José Rodeiro The Birth of Jordi Movid. 4’ x 6,’ oil-on-linen, 1997.
The Birth of Jordi Movid depicts the dawn of a new age wherein old modernity is setting like a sun (e.g., an Antonio Tápies informalist image) sinking into a vast postmodern ocean from which an odd embodiment of the new-wave (la movida) strides forth led by an infant. Despite allusions to Botticelli’s sunless Birth of Venus, Rodeiro reveals a vibrant, over-sunny, and hot world inhabited by bazaar androgynous beings that camouflage or veil ambiguous morality, sexuality, economic-structures and social-order. Also, the painting alludes to current Amnesis theory of Bolivian poet Nicomedes Suárez-Araúz, with its push/pull of unconnected entities and events, lost incidents and objects, which originate from profuse lacunae inherent within irretrievable memory(ies) that ultimately inspire artistic-creativity.