All Photos By Gail
It’s so rare these days that I’m introduced to a new pop artist whose work I feel like I get right away, but that was the case when I got an invitation to view Venezuelan-American artist Pedro Baez’s recent solo exhibition, The Indivisible Atomo at LUME Studios. The pop-surrealist’s new collection comprises his largest and most refined paintings to-date, and reveals Baez as an artist creating his own lane of pop-surrealism across a variety of mediums ranging from painting, sculpture, digital drawing, and 3D animation, all of which were on view at this fun pop-up show! Let’s take a look.
Baez explores tongue-in-cheek pop culture character tropes as a launching pad for investigating concepts dealing in physics and philosophy through the central protagonist in the work, Atomo. Representing that which cannot be divided, Atomo exists somewhere between the physical world and the subconscious mind as a vessel for exploration and discovery of unseen worlds. To me, he looks a little bit like Astro Boy. What do you think?
Sunny Disposition (Background) with Atomo Acrylic Figure
While Baez’s major influences can be easily tagged as the cubist portraiture of Picasso, early Loony Tunes cartoons, and contemporary pop artists like Ron English and Kenny Scharf, those familiar with the work of horror-surrealist Christen Rex Van Minnen cannot deny a visual similarity between the styles of the two artists (minus, of course, the disfigured or mutant visages of Van Minnen’s subjects).
Fly In The Verse
When I mentioned Van Minnen to the gallerist present at the time of my visit, he enthusiastically agreed with the comparison and confessed that he and Pedro had even discussed it. So, there you go.
Let There Be Light
Born in Venezuela in 1989 and immigrating to the United States in 1997, Pedro’s journey from an immigrant child to an artist is underpinned by a deep curiosity and admiration for the diverse cultures that shape the world.
In A Celestial Supper, 12 otherworldly beings gather together at one long table in a unique take on The Last Supper, a scene depicted by countless established artists from Dali to Warhol.
Monocle (2019) nods in the direction of both Picasso and the previously mentioned Van Minnen but remains thematically lighthearted and leaves so much open to individual interoperation, which I think is true of all of his work.
Atomo Mono Loko (2023)
Several iterations of Atomo were available as limited-edition sculptures. He is adorable, for sure.
Flowers Of The Atomoverse (2023)
Can you find Atomo in this painting? I’m not giving you any clues.
Digital Paintings Installation View
In a separate, dimly-lit downstairs gallery, there was an immersive display of over a dozen examples of Pedro’s digital works of various sizes.
This multi-paneled digital screen was one my favorite pieces in the show. It belongs in a private home where it will truly be loved.
This large image of Atomo scrolled from bottom-to-top and cast a beautiful red glow in the room. Captivating!
Heres another kinetic digital triptych whose images changed at brief intervals. Really fantastic.
Ghosts In The Machine and The Trip Digital Paintings
I hope you’ll agree with me that Pedro Baez is an artist to watch. Follow him in Instagram HERE and please direct all collection inquiries to anneka@lumestudios.com.
The Daydreamer