The artist Javier Aliste searches for the syncretism of our current cultural identity. To find his answers he has been researching the Andean world and the idiosyncrasies of the Amazonian people since 1997. In his work of art he uses sacred chromatic and sacred symbolism, which is inspired on the way people live in South America typically Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile.
Using his heritage of the South American continent – Javier was born in Chile and living in Buenos Aires – where art has always been a mixture of Andean symbols and a medieval European concept he evolved and managed to create his own unique style; a typical palet of colors combined with different materials such as plastic tablecloths, synthetic enamel, plaster and clothes. The result is a expressive vivid art form that tributes the South American culture.
The first time I saw the works of Javier Aliste I was struck by its happiness it gave me… I loved the colorful, bright three dimensional image it represented because of the material he uses. It is totally different from what I saw before working as an art dealer and I was surprised by its symbolic details. His works are in some way reminding me of my childhood innocence in which I appreciated art just by looking at it without having the necessity to explain why I like it. Just looking at it and knowing that I like it. The naive art of Javier Aliste is provoking this same sensation.
It seems to me that Javier gets part of his creative inspiration from the combination of materials he utilizes and applies. The artistic excitement seems to lie most of all in its preoccupation with the invention and use such materials, colors, and surfaces. I can see the influence of his childhood, it is pure art, pure thoughts…where the subconscious plays an important role.
Its like capturing the beauty of landscape rather than focusing on a single detail.
This is exactly what I see in the works of Javier, it is not the image per se which is asking our attention but the work as a whole with the underlying message within that shows details by looking at its whole. Understanding the works of Javier by undergoing his South American identity, we can hear the whispers of the Gods, we look at his works and we can feel them…
What I can clearly see as well is the medieval European cultural influences and religion combined which has evolved into a true spiritual South American style. Those color mixtures and symbolic combinations allows him to represents a reality that surrounds him, but he is also expressing strong feelings that come from inside. Of course Javier himself is a part of his South American cultural heritage and he is mixing this heritage with his experience he gained in Europe. He studied in Art in Germany and traveled through Europe before he returned to his home place.
An Andean concept mixed with this strong European influence. It is almost if we can hear the ancestors voices coming out of his artworks.
Then of course there is always the question, does this art really need to be explained or should we just enjoy en let our subconscious take over allowing each of its viewers to experience and explore Javier Aliste’s subconscious works of art.
Monique Lucy Weberink
