We all have our favourite work of art; whether it’s a painting that means something to you personally, a sculpture that inspires happy memories, or a series that you just couldn’t stop thinking about, some art just stays with you. Today, we’re talking to our International Art Advisor Noah Warren, a contemporary art and design aficionado, about his favourite piece – Construction series, Dock City two by Astor Milan Salcedo.
Striking abstract compositions
Born in 1969 to Colombian parents living in Madrid, Salcedo was heavily influenced in his early life by his journalist father who instilled in him a fascination with the media. Beginning his career as a fashion photographer and documentary maker, Salcedo eventually succumbed to his passion for contemporary art and began to mix his media, starting to work on what has now become a renowned collection of abstract paintings and overpainted photography.
The artist’s passion for politics, social issues, and the human condition is evident in all his pieces, as are the many cultural influences gathered from a life spent travelling. Now based in Hamburg, Salcedo’s home city has inspired several pieces including Construction series, Dock City two.
It’s Salcedo’s rich wealth of life experience, Noah says, that makes his work so interesting. “Astor Salcedo’s background was mainly based in the world of high fashion,” he says. “For me his overpainted photography is the perfect link between this world and his striking abstract compositions.”
The artist’s signature use of playful textures, vibrant palettes, and mixed media to create the bold abstract imagery featured in Construction series, Dock City two also makes this piece, in particular, Noah’s standout favourite.
“At first glance, I find it takes a moment for my eyes to process what is what! The scene in this piece is a view of Hamburg, the artist’s home city, looking from the Blohm & Voss shipyard. I particularly like the marriage of heavy industry and an almost Riviera like cityscape, which almost adds another layer of abstraction to the piece. Construction series, Dock City two is a perfect balance of photography and abstract.”
To find out more about this piece, you can contact Noah at the Broadway Modern gallery or explore here. You can also see Astor’s full collection with Trinity House.
