Zephyros
Solo Show – Preacher Gallery – Austin, Texas – 2022
In this series, Alvarez uses the waters in and around his hometown as a metaphor for the feeling of impermanence that seeps throughout his work. There is a sense that change is abound, for better or for worse. And layered between visions of what he calls “the last good summer,” Alvarez has placed hints at these impending forces: a crane in the distant skyline, the emissions of a gas well, the setting of a hot summer sun. In doing so, Alvarez is considering his own place in a world that is changing rapidly around him.
His answer to the uncertainty seems to be, simply, love. He combats his anxieties with depictions of the moments (and the person) that bring him true joy. He anchors himself in his partnership and the quiet life they’ve built together. Those waters of impermanence become refreshing pools to dive into; his backyard garden a sanctuary. And a flower at the edge of wilting reaches the height of its beauty.
