Farley Aguilar is a shy guy. There’s no doubt that his distinctive look, which includes a black fedora and old man slacks, make him recognizable. The look might indicate superficial art world credibility, but the truth is that Farley isn’t just a neat looking dude. He’s actually talented.
Don’t shoot yourself, art school kids, but the fact that Farley has no formal art training only makes his paintings that much more interesting, visually and thematically. It’s not that the work is raw or it’s all talent -- he has vision. The oil paintings, with their darkness and hint of fantasy, are very much mood-setters. Think Bergman or Kurosawa meeting up with a unicorn in the middle of a forest. Good spooky.
Farley’s use of masks and animal imagery show the tension between the human psyche and exterior social forces. Sounds like social anxiety? Certainly! The best part is that each piece stands alone as a strong visual narrative with structure, meaning and neat stuff, like mermaids.
Farley’s work, along with that of 59 other Florida artists, is on display at The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood’s Fourth All-Media Juried Biennial Exhibition through June 7.
