J Castilla-Bambaren

J CASTILLA-BAMBAREN ALCHEMY

ALCHEMY

In his paintings, Castilla-Bambarén has integrated several figurative elements adding organic shapes and abstract-geometric volumes with landscapes and spaces of magical nature.

Some of these works seem to develop in an atmosphere of sizzling colors, the volcanic magma of a world in formation; also in his paintings, figures are rendered in transparency, allowing us to see the background, in the manner of a compositional dialogue of planes.

When drawing his characters, the artist uses black over a color background, the entities or his invented figures are depicted in a state of metamorphosis and in them we find characteristics of different origin, finally all coming together as anthropomorphic.

His paintings are composed of graphic elements that are linkable to the linearity of the design of pre-Columbian and indigenous-jungle cultures, petroglyphs and urban graffiti.

We must also note that in some works the artist has painted expressionist masses and volumes resembling a head-mask, and allusions to the body, the mountain totem. All this, disturbingly balanced by a strange geometry of color planes, which also show his assimilation of the abstract-minimalist language.

Castilla-Bambaren has created an art that relates us to unknown magical rituals aspects, with works where the artist achieves the alchemical mixture of various isms of art.

In his paintings, JCB synthesizes in a creative and very personal manner the expressive forms of art brut, children's art, raw art and the best of informal art ...his art is like the subtle poetry of drawing with candle smoke...

Tamara da Costa
Brazil 2005