Miguel Ángel Payano Jr.'s debut solo exhibition at Unit London showcases multimedia artworks blending painting, collage, and relief sculpture. Titled "Limbguistics," the exhibit explores the interconnectedness of human and natural elements, featuring hands, feet, and tree branches adorned with fruit in a trompe l'oeil style.

Drawing on Payano's diverse experiences in the Caribbean, New England, and China, Limbguistics delves into the varied modes of communication. Inspired by his transcontinental journey, Payano challenges the conventional view of language, considering it as a cultural medium embodying intangible values and traditions. The exhibition aims to extend this cultural vernacular to art, fostering a body of work that reflects shared human experiences.

The collection integrates motifs such as peaches and monkeys, symbols deeply rooted in Chinese culture. The peach, associated with magic and mythology, symbolizes immortality, fertility, and eros, while the monkey represents intelligence and playful mischievousness. Payano uses the peach's surface to create "single-celled humans," serving as metaphors for language and communication.

Additionally, monkeys in the artworks break through traditional boundaries, disrupting frames and serving as social commentary on human behavior. Inspired by eighteenth-century French Singerie, where monkeys mimic human actions satirically, Payano creates a dialogue between diverse art histories, bridging gaps between seemingly disparate visual cultures.

7 November - 19 December

Unit London gallery

3 Hanover Square,

London W1S 1HD

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