It was the collapse of stock market in September 2008 leading to global financial chaos that inspired the artist Carlos Salazar Arenas to create his ultimate series of artworks.

While looking for a theme for a new exhibition, Salazar Arenas settled on the images of these brokers, from New York, Germany, Brazil, Japan, France, Singapore, in front of their screens with different gestures. “Although they were different people regardless of where in the world were, anguish was on their faces. It was a desperation and helplessness at what was happening,” said the artist, a graduate of the National University.

At once he started creating a folder of all the photos he could find relating to the event. In it he placed dozens of pictures clipped from newspapers and magazines or downloaded from the Internet, to create the working material for his latest exhibition at El Museo gallery in Bogotá.   Somehow, he felt that what was happening there was also chaos, disorder and even violence, issues that have integrated his work in recent years.

Having collected about 300 images, which were then digitized, he began to work on them. “The editing: close-ups, open, just faces, whole scenes,” says Salazar.

Having analyzed them Salazar chose those he most liked, copied them to canvas and started working with acrylic and brush to make monochromes spots (green, blue, red, orange, purple, etc.), a technique that has marked his style in recent years.

“I take the photo, which is a benchmark of reality. The viewer who sees it recognizes something, but it is not so obvious. It’s an old argument between what is real: the picture or painting.”

The pop-art style that Salazar applies is one that has been around for a while – and most probably there will be other financial crises too. However, for those who like to invest in art then perhaps this works is a good place to start.

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