Diego Manuel Rodriguez creates vivid acrylic paintings and textiles that transform traditional still life subjects into something far more peculiar and alive. In Florero Fantastico 2017, a two-handled vase sits on a flat surface, but the bouquet it holds is made of stems topped with human hands, animal heads, and flowers containing sets of teeth. I find the way he mixes these biological elements into a single arrangement quite fascinating, especially with the loose stems scattered around the base against a background of blended colours. The work often feels like a playful yet slightly unsettling garden where the plants have developed their own anatomy.
Another piece, Flor Carnivora, shows a red flower bud with a human leg emerging from the top, growing out of a white pot on a brown surface. Rodriguez also explores larger, more skeletal forms, such as in Esqueleto, where a massive green skull-like figure with two front teeth stands against a bright orange and red background. Small, stick-like human figures are scattered across the jaw and shoulders of the giant head, making the entire scene feel like a strange landscape. These works by Diego Manuel Rodriguez are full of unexpected details that keep you looking closer.
