Marisol Rendón

Marisol Rendón pursues an interest in the metaphorical and quasi-spiritual existence of objects. She tirelessly searches for traces of human thoughts, hopes and emotions as encapsulated and expressed in the articles of our daily lives. Illusion is an element that has always intrigued her. “We inhabit a world in which we unceasingly look for a way, any way, to justify the difficult and sometimes the impossible.’ says Rendón. ‘Maybe people hold onto illusions to make themselves feel more comfortable. To give themselves a chance.”

Marisol Rendón grew up in Manizales, Colombia, surrounded by poverty, where hope itself was often an illusion as people clung to myths and superstitions to help them through their everyday life. “Illusion is a very imperfect concept. It’s about something that doesn’t really exist; or it does exist but it is so ambivalent that’s it’s hard to understand exactly what it is.” In her work, Rendón tries to capture the moment when people see through their self-deceptions — when life forces them to shed a dream and they have to find some other way to keep going.

In So, Dragons do Exist?, Rendón uses the image of the Komodo dragon to negotiate the interaction between our need for hopes and illusions, and myths and dreams—which allow us to face the unknown with wonder—and the cognizance it takes to make the right choices. The reality of the Komodo dragon is that of a living dinosaur: they are massive, exotic creatures. However, compared to images of fire breathing, winged beasts as conjured by their name, they can’t help but disappoint. In So, Dragons do Exist? Rendón presents us with an opportunity to find a balance between the dualities in our existence during a moment of empathy and contemplation.

So, Dragons Do Exist?

(Considerations of the Unavoidable Syndrome of Illusion)

May 18 - June 29, 2013

Press Release