Once Upon A Happy Land by Víctor Castillo is the exhibition with which Isabel Croxatto Galería officially launches the programme of LOCAL 2, its new exhibition space.
Víctor Castillo is world-renowned for his unique aesthetic that appropriates the imaginary of the golden age of American illustration and cartoons with surrealist and neo-pop tones. Through his masterly use of painting, he humorously exposes the tension between innocence and cruelty, power and inequality in contemporary society.
Once Upon A Happy Land gathers a series of eight paintings in acrylic gouache and ink on paper where the artist further explores the format of the advertising, propaganda and theatrical poster. In this way, Castillo creates artworks that present narratives with elements derived from advertising. Vice, desire and politics creep into stories about human nature, inspired by the tales about greed and disobedience in Adrián Dufflocq Galdames' Silabario Hispano Americano, illustrated by Coré, one of his referents.
Far from presenting lessons or morals, Víctor Castillo exposes the ambiguity of human nature, in which the separation between good and evil is blurred and mixed, becoming relative.
This is the artist's most recent body of work, highlighting his use of colour and a fluorescent palette, allowing him to experiment with light and approach psychedelia.
Along with the paintings on paper, the artist will intervene in LOCAL 2's window display with an original ephemeral piece, which will remain during the exhibition.
