Nationality
American
Preview
Date of Work
2017
Medium
Oil on canvas
Signature
Side
Height
40"
Width
30"
Depth
1"
Collection/Provenance
Division of Research & Economic Development Collection
Status
Displayed: Division of Research & Economic Development
Location
Division of Research & Economic Development
Artist Bio
Marlene Llanes is a surrealist painter whose meticulously rendered works juxtapose everyday objects with elements of the natural world to create dreamlike yet grounded compositions. Influenced by Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, and M.C. Escher, her paintings explore perception through dramatic light, shadow, and precise realism. Born in Morelia, Mexico, Llanes earned a degree in graphic design from Universidad Vasco de Quiroga before receiving a Fulbright Scholarship to study in the United States, where she completed an MFA in Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States and Mexico and is represented in several public collections. Llanes is a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States and lives in Austin, Texas.
Additional Information
Prairie Surrealism:
New Order transforms a stand of trees into an improbable gathering, where individual forms unite in quiet conversation. The work invites viewers to recall the iconic shelterbelts that stretch across the North Dakota prairie, and reimagine them as symbols of connection, resilience, and discovery. By arranging familiar elements in unexpected ways, this painting reminds us that new understanding often emerges not from what we observe, but from the relationships we uncover through collaboration.