Carlos M. Luque. Courtesy Fabulation

Referring to his artworks as “real landscape” instead of abstract art, Spanish artist Carlos Munoz Luque with his exhibition titled ‘Geologica’ at Fabulation brings natural elements into his canvas, keeping them alive with its three-dimensional forms. “It is like taking a picture, yet keeping all of its elements intact as much as possible. You get to see the landscape in whole, not just a flat image,” says Luque. The artist explores river streams, tree branches, also varied surfaces of soil through his works, with their realistic rendition appearing to live beyond the medium’s boundaries.

Carlos M. Luque, ‘Geologica 6’, 2016-17.

Throughout the series, Luque consistently highlights the element of nature. With the artwork titled ‘Tree of Life’, the artist depicts the growth of the living subject in a realistic manner. Each part of the bark is depicted true-to-life through a mixed media of acrylic ink, ceramic, natural resin, and wax. Created in almost life-size scale, viewers are brought to nature when gazing at the work. “I am highly inspired by the natural environment of Singapore, the trees and gardens that is everywhere in the city,” says Luque.

Creating not only realistically large-scale pieces, Luque also creates smaller ones with detailed observations of landscapes in ‘Mixing Life’, ‘Night See’, ‘Moon Shadows’, and ‘Landslide’. The artist depicts the surfaces of each environment in microscopic details, such as the moon’s rocky plane and the roots of plants.

Carlos M. Luque, ‘Night See’, 2016-17.

Considering his artworks as both painting and sculptures, he mixes paints with a variety of mediums and molds them onto the canvas. For his artistic process, Luque mentioned the influences of Spanish artists in his method, noting their bold and extravagant approach to be key in his work. However, the artist cites Singapore verdant landscape as his main inspiration.

Luque began making art as a child growing up in the South of Spain, playing with natural materials and examining how streams of rivers and waves of beaches shape the soil and sand beneath them. Trained as an architect, Luque created these artworks as a way to adjust to the new city and culture.

For future artworks, Luque intends to continue taking inspiration from nature, progressing to other living beings as his subject. For one, he likens his artworks to the natural world and wants to grow beyond the medium. The artist believes that his art should be a source of pleasure to his viewers, just as it has been for him creating them. He prefers to steer clear from political messages and connotations when it comes to his artworks, as he believes that art should be an escape, and a delightful experience going back to nature.

‘Geologica‘ is exhibiting at Fabulation from 2 June until 2 July, with viewings by appointment only.

This article was written by Wintang Warastri.