Katrina Drawing

Raúl Prieto's mixed media pieces revolve around the dynamism of complex shapes. As a child in northern Spain, Prieto became fascinated by the objects previous generations and cultures had left behind in caves and mountains, molded over the years by nature. Today the backbone of his work is these timeless forms, which leap with energetic lines and tangible weight: "mechanical, dynamic forms, natural morphology, and references to the technological world," as he describes them. The work is filled with color; tones can be riotous, but just as often the palette is subdued and shaded so delicately that the softness of Klimt's romanticism shines through. Each piece is covered with irregular layers of pigment, creating semi-opaque textures that dare the eye to decode their patterns. Undeniably, mystery is one of Prieto's central subjects, and he shares his passion for the changing nature of the world through his work. In his abstractions, he continues to "wonder about the origins and life of humans through time, [and] the relationship of this with its natural surroundings and the universe."