ZOMBIES OF MY CITY

Mariño’s work evokes the privation and moans of those who suffer a deep crisis similar to the post-war artistic expressions. His discourse focuses on social deterioration, from the cracked streets to the behavior and attitude of the people around him, both those who suffer and those who are lost in indifference. His art complements the street scene: the punk and the skateboard culture, and the urban jugglers. All these characters feed his imagination. Life on the street invites him to know aspects of society that will later become a collection of portraits that recall Fauvism of the early twentieth century. Color emerges in his work as a symbol of immaculate Caribbean joy and a special sensitivity for the sublime, of one who looks at beauty even in the very nature of horror. In these expressions, his search is punctuated by the impression and the feelings produced by those emotional and erratic expressions before which the gaze is usually removed. His portraits capture both imaginary characters as well as neighbors and characters from the city who eat from the garbage or who emerge from outbreaks of madness. Plastic gestures such as textures, spilled paint, and transparencies are part of the language of deterioration. Currently, Mariño lives and works in Valencia, where he continues his exploration in painting and ceramics.