Marcos Navarro (b. 1989, Basque Country / Barcelona, Spain) returns to Chong Gallery this time with a solo show titled The Others We Become.
In this new body of work, Navarro deepens his exploration of what he describes as “atmospheric painting,” engaging in a dialogue between the timeless and the present moment.
His paintings unfold in layers. At their foundation is the natural environment—a long-standing interest for the artist. Vast landscapes such as Iceland and the Swiss Alps serve as the backdrop, the stage on which the works are set. Onto this setting, Navarro introduces a distinctly contemporary presence: artificial intelligence. Fascinated by the process, he reflects on how, even when he prompts the machine with specific intentions, it is ultimately the machine that determines the final image—a dynamic that mirrors society’s increasingly quiet acceptance of algorithmic choice. He invites the viewers to reflect on the feeling it triggers within them.
Technically, Navarro pushes his practice forward by dismantling familiar techniques and embracing more abstract, demanding forms of brushwork. His softly blurred portraits reference classical ideals of beauty from art history, while simultaneously feeling unmistakably current—rooted in the visual language and uncertainties of our time.
