elements. On the left, a marble bust of a classical figure stands prominently against a backdrop of towering cacti, set under a vibrant, deep blue sky. The contrast between the ancient and the organic forms is stark, emphasizing the timelessness and alien beauty of both subjects. On the right, a wider scene unfolds under a similarly brilliant sky, where multiple classical statues appear to float above a stark desert landscape, dominated by silhouetted cacti. The full moon hangs delicately in the sky, adding a celestial touch, while ethereal clouds stretch across the horizon. This diptych effectively marries the elegance of Greco-Roman art with the raw, expansive beauty of the desert, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that challenges perceptions and invites introspection on the intersection of human history and the natural world.

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." 

From the series Exotic delirium. Photographic print on cotton paper. Overall size: 32.6 x 94.4 in. Individual size: 32.6 x 47.2 in. Edition 3/5 + 1AP Other sizes: 13.5 x 39.2 in. Edition of 3/5 + 1 AP