José Luis Serzo

17 de August de 2021

morfología del encuentro

19 MAR, 2021 - 1 MAY, 2021

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José Luis Serzo (Albacete, 1977) is presenting his second individual exhibition at Galería Artizar, following on from Escenas y sucesos dentro y fuera de un Teatrorum (Scenes and events inside and outside a Teatrorum), in June 2016. On this occasion, with the title Morfología del encuentro (Morphology of Encounter), Serzo is exhibiting one of his most recent series, featuring half a dozen brand new pieces.

Morfología del encuentro recounts the story of Michael Burton Junior, a senior finance executive inspired by the Wall Street films of the 80s, who embarks on a journey of initiation, a search, perhaps, for meaning in his life. This archetypal character is at the top of his professional game but has apparently reached rock bottom in a spiritual sense. He thinks he has it all – money, power, women – along with an incessant and corrosive dissatisfaction that gradually devours his entire being.

He comes to the realisation that material objects have not managed to fill that existential void he has been dragging with him since childhood, and before he descends into complete madness, he is willing to dive deep and accept his shadow, to embark on a real journey – as well as a symbolic and spiritual one – through each of his fears and prejudices.

His companion and confidant, James Schoendorff, will accompany him on this cathartic adventure, crossing a mental north pole littered with icebergs that might well represent his frozen spiritual wasteland and the icy chill of his reasoning. This journey will contrast with archetypical apparitions of warrior woman (Amazons, Valkyries, Artemises, and perhaps modern-day Femens), who manifest his fears and desires, the “Eros and Thanatos” of the materialistic, patriarchal-capitalist paradigm, which Michael Burton Junior represents, demanding the necessary communion with his ‘other self’, one that is more emotional, feminine, and spiritual.

List of works

José Luis Serzo talks to us

The artist tells us about his beginnings in the art world, reviews the exhibition Morfología del encuentro and talks about his relationship with art galleries.