El espíritu del éxtasis (2009)
2 monotypes 199 x 148 cm Somerset Paper (410 g)
Courtesy: BENVENISTE Contemporary, Madrid
Miki Leal makes use of a vast archive of cultural icons and symbols, reworking them from an equally ironic and oneiric perspective. In his El espítiru del éxtasis [Spirit of Ecstasy] comprising two large-format etchings, the artist has synthesised a seminal icon in automobile mythology, the Rolls Royce plus the logos and other items closely associated with the legendary brand. Naturally, there is the figure adorning the radiator on the front of the car just above the RR initials, also known as Spirit of Ecstasy. These elements not only define a brand, but also emphasize the values of distinction and exclusiveness characterising its owners. Miki Leal’s diptych confronts the obvious materiality and strong classicism of these symbols with the ductility and immateriality of the dreams the artist attempts to depict. Likewise, he also connects with the dialectics between nostalgia and modernisation underlying the car industry’s constant recovery of old models.
