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Leon Tovar Gallery is pleased to present the exhibition Santiago Cárdenas: What We See and What Stares Back. This exhibition presents the work of Santiago Cárdenas through a simple yet radical question: How does an image appear before us?

Rather than depicting objects, Cárdenas reveals their presence. In his paintings-featuring chalkboards, hooks, ties, and umbrellas-objects do not tell stories; they simply present themselves with precision through light, shadow, and form. Standing before them, viewers encounter a tension between image and object, seeing not representation but an object-image. 

One of the most influential figures in modern Colombian art, Cárdenas is renowned for his exceptional refinement and mastery. His work elevates the everyday, transforming overlooked objects into sites of quiet intensity-objects we observe, and that, in turn, observe us.