Bridging Centuries: How Madrid’s Conde Duque United Goya’s Horrors and Fabelo’s Fantasies
Imagine walking into an art exhibition where the dark, satirical brilliance of Francisco Goya stands in conversation with the contemporary, surreal genius of Roberto Fabelo. This wasn’t a historical fantasy, but a compelling reality at Madrid’s Conde Duque Cultural Center with their “Mundos. Goya y Fabelo” exhibition, running from February to July 2023. This groundbreaking show dared to compare two artists separated by over two centuries, revealing profound, shared visions of humanity’s darker side.
At its heart, the exhibition highlighted a striking commonality: a searing critical perspective on society and human folly. Goya, the unparalleled master of Spanish art, used his famed “Los Caprichos” and “Los Desastres de la Guerra” to brutally satirize the vices and horrors of his 18th and early 19th-century world. In “Mundos,” Fabelo’s contemporary creations echoed this unflinching gaze, offering sharp commentary on power, manipulation, and the human condition in our own time.
The comparison deepened through their shared embrace of grotesque and fantastical imagery. Goya famously depicted “the sleep of reason” giving birth to monsters. Fabelo, in turn, populates his canvases and sculptures with similarly unsettling yet mesmerizing figures – his signature hybrid creatures, human-faced cockroaches from the “Sobrevivientes” series, and imposing rhinoceroses from “Liderazgo.” These aren’t just flights of fancy; they serve as potent allegories for societal leaders, base instincts, and the enduring absurdities of human nature.
Both artists possess an unbounded imagination and a mastery of symbolism, crafting rich internal worlds where the human and animal realms intertwine. Their works are dense with visual metaphors, inviting viewers to decode layers of meaning and reflect on universal truths that transcend time and geography.
Ultimately, “Mundos. Goya y Fabelo” wasn’t merely a visual feast; it was a powerful dialogue across centuries. It argued that the vices and errors of humanity that Goya exposed remain tragically current, finding a vibrant and unsettling echo in Fabelo’s art. The exhibition brilliantly demonstrated how two distinct artistic voices, through their shared commitment to profound social commentary and imaginative expression, continue to hold up a mirror to the timeless complexities of the human experience.
