Dorothy Circus Gallery in Rome is proud to present the solo exhibitions Jungle Boogie by the Chilean artist Victor Castillo, and Full of Emptiness by the Italian Paolo Pedroni, inaugurating on Rome on 20 November 2020.
United by a deep critical spirit towards the hyper-consumption trend of Western capitalist society, Castillo and Pedroni present on this occasion two brand new series of artworks inspired by the mutual urgency to convey a common dissent concerning the modern slavery that characterises consumerism. As a matter of fact, according to Pedroni consumerism "makes us all victims" and for Castillo involves a real "total loss of consciousness dictated by a real indoctrination caused by the interference of the mass media".
Growing up under a totalitarian regime, Castillo’s artistic research was deeply influenced by his country’s politics and by the literary works of the Chilean dissident writer Roberto Bolano. In his Jungle Boogie series, Castillo highlights a dichotomous reality that on the hand is clearly inspired by Western cartoons - including some of the most popular characters such as the Looney Toons - while on the other hand there is a strong criticism that emerges towards a globalisation that stifles cultural diversity, in favour of a flattening and a plundering of customs and traditions.
Related to the topic of globalisation, is the issue of Social Media explored by Paolo Pedroni in his series titled Full of Emptiness. Now universally recognised as very powerful tools for conveying positive messages, social networks are able to bring world communities together and creating a universal experience that unifies and battles social injustices (such as with the Black Lives Matter, Me Too and th eArgentinian Ni Una Menos movements). In the last years, however Social Media have become and arena of suffering, harboured by depression, self-isolations, addiction and fake news. Pedroni lays in front of us all these issues, examining through his canvases the problems brought by the overuse and overexposure to technology and by highlighting that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” to quote Marcellus in Hamlet.
Through oil and acrylic paintings, both Castillo and Pedroni highlight the ruthlessness of the global economy that leaves as impotent and lobotomised. The Japanese Kawaii style of Pedroni and the cartoons-inspired style of Castillo reveal themselves as equally mocking, surreal and introspective.
A technical mastery, the social criticism, the psychedelic palette of colours and the influence of some of the most important artist on an international scale - including Federico Fellini, David Lynch, Ennio Morricone, Camille Rose Garcia, Hayao Miyazaki, Haruki Murakami, Isabel Allende, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Francisco Goya, Miss Van, Sergio Leone and Pier Paolo Pasolini - are just some of the ingredients of this exclusive double solo show that promises to be a special ending of a year that will certainly be remembered for future generations.
