“Despite the current overwhelming crisis, hope permeates this portrait/world with renewal and the healing powers of life, represented through the depiction of beautiful flora and fauna; and springs of life that flourish and may coexist along the depicted brands and symbols in process of decay, corroded by nature and time.” ⁠ -Alexis Duque ⁠ ⁠ Within Duque’s portrait resides a complex, visual push-and-pull between images sourced from the internet, pop culture symbols, and corporate brand logos, all intertwined within leaves, flowers, vines, and palm fronds. An image of a military tank, and the logos for Chiquita, Monsanto, and Diet Coke (among others) suggest a correlation between the corporate and imperialistic forces vying for hearts, minds, and money around the world. Yet, the images of nature, and the moments of humor, exemplified in the images of Snoopy and Super Mario, keep the turmoil in check. ⁠ ⁠ Pictured: Alexis Duque, Portrait XI, 2018, Acrylic on canvas ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #alexisduque...