In the studio: Alejandro Cardenas
Cardenas is known for his distinct visual language. Using a compositional style grounded in geometry and color, his work depicts a surreal, post-human world where nature and living forms coexist. Through his nearly-human figures, faceless, yet able to convey powerful emotions, the Chilean artist explores themes of humanity and psychology.
— Paul Laster, writer, editor, and curator
From his studio in Madrid, Alejandro Cardenas discusses his artistic process. Drawing inspiration from Surrealism, science fiction, and magical realism, the artist creates surreal, meticulously composed scenes featuring polished, gridded interiors inhabited by angular, faceless figures. His signature humanoids-narrow, wire-frame silhouettes adorned with colorful zigzag patterns—appear calmly reclining, sitting, or standing within minimalist architectural settings.
Alejandro Cardenas is a contemporary artist whose paintings and sculptures envision a post-human world where human forms and their environment exist in harmony and unity. Before dedicating himself fully to studio painting, he had a successful career as a multimedia artist, working across illustration, graphic design, and videography. For over a decade, he served as lead textile designer and art director for the influential fashion label Proenza Schouler. He was also a founding member of Lansing-Dreiden, a New York-based transdisciplinary art collective that produced musical albums, a literary journal, and multimedia artworks. His work in both art and design has been reviewed in prominent publications including The New York Times, Vogue, and AnOther Magazine.
