RUSH HOUR

2025, Oil on Italian Linen, 112x197cm

At first glance, the irony of Rush Hour appears clear; a cow, indifferent to human constructs, seemingly obeying urban commands. But beyond this, it is a visual parable exploring deeper narrative that speaks to the rise and fall of extractive economies and the fleeting nature of resource-driven prosperity.

The setting is inspired by Northern Chile, where mining fortunes once built opulent towns, now abandoned — their grand ballrooms left to wandering livestock. This boom-and-bust cycle mirrors my country’s own reliance on digging wealth from the ground, challenging the sustainability of such dreams. The traffic lights with their conflicting signals, reflect the unresolved tension between progress and consequence.

What happens when the lights change and the wealth runs out? Who, or what, inherits the landscape we leave behind?