Micro cultural "Los rostros inquietantes de Johan Galué"
·5 min
The episode begins by introducing Johan Galué and his disturbing faces, situating them within the concepts of reality and surrealism in art history. It notes that these concepts gain special attention in Zulian art, where a tradition of magical realism and surrealism has been consolidated. Galué is highlighted as one of the most prominent figurative artists in the Zulian state and current Venezuelan art, formed under this tradition. His work is described as continuously renewed through passion and perseverance, achieving a distinctive language. He is noted as a main representative of a powerful figuration developing in Venezuela and abroad. The episode mentions an important exhibition Galué held in 2020, for which he received a prize at the Zulian Museum of Contemporary Art. It states that while surrealism is a distinctive feature of his work, this is a partial appreciation. Galué's prolific production and the vehemence of his images are emphasized, prompting questions about what is considered real. The episode asks whether surrealism results from dreams and pure imagination, and if dreams themselves are a reality. It questions if we face an exacerbated reality derived from what we consider true or objective. It explores whether the vision of a face crudely models intimidating feelings expressing a tense inner reality. The episode then organizes Galué's work into three series: Magical Worlds, Mutants, and Inner Beings, with a focus on the last. In Inner Beings, the weight of the real is said to show that the world of emotions can be crudely human. There is a strong insistence on the look, with faces that look directly at the viewer and creak. These faces scream despite mouths being hidden by blur or paint, creating a forced silence. The screaming is conveyed through terrified eyes or those exposed to extreme anguish. Galué is described as portraying the human condition from the fragile and impregnable, capturing the intense interiority of characters. His work is called a representation of agony, with the look of the other returned to the viewer. It is presented as frontal reality without metaphors, ultimately summarized as pure emotionality. The episode concludes with a sign-off by Susana Benko.
