Citadine 2013

Carlos Sablòn made this painting called ‘Citadine,’ we don’t know exactly when, but it’s full of layers and dreamlike qualities, it's pretty wild. The paint here is so smooth, it’s almost like looking at a fresco. The details are so precise. I'm drawn to how he’s created such a fantastical composition with very controlled brushwork. It's really masterful. There's something so strange about this woman's face, with the Tower of Babel, like, casually placed on her head as a hat. The building’s rendered in great detail and contrasts with the loose, flowing lines of her dress. I wonder what it is to carry that weight on your head, and what it means to carry the weight of history on your head. I'm reminded of Rene Magritte, who painted in a similar way, always playing with the surreal and the absurd. This piece really encapsulates how art can be a conversation across time, each artist adding their own voice and perspective to the mix.