Sigil

[SOLD] Sigil

Oil on unprimed paper.

9x12.

2024.

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I’ve always believed in the power of transmutation when making art. The idea behind Flamel’s alleged creation -the philosopher’s stone- pales in comparison to the great works of art that have mutated from materia prima to the art canon. It’s always fascinating to me that such basic materials could be transformed into what someone might perceive as something of value.

This, however, was not the inspiration behind “Sigil”.

While in Mexico, I noticed that at the place we had rented, someone had transcribed mathematical equations on the window panels. When the afternoon sun would hit the building that served as shelter for that week, said equations would cast a shadow on the curtains of undecipherable numbers and symbols.

Ever since then I’ve had this idea in my mind. To make a painting based on this peculiar anecdote. But I couldn’t find a way to properly make it an interesting composition. And this is when the idea of alchemy as an analogy to artmaking came, as it often does, into my mind. Why not, instead of having mathematical equations, depict symbols that signal that idea of transmutation.

So, medieval bestiaries, magical and alchemical sigils pervaded my thoughts and informed the composition while at the same time, populating this painted world with lore and mysticism.

All of this, again, pointing to a poignant idea that I keep circling back to. The idea that some brushes made with animal hair, pigment that comes from the earth, from metals and other minerals, mixed in linseed oil & a substrate made of natural fibers could host an infinitely rich number of stories that could transmit messages and meaning to another human being.