Carlos Amorales Mexican, b. 1970

Carlos Amorales’ linework and use of contour lines that resemble the geometric allure of a spider’s web are a steady theme in his exploration of abstraction in the figurative. The artist states, “We live in a different period. It’s much more ambiguous. Ideology can be positive or negative. It’s hard to take a position anymore. During the Cold War, things were divided between the Communists and the West. After that, it’s hard philosophically to make a distinction.” Amorales takes a heavy interest in artists and literature when constructing his gothic-style vector line drawings in his Selected Ghosts series, including Jose Guadalupe Posada and Edgar Allan Poe. Selected Ghosts #21 pays homage to Allan Poe with the figure of a raven and a skull in reference to Posada’s frequent use of them.