Continuing the line initiated in “El porqué de las naranjas,” Ricardo Cases once again explores a cliché of Spain’s eastern Mediterranean coast. Approaching his task as a kind of childlike game—attempting to depict the sun—the artist immerses himself in the blinding light of the Levantine summer in search of its essence. Guided by sensation, he questions the ways in which the sun shapes local identity, aesthetics, and economy.
“I was born on a hostile, rocky planet, ruled by a star that is far too close. In my sky, an immense ball of fire revolves—one I do not dare to look at directly. I have grown used to living with its scorching breath on the back of my neck, head bowed. The only way to observe it safely is to discreetly seek its shadow on surfaces, its reflection in wells or mirrors. With the proper technique, and by understanding the distances of the cosmos, one can learn to navigate by triangulating with respect, with fear.”
Excerpt from “Error de sol” by Luis López Navarro, which accompanies the work.