Manglano-Ovalle is an American artist who was born in Spain. His work consists primarily of sculptures and installations. Manglano-Ovalle uses political commentary to leverage his work without revealing his own position. To the artist, the concept of art transcends the physical object. It is about raising questions and igniting discussion
I am most fascinated with Manglano-Ovalle’s investigation of the infamous World War II bombings and chemical warfare.
In his 2008 work, Dirty Bomb, Manglano-Ovalle recreates the design of Fat Man, the second US bomb detonated over Japan. However his material is shined with a luxurious white car varnish and splattered with mud thus completing the visual pun. He also explores the character of Oppenheimer in two of his works, as he describes in the video below.
Manglano-Ovalle’s works are insightful and compelling. The artist strikes an intriguing balance between the conceptual and the visual to challenge the viewer’s conception of art. Manglano-Ovalle is important to my own work because I am inspired by the air of mystery he imbues to each of his works. This is a concept I want to utilize to capture the viewer’s attention and keep the audience pondering.
Artist Website:
Sound & Sweet 