Miguel Cárdenas's work delves into the constant tensions between the monumental and the intimate, between narratives of a recovered history and speculative futures, and between the illusion of painted surfaces and the tangible ‘gravitas’ of his compelling sculptures. His multidisciplinary practice does not follow a linear path; instead, he creates polyphonic narratives that converge in unexpected ways. Each piece he creates serves as a stage that, with undeniable theatricality, unfolds an intimacy that evokes what lies beneath our consciousness and beyond logic, filled with images that push the boundaries of reality and evolve into the realm of chimerical surrealism.
Driven by an innate urge to categorize everything we encounter for the first time, his work challenges us to develop the vocabulary needed to understand and articulate the classification of his creations—if such a classification even exists. Ultimately, we accept that his art represents a new form of expression that may only be fully understood in the future.
Miguel Cárdenas's work delves into the constant tensions between the monumental and the intimate, between narratives of a recovered history and speculative futures, and between the illusion of painted surfaces and the tangible ‘gravitas’ of his compelling sculptures. His multidisciplinary practice does not follow a linear path; instead, he creates polyphonic narratives that converge in unexpected ways. Each piece he creates serves as a stage that, with undeniable theatricality, unfolds an intimacy that evokes what lies beneath our consciousness and beyond logic, filled with images that push the boundaries of reality and evolve into the realm of chimerical surrealism.
Driven by an innate urge to categorize everything we encounter for the first time, his work challenges us to develop the vocabulary needed to understand and articulate the classification of his creations—if such a classification even exists. Ultimately, we accept that his art represents a new form of expression that may only be fully understood in the future.
The collective psychic foundations of society, evident in dreams and mythologies, inspire my work. Shared structures of meaning inherent in diverse cultures have deeply influenced my sculptures and paintings. I have absorbed them through forms and narratives drawn from Oceanic, Pre-Columbian, and Greco-Roman art. I am also influenced by contemporary explorations of realism and the multiple meanings of the object within its experiential context.
My practice begins in the studio—manipulating wax, paint, clay, and whatever materials fall into my hands. I seek a balance between careful control and serendipity, allowing the unexpected to emerge as revelation
