Rafael Landea

Deus ex Machina

In Greek and Roman drama, a god lowered by stage machinery to resolve a plot or extricates the protagonist from a difficult situation.  An unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot.

This series of paintings is a reflection or variations of this concept. A ceremony carried out without supreme or heavenly powers, a pagan experience where God is an invented machine, constructed and guided by humans as they desire, to save or annihilate themselves, or simply to play. Placing the scenes together like a game, with little pieces of plays. Some donít exist, while others are tributes to real productions like “E la Nave Va” (And the Ship Sails On) by Federico Fellini, and to Barbara Jefford interpreting the role of Ildebranda Cuffari in the same film.

e la nave va

E la nave va / Swimmer

twin theaters

Maps of Silence – Twin Theaters

e la nave va

Maps of Silence – E la nave va

#12 - deus ex machina 3
#11 - deus ex machina 1
#5 - e la nave va 3&4
#1 - e la nave va 1
#2 - e la nave va 2
#9 - argentinas
#10 argentinas - flying silver girls 1
#6 intervista
#16 - guess who's coming
#17 - guess who's coming
#13 - welcoming
after the play
#7 orchestra
#3 - deus ex machina 2
#8 the beach
#14 the visit
ella
landing
back to home

Rafael Landea

Rafael Landea Artista Visual

A visual artist, Rafael Landea creates paintings and drawings in both traditional and digital media. His artistic style was greatly influenced by an early job as a theater stage designer resulting in artistic interpretations which are deeply narrative and inspired by historical facts, literature, theater, films, music and architecture.
His work has been recognized by institutions such as the San Francisco Arts Commission, Artery Project and Center for Cultural Innovation, plus was featured at Our Radar by Creative Capital New York.

He has shown his paintings at venues worldwide, including:

  • San Francisco, California: The Exploratorium, Grace Cathedral Gallery, Gensler Design.
  • Buenos Aires: Holocaust Museum, Malvinas Museum, Art and Memory Museum and Centro Cultural Haroldo Conti.
  • Participated in collective exhibitions in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Cuba.

Rafael’s murals can be seen today in Buenos Aires, La Plata and San Francisco. He was lead artistic collaborator on Munú Actis Goretta’s mosaic murals near Turin and in Genoa, Italy.

Rafael has developed illustrations media and publishers in Argentina including Anfibia, Malisia, EME Ediciones B and Universities.

Rafael received his MFA at La Plata University, Argentina and developed his professional career between Buenos Aires and San Francisco. Rafael moved to Catalonia, Spain in 2024

He is developing a digital series inspired by the lives of two Native American men from opposite regions in north and south America, whose stories and destinies present surprising similarities.

[email protected]
@rafael.landea