Time & Location
September 3 - October 25 Osceola Arts Studio Gallery
About the Event
SUEÑOS DEL HOMBRE CAIMÁN: Dreams of the Alligator Man works by Orlando Artist Fernando Molinares.
The legend of the Caimán-man, a hybrid of human and caiman, embodies the spirit of Colombian folklore. According to the tale, this creature flees from his homeland and reaches the Atlantic Ocean near Barranquilla, Colombia, at Bocas de Ceniza, where the Magdalena River merges with the Caribbean Sea. There, he encounters persecution from fishermen intrigued and frightened by his unusual appearance. “Hombre Caimán” (Alligator-Man) has become a customary label for any man born and raised on Colombia's north coast.
Fernando Molinares, hailing from Barranquilla, shares a kinship with the iconic Caimán-man. In many ways, he too is a hybrid. This sense of hybridity is not unique to him; everyone experiences moments of feeling strange or different, especially in environments where they are not part of the majority. Through his art, Molinares delves into his emotional connections with the Caimán-man, portraying these sentiments through dream-like images filled with symbolism and elements of magical realism. His work reflects the universal experience of being a "strange creature in a strange land," evoking the deeply human feeling of being different.
Fernando Molinares emigrated to the United States in 2000 and worked as a portrait artist at Disney World theme parks. During this time, he completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Central Florida (UCF), and years later, while working as a lead artist for Universal Orlando, he obtained his Master of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Fernando has participated in numerous collective and solo exhibitions in Orlando and abroad. He continues working for the Disney Company as a Figure and Show Finisher Artist, an adjunct professor of Arts and Humanities at Ana G. Mendez University, and a part-time Faculty Art professor at Valencia College in Orlando.
Works by Fernando Molinares will be displayed in the Studio Gallery from September 3 through October 25 with a free artist reception on Saturday, September 14 from 3pm to 5pm. For more information contact marilyn@osceolaarts.org
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