de la Torre Brothers: Psychopomp: New York

Ruiz-Healy Art is excited to present de la Torre Brothers: Psychopomp, marking the brothers' second solo exhibition with the gallery and their first in New York City. The exhibition will be on view from May 12 through August 14, 2026. “Psychopomp” is a title for a spiritual guide who leads souls on their journey to the afterlife. The de la Torre Brothers create elaborate, mixed-media glass sculptures and lenticular prints, utilizing the concept of the psychopomp to explore themes of cultural transience. Their Baroque-inspired creatures create visually dense narratives that reflect on “high” versus “low” art, diasporic experiences, and social class stratification through humorous world-building.

Transdifferentiation IV portrays a human head in a reimagined anatomical illustration, vulnerable and exposed. At the temple, a pencil unwinds a cassette tape that wraps around and envelops the skull. Created for an exhibition featuring artists from the San Diego/Tijuana region collaborating with the chief investigating scientists from the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, the brothers worked alongside a scientist researching cancer cells. Scientifically, transdifferentiation refers to reprogramming rogue T-cells from becoming cancerous to help regenerate tissues and organs. Inspired by this collaboration, the artwork and its title evoke themes of creation, transformation, and perpetual evolution.

The brothers use humor and wit, evident in many of their works, to explore themes such as human overconsumption and environmental issues. Drawing inspiration from Dr. Seuss’s fable of “The Lorax”, their piece Lorax Salute presents the de la Torres’ interpretation of the speaker for the trees. Their reimagined Lorax urges the viewers to reflect on the weight of humanity’s modern footprint, evolving from a playful cartoon into a more grotesque character,  angry and frustrated with the state of the world around us. 

Drawing on Greek myth, the title references the fearsome Chimera, a monster with a lion’s head and forelegs, a goat’s head and rear legs, and a snake for a tail. Unlike its namesake, this sculpture depicts a deer’s head mounted on an ambiguous humanoid figure. Fire erupts from the sculpture’s top, echoing the Chimera’s legendary breath. The brothers explain that it symbolizes the fear of losing our humanity as we continue to play with genetic recombination for selfish reasons, turning ourselves into distorted trophies.

The sculpture Schedule Conflict sports a luchador mask, traditionally worn by Mexican wrestlers. Beyond concealing the wrestler’s identity, these masks help create the character the wrestler embodies in the ring. The teardrop on the mask’s face resembles a prison teardrop tattoo, which can symbolize grief, loss, or solidarity with a loved one who is incarcerated.

The title of Cannibal is apt, depicting an anthropomorphic bottle with an expressive face, holding a much smaller bottle in its hands, seemingly consuming its contents while perched on a resin stand. The bottle consumes itself, becoming a cannibal by its consumption. For Einar and Jamex de la Torre, the act of cannibalism mirrors the human tendency of overconsumption. We take more than we give, devouring everything in sight until we become an ouroboros, consuming our own tail.

The works in Psychopomp blend cultural and national influences, reflecting the diverse inspirations behind the brothers’ creative process. Myths and folklore permeate many of their works, such as Brave Heart, where decorative spokes encircle a central figure, reminiscent of the Stone of the Sun from the Aztec calendar. At the center, a grimacing heart with four limbs extends outward, one hand holding a blade. The Brave Heart bears its teeth and raises its arm as a warrior preparing for battle, ready to protect the world that it bleeds for.

Poison Dart Frog exudes a lively presence, reflecting the de la Torre brothers’ signature humor. The resin base holds toy ducks and dice, surrounded by a decal of Japanese mahjong tiles. The title references tree frogs native to Central America, known for their toxic skin, which Indigenous Americans used to tip blowdarts. Towering over the amphibian is a floral vulva, echoing the shape of the Virgin of Guadalupe’s mandorla, a symbol of fertility and faith. Together, these elements represent the brothers’ connections to Mexican culture, presenting the frog and faith as playful, symbolic compositions. 

Created as part of a commissioned project with a mezcal bottle brand, Mezcalera reflects the clever wit that the brothers bring to every source of inspiration they engage with. Drawing from their experience teaching blown glass classes, the work reimagines mezcalera models, blending cultural heritage with their own unique artistic visions.