Exhibit Review: Enrique Chavarria - Surrealism and the Fantastic

by Laura Seewoester

Looking at Enrique Chavarria's work is like peering into a dreamworld, where brooms don wings and the laws of physics don't apply. Despite the whimsical nature of surrealism, he shows painstaking attention to detail and paints with the utmost precision. Each piece is brimming with imagination and symbolism. They possess an uncanny familiarity, due in part to his inspiration from surrealist greats such as Dali, in part to his religious and literary references and also because of his renaissance-esque style. Looking at a Chavarria brings you into the realm of the subconscience, where up is down and things aren't always what they seem. My favorite piece that I came across was of a bell tower that was on a concrete island, which wasn't particularly fantastic until I realized it was titled "Self Portrait".

While the use of symbolism is apparent in his work, the meanings behind every aspect of his paintings are difficult to figure out. They are not only to be viewed for their beauty, but also display somewhat hidden ideas and references. Chavarria's reclusive behavior is no secret. He expressed his voice mainly through his enigmatic paintings. It's like trying to figure out a puzzle in which you have no idea where the pieces come from. This aspect forces the viewer to look more in depth at his work, and more in depth at their knowledge of themselves and the universe.

"Surrealism and the Fantastic" displays a good selection of Chavarria's work, spanning over the 70's and 80's and showing both some of his more rigid pieces drawn in (usually) one-point perspective and also some of his more free form pieces. The exhibit is on display at the Latino Cultural Center until Oct. 19. It's worth battling the detours around Deep Ellum to have a look-see.