Omar Chacon

Born in Bogota, Colombia, Omar Chacon creates intricately patterned paintings inspired by the traditional folk art of South America. The artist begins each work by applying acrylic paint to wax paper, fashioning thousands of brightly-colored ovals and drips. Once dry, the artist peels off these shapes—each one unique and hand-crafted—and layers them onto canvas or paper to create his highly-textured pieces. Chacon compares this process to a social gathering, as he brings together a variety of disparate elements into a single unit. For a recent series, Chacon looked to the culture and myths of Ancient Rome, producing monochromatic paintings in deep purples and golds that reflect the society’s imperial colors.