Surreal Paintings by Artist Merge History and Modernity in Reinterpreted 20th-Century Art
20th-century artists were audaciously innovative and immensely impactful, and their legacy continues to motivate today’s creators. Chilean painter based in Berlin, Pablo Benzo, is one such artist who promotes the vital artistic movements of that era through his ethereal works that intertwine history and the present.
Benzo draws inspiration from the Cubist and Surrealist movements that distanced themselves from realism, opting to delve into the inner self to express universal human experiences. “For me, art from the 20th century represents a dialect of intuition,” Benzo shares with My Modern Met. “A period when creatives shattered the facade of reality to investigate the underlying truths. It was an age of bravery, redefining forms and reconfiguring them through emotions, memories, and mobility.” He continues, “I perceive it not merely as a historical allusion but as an emotional legacy.”
Within his creations, Benzo manipulates perspective, crafting “pictures within pictures” reminiscent of early Cubism. In one artwork named Vestige of an imagined encounter, two canvases are illustrated in a room setting, positioned above an abstract couch and a lamp. In another piece named Memories Fade, Benzo illustrates a warped figure of a male artist creating a female nude on a canvas.
Benzo captures that which eludes language, such as “sensations, contradictions, and the subtle enigma of existence.” Curvilinear, fragmented, and sumptuous shapes illustrate uneven human figures, landscapes, and everyday objects liberated from constraints. Benzo states, “They reside in a realm where reason is flexible and color pulsates with its own beat.”
Should you find yourself in New York, you can view Benzo’s art closely at The Hole gallery. The exhibition features five new paintings and six paper works inspired by Peggy Guggenheim’s 1940s showcase, Art of This Century, which played a crucial role in introducing Surrealism and Cubism to New York audiences. His inaugural solo exhibition in New York, Time Traveler and Other Fragile Detours, opens on September 5 and will be available until October 11, 2025.
Chilean painter Pablo Benzo, based in Berlin, reinterprets Cubism through his surreal paintings that reflect history and the present.
Curvilinear, fragmented, and sumptuous shapes illustrate uneven human figures, landscapes, and recognizable objects liberated from constraints.
Benzo’s inaugural solo exhibit in New York, Time Traveler and Other Fragile Detours, features his latest artworks at The Hole gallery.
Exhibition Information:
Pablo Benzo
Time Traveler And Other Fragile Detours
September 5, 2025–October 11, 2025
The Hole
86 Walker Street, New York City, NY 10013, U.S.A.
Pablo Benzo: Instagram
Permission to feature photos by Pablo Benzo has been granted by My Modern Met.
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