Storm and Calm: A Retrospective by Renato Chacón

The exhibition “Storm and Calm” presents a selection of works by Renato Chacón, whose career in the visual arts has been continuous since 1984. This retrospective brings together paintings and drawings that explore the evolution of a unique visual language, where the discipline of architecture and the freedom of fine art converge.

Background and Academic Training

Renato Chacón began his artistic education in a rigorous academic environment, later expanding his studies at the San Miguel de Allende Art Institute and the Pratt Institute in New York. This foundation allowed him to transition from the structure and order of his architectural profession toward a more liberated form of pictorial expression. For the artist, creation is a vital necessity to build the physical, mental, and emotional spaces he chooses to inhabit.

The Creative Process: Seeking Imaginary Spaces

The artist describes his painting process as a way to reach a state of mental stillness. His abstract and figurative compositions emerge from this search, described in his own words:

Many times they are not planned images; they arise from a need for an imaginary space that allows me to be and do what I want. Undefined shapes and colors appear and transform during the process until something familiar emerges that reflects my state of mind. That process can repeat endlessly—until, suddenly, it’s done, and calmness appears.

Renato Chacón

Themes and Landscape Evolution

A recurring element in this selection is the presence of groups of people moving through dreamlike landscapes. The clothing and headpieces worn by these figures are directly influenced by his formal education and reflect his passion for the history of ancient cultures. These distinctive elements provide a timeless quality to his visual narrative.

The exhibition highlights a clear evolution linked to his geographic surroundings:

• Works featuring forest and desert landscapes, where abstract compositions predominate.
• Work produced in Yucatán: These pieces incorporate tropical figurative elements and brighter tones, marking a distinct contrast with the palette of his earlier production.

Storm and Calm

This retrospective brings together works that share evident contrasts between states of agitation and serenity—a duality that gives the exhibition its title. In several paintings, the application of color and form takes on a dramatic character. It is precisely through the search for a calm mental space that Chacón gives rise to images reflecting his deep interest in history and culture, as well as subjective aspects of his life open to the viewer’s interpretation.