“Dog” by artist Diego De La Rosa. oil on panel, 10 x 8 inches 2022.
This Venezuelan dog.The dog is a powerful symbol of struggle, perseverance, and resilience particularly in the face of social and political hardship.The artist often depicts stray dogs, drawing parallels between their survival on the streets and the challenges faced by Venezuelans living in a crisis.Details like halosand ornamental collars, imbue the dog with a sense of goodness and dignity, suggesting a beacon of hope or salvation. Dianne Coombes
“Dog / Perro”
8 x 10 inches
Oil on Panel / Óleo sobre madera
2022
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Since its beginnings, the majority of the Venezuelan population has been living in extreme poverty. From a lack of care of the political class to ine ective economic models, the Venezuelans have been pushed to search for miraculous solutions found in religion and fortune based activities, in order to cope with their precarious reality.
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In this painting, De la Rosa explores how poverty has pushed Venezuelans to rely on mysticism and spirituality for their betterment. The painting portrays an impoverished scenery that is reminiscent of the poor communities that are found outside the main urban areas.
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The dog is modelled after a stray that both Diego and his wife adopted from the streets in Caracas. Its appearance is embellished by a halo surrounding its head, and an ornamental collar on its neck. Both items serve to imbue the character with a sense of goodness and dignity. The halo is reminiscent of images of saints, found in christianity, while the collar design is directly inspired by garments worn by the heroes of independence, such as Simon Bolivar and Francisco de Miranda.
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To illustrate the benevolence of the main character, the dog is accompanied by two items in front of its feet. A small bag of rice and mangos. While rice has become a product hard to acquire for many Venezuelans, mangos can be found growing on the trees on the street, and are an easy and accessible way of making ends for the hungry citizens. As such, the holy creature brings a humble bit of salvation to a community that has been abandoned by its leaders.