Saúl Kak's painting, "All is not lost, there’s hope," features vibrant aquamarines and greenish yellows, dominated by swirling organic shapes that evoke water and foliage. Central figures appear immersed in a landscape with symbolic creatures, such as serpents and floral motifs. The artwork blends elements of magical realism with a surrealistic style, using flowing lines and vivid contrasts. This piece reflects on the Zoque people's resilience and territorial struggles after their land was submerged to create the Chicoasén dam in 1974, offering a narrative of cultural survival and hope. ...
Saúl Kak - filmmaker, experimenter in audio and digital art and inveterate and passionate painter, scours the narratives told to him by his tradition-imbued parents to give form and power to his people’s territorial claims and defense. In the series shown at Material Art Fair, Kak’s play of aquamarines (there is one word in Zoque covering blue-green on the spectrum) reflects the fact that part of Zoque territory was immersed in water when commandeered for making the Chicoasén dam in 1974. ...
