Nebula I

Iván Navarro was born in 1972, just months after a coup in Chile, and grew up under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet until he moved to New York in 1997. After relocating to the U.S., Navarro became captivated by American minimalism and design, which inspired him to create electrical sculptures. He has continued to produce works using the mesmerizing illusions created by neon lights, mirrors, and glass.

Navarro’s use of light sources like neon, fluorescent lamps, and LEDs is deeply rooted in his childhood experiences in 1970s Chile, during Pinochet’s military rule. Pinochet implemented curfews and frequent power outages as a means of controlling and surveilling the population, effectively using “light” as a tool of oppression. Having grown up in this dark historical period, Navarro came to see light as a symbol of hope, which became a central theme in his artistic practice.

In Nebula I, Navarro collects diverse images of nebulae captured by telescopes worldwide, presenting an “illusion” of the cosmic spaces where stars are born. The celestial landscapes in his work lead viewers on a poetic journey into an imaginary realm, while simultaneously hinting at the latent violence and instability inherent in the explosive processes that shape the universe. As consistently evident in Navarro’s art, his exploration of the heavens is deeply intertwined with the experiences of living human beings. Thus, within the enchanting cosmic vistas, themes of human survival, threat, and violence coexist with a paradoxical sense of sublimity.

Navarro’s dazzling world of light raises questions about humanity’s anthropocentric belief in its eternal dominion over Earth. By shining brilliantly, his works evoke a poignant reflection on dark themes, offering an experience that challenges perspectives and sheds light on humanity’s place in the universe.