Hundreds of Fantastic Creatures Inhabit a Sprawling Universe by Vorja Sánchez

In Organic Harmony, curious, hybrid insects and wide-eyed furry creatures populate a world of natural textures and surreal intrigue. Vorja Sánchez (previously) has been dreaming up the fanciful series for the last year and a half, which he debuts at Beinart Gallery later this month.

Inspired by the diversity of the forest and the vivid drawings of German biologist Ernst Haeckel, Sánchez imagines a vast ecosystem. He’s particularly drawn to patterns and employs similar motifs to create cohesion across multiple pieces. Soft, fluffy fur, slender leaves with curled tips, and gleaming eyes attached to unexpected body parts appear in several of his works.

“Ancient Tales”

Sánchez shares that by studying recurring patterns in nature, he’s learned to identify the biological purpose of many shapes and forms, which influence how he selects a particular characteristic for a single creature. The artist adds:

There’s a harmony in what might seem like randomness, and above all, nature doesn’t care about scale or importance—everything exists on the same level and is balanced. It’s a concept that fascinates me and serves as a profound metaphor for life.

A mix of graphite, ink, watercolor, gouache, spray paint, and more layer together in this sprawling collection to create what Sánchez calls “a fluid dialogue” between the materials and motifs. “There were moments when the creative process for each piece was like trying to remember a dream,” he says. “When you attempt to complete these hazy images, your memory transforms into something more intricate and elusive.” Rather than impose an aesthetic direction on the creatures, the artist prefers to let the blotting, drippy nature of the materials prevail.

Organic Harmony runs from April 26 to May 18 in Brunswick. Find more on Instagram.

“Insect Dialogue”