Edgar Cano: South Realism X
Before the fire, 2021
oil on linen, spray painting on deformed canvas
South Realism X beckons art enthusiasts to embark on a journey into the profound artistic realm of Edgar Cano. This exhibition of “deformed canvases” is a testament to Cano's unique approach, where he skillfully melds personal perception with the fabric of reality.
How did you initiate your artistic journey?
I started my career almost twenty years ago, in Veracruz, Mexico. I started doing stage background for theater and book illustrations while I worked in different jobs to get the daily income. After the third time I applied to college, I got a spot to study at the Universidad Veracruzana. I started to have shows and student collective exhibits in the city where I lived. I realized that painting and drawing were my passion at this time. I really enjoyed those activities, and I felt engaged with it. At the middle of my career, I took an opportunity to show my art in a big cultural space; through this early exhibition I faced my true vocation as an artist.
What was the inspiration behind South Realism X?
The inspiration for this specific project was the movement from Mexico to the US that I had with my family. I thought: if I have moved my geographical position, I can switch my artistic concepts and thoughts about the art that I do. That was the position which was the spark for the South Realism X project, supported by the full scholarship from the Northwestern State University of Louisiana to pursue my Master’s degree. Also, I was interested in digging into new skills and challenges; I think I did.
Could you elaborate on your creative process when developing these art pieces?
This process was kind of daring and I struggled with beginning; I just needed to be more relaxed about my ideas on art, regarding my previous artworks. I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to create. After I realized the whole idea, I decided to switch how I used to work.
I wanted to create something different and accurate at the same time. It wasn't easy to get all the art together, but still in my thoughts. I started thinking how I could break my own way. These feelings helped me to build some unusual, but daring; I started to understand a new path to work from chaos to mighty. I wanted to use a more colorful palette, feelings, and more expressive shapes. Even though I didn't try to say more than was strictly necessary in my paintings, the complement of the idea will come from the viewer, I thought.
Through your show, what do you hope to convey to the viewer?
I hope my paintings show something more than the images the viewer can see. If you notice, there is a lot of color and vibrancy in the paintings. You can probably notice behind those scenes a bit of figure. I'm a figure artist, and in this collection I tried to hide the accuracy of my strokes. I give an extra job to the viewers: try to find literally something else in my art.
What personal significance does this artwork hold for you?
The opportunity to create some art that is even more daring, more unexpected and with a bit of nonsense, is irrational. To me, this collection has a different power to show me that most of the art, at least the art that I do, doesn't need to be completely realistic.
South Realism X is on display at the Meadows Museum from September 26 - October 27, 2023.