Andres Argüelles

Andrés Argüelles Vigo creates large scale paintings which meditate on Peru’s colonial history and the way in which this past infiltrates the present. Argüelles Vigo has a particular interest in the portraits painted of the viceroys of Peru, who ruled from 1543 to 1821. As is common with regal portraiture, these paintings are flamboyant, grand and theatrical, with the viceroys posing with various powerful iconography such as jewels, fruits and weapons. Within his oil paintings however, Argüelles Vigo replaces these central figures with remnants of capitalist, globalist society such as towering soda cans, or an animated Power Ranger posing in front of a red velvet curtain. Some viceroys do remain within Argüelles Vigo's frames, yet these past rulers are depicted with gestural, fluid strokes, their bodies dissolving into the background. Absurd, comical and dark, these works force viewers to consider contemporary sources of societal power, and the blurred viceroys signal the remnants of colonial infrastructure which still govern biases and prejudices today. The art historical foundation of these paintings affords them such gravitas, as does their arresting large-scale presence and Argüelles Vigo’s bold use of colour.