Tony Rodríguez’s solo exhibition, Chronicles of the Soul, at the Saphira & Ventura Gallery in New York City, presents a striking exploration of surrealism that feels simultaneously intimate and universal. 

Tony Rodríguez, brings his extensive experience into this highly symbolic and thought-provoking collection curated by Alcinda Saphira. Through his figurative works, rendered with academic precision yet imbued with a contemporary surrealist sensibility, Rodríguez creates a world where the viewer can glimpse both the past and future, the personal and the collective. Rodríguez’s pieces invite the audience to step into a surreal dimension, where ancient philosophies, poems, and modern technological elements converge. His towers, panoramic landscapes, and monumental machinery seem to rise from a dreamscape, embodying both the grandeur and fragility of human experience. 

Within the work of this exhibition, time becomes fluid, allowing viewers to contemplate not only the passage of history but also the uncertain future. In a statement about his work, Rodríguez highlights his interest in uniting the past with the present through symbolic creations. He incorporates ancient motifs with modern symbols to represent a utopian world—a world that, in his work, is rich with complex layers of meaning. 

Rodríguez imagery, reinforces a melancholic tone. His restrained palette emphasizes the theme of a world caught between life and decay, hope and desolation. One of the most compelling aspects of Rodríguez’s work is his focus on centrality. In many of his pieces, a dominant figure or object takes center stage, around which the rest of the canvas gravitates. These central elements, whether they be massive structures or ambiguous human forms, command attention while simultaneously evoking a sense of isolation and vulnerability. This isolation is heightened by his meticulous attention to detail—each painting is filled with small, intricate elements that hint at a broader narrative. 

The cityscapes that Rodríguez depicts in many of his works are hybrid creations. They exist as both familiar and alien, as if fragments of history have been pieced together with elements of an imagined future. In this way, Rodríguez comments on the cultural decay and the challenges posed by rapid technological advancements. His cities, like the people who inhabit them, are in a constant state of flux, reinventing themselves in order to survive. 

Rodríguez’s work also plays with the symbolic power of objects, transforming everyday items into surreal metaphors. Objects that may seem mundane in reality take on new significance in his dreamlike worlds. Machines, insects, buildings, and relics from the past are imbued with a sense of history and mystery, reminiscent of Sigmund Freud’s exploration of the unconscious mind. 

The symbolic language Rodríguez employs encourages viewers to interpret his work on a deeply personal level, as they are invited to explore their own subconscious connections with the imagery. The emotional intensity of Rodríguez’s work is heightened by his textural approach to painting. His use of thick layers of paint and materials gives the works a physicality that is both tactile and evocative. The surfaces of his canvases often resemble the walls of ancient ruins, with cracks, chips, and layers of pigment creating a rich visual history. This textured approach adds to the sensation that time itself is a character in Rodríguez’s work, as layers of history, emotion, and meaning accumulate on the canvas. 

Rodríguez’s ability to merge the surreal with the real, the past with the present, and the emotional with the intellectual makes “Chronicles of the Soul” a compelling exhibition. His work captures the essence of surrealism while expanding on its traditional boundaries, integrating elements of modernity and technology into a narrative that speaks to the human condition. His figures and forms may seem caught in a state of decay, but they are also imbued with a sense of resilience and persistence. In the end, Rodríguez’s work is about the human soul’s capacity to endure, to reflect, and to transform. His creations, with their surreal juxtapositions and symbolic complexity, are not just reflections of his own inner world, but mirrors of the universal human experience. 

In Chronicles of the Soul, Rodríguez proves that he is not only a master of technique but also a master of emotion, able to capture the complexity of existence in each brushstroke. For anyone seeking to experience a surreal yet deeply personal artistic journey, this exhibition at Saphira & Ventura Gallery is not to be missed.

Tony Rodríguez Chronicles of the Soul at Saphira & Ventura Gallery Curated by Alcinda Saphira.