Moisés Barrios

The work of the Guatemalan artist Moisés Barrios is almost entirely based on the banana plant and the memory of the banana-related conflicts in Latin America and the Caribbean. According to the artist, this is an important memory to conserve because it is at the root of many of the conflicts which are currently devastating the region. Barrios uses the banana to root any political, social or cultural issue in the Latin American reality. Having lived in Costa Rica for 8 years, the Guatemalan artist demonstrates strong knowledge of Central America. Barrios has produced installations, sculptures and paintings, but he is above all a master of paper-based works, especially printing. Graphic design and pop art icons have a strong presence in his work, combined with distinctly Central American themes. His experience as an advertising agent is evident from his concise, direct and comical style. This piece merges two toy dinosaurs and several bananas, all sharing a similar colour and shape. The banana, like the dinosaur, comes from prehistoric times, but both have now become emblems of pop culture. Both are perceived as wild, but here we find them domesticated within the household setting.