glitching oil paintings by alexis mata show at 'the hole' in tribeca

A Mirage by artist alexis mata show in tribeca

Artist Alexis Mata takes center stage in Fata Morgana, a two-person exhibition at The Hole gallery in Tribeca, NYC. The show pairs Mata’s vibrant oil paintings with the wooden sculptures of Raul De Lara, creating a dialogue that hybridizes reality, perception, and memory. The exhibition references a type of optical illusion — a mirage seen just above the horizon, named after the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay. This concept informs the presentation — seven AI-informed oil paintings by Alexis Mata and seven sculptures by Raul De Lara are installed in an immersive environment of darkening walls and sand pits, evoking the shifting, illusory nature of the desert.

Alexis Mata and Raul De Lara: Fata Morgana, exhibition view

Hallucinations and the Desert’s Influence

The paintings of artist Alexis Mata, now on view at The Hole Tribeca, draw on his travels to three deserts near Mexico City, where he used medicinal plants to heighten his sensory perception. His works translate these hallucinatory experiences into expansive canvases that explore the intersection of the virtual and tangible. By embracing digital interventions and AI-generated ‘glitches,’ Mata deconstructs traditional landscapes into fragmented, abstract patterns. For instance, in works like Volar para observar, the distortion becomes so pronounced that the scene dissolves into dynamic patterns.

Mata’s paintings address themes of transformation and disappearance. Using an analogue-digital process, the artist reinvents still-life compositions into surreal landscapes that challenge the viewer’s perception. Flowers, fruits, and natural elements morph into otherworldly forms, embodying impermanence and evolution. These large-scale canvases — his most ambitious to date — surround the viewer in panoramic visions, further enhancing their dreamlike quality.

Alexis Mata, La Tarde De Cactus, 2024, Oil on canvas, 59 x 91 inches, 150 x 230 cm

A Shared Heritage, Distinct Practices

Both Mata and Raul De Lara imbue their works with a strong connection to their Mexican heritage. In Mata’s paintings, the inclusion of nopales and Mexico City-specific flora reflects pride in his homeland, while his surreal approach pays homage to the complexity of memory and identity. De Lara, a DACA recipient who emigrated to the U.S. at age twelve, explores similar themes in his sculptures, which incorporate traditional Mexican woodcarving techniques and materials like tz’ite seeds, historically used for rituals and visions.

Fata Morgana opens with this immersive experience that is both personal and universal. Through their respective mediums, Alexis Mata and Raul De Lara transform memory, perception, and cultural heritage into a sensory exploration. Mata’s bold, abstracted canvases invite viewers to question the boundaries of reality, making his contribution to the exhibition a standout.

Alexis Mata, El Día En El Valle De Los Cactus, 2024, Oil on canvas, 47 x 73 inches, 120 x 185 cm
Alexis Mata, Volar Para Observar, 2024, Oil on canvas, 79 x 79 inches, 200 x 200 cm
Alexis Mata, CACTUS AURORABOREAL, 2024, Oil on canvas, 53 x 91 inches, 135 x 230 cm