Watercolour painting - A Botticelli Verdaccio portrait, 2026, by Andru Suárez Rojas (b. 1994, Barrancas, Colombia) invites viewers into a mesmerizing exploration of folklore and identity. As a contemporary artist, Suárez Rojas creates staged compositions that interrogate themes of transvestism and time, crafting dreamlike "non-place" environments that preserve history and memory. This work synthesizes the Surrealist legacy of Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo, offering a fresh, haunting vision that resonates deeply with The Art Design Project’s mission to champion innovative and thought-provoking art. Presented at our Miami gallery, this piece exemplifies the dynamic dialogue between past and present embraced by emerging and established talents alike.
Experience a unique blend of surreal storytelling and cultural preservation through this compelling portrait.
DETAILS
A Botticelli Verdaccio portrait, 2026
From Self Portraits series
Watercolor on archival paper
Dimensions: 9.4 H x 7.4 W in.
Signed by the artist
Unframed
Watercolour painting - A Botticelli Verdaccio portrait, 2026. By Andru Suarez
Andru Suárez Rojas (b. 1994, Barrancas, La Guajira, Colombia) is a contemporary artist whose work explores the concept of folklore through staged settings and compositions that interrogate identity, transvestism, and time.
Suárez Rojas creates dreamlike, "non-place" environments that evoke the human capacity for preserving histories and memories. His visual language is deeply influenced by the visionary legacy of Surrealist artists Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, and Frida Kahlo, seamlessly interwoven with the delicate watercolor sensibilities of British illustrator Beatrix Potter.
Literature and everyday scenes serve as foundational pillars for his compositions. Rather than drawing from modern pop culture, the artist's anthropomorphic creatures are rooted in ancient mythologies and folklore:
The Rabbits: While easily mistaken for references to Alice in Wonderland, their presence is intrinsically linked to the concept of transvestism. They find their origin in The Ballad of Mulan, the historic Chinese folk poem detailing a woman who disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the military.
The Cats: These figures evoke the manifestation of the Egyptian goddess Bastet, acting as a bridge between distinct cultural traditions.
By positioning these symbolic animals within Victorian-inspired landscapes, Suárez Rojas engages in a deliberate process of aesthetic globalization and artistic hybridization. Furthermore, native South American animals, such as the capybara, appear sporadically throughout his work, embodying a sense of serene, quiet observation amidst these complex thematic dialogues.
