MANUEL ZAMUDIO

RETURN TO NEON

solo exhibition

August 1st - 31st, 2025

Opening Reception: First Friday, August 1st • 5-9pm​

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Arch Enemy Arts presents RETURN TO NEON by Manuel Zamudio. The Texas-based artist’s second solo show features nine paintings and four drawings depicting visionary inhabitants in a vibrant yet dystopian world. Zamudio’s oil paintings are like looking at ultra-HDR photographs on strong psychotropics. Capturing an intense dynamic range, he includes flecks of light on impossibly defined pores; dark, deep valleys on twisted, wrinkled mouths; and undulating midtones in flowing forms of flesh. Bathed in the fluorescent glow of futuristic urban decay, his loose and melting backdrops push their subjects even further forward, accentuating the sci-fi narratives of this jarring and eerily familiar world.

 

“‘Neon’ represents the fictional dystopian city where my characters reside, but it’s also a reference to the technique I use: high-contrast, vibrant colors that create a sense of intensity and life. In the City of Neon, the impossible is no longer a concept; it’s a commodity…It is my exploration of the possibilities of where we are heading, reflections of things that may already be happening, and visions of what could happen in the future. It’s not just about technology; it’s about human existence, consciousness and the philosophy of what it means to be human. I try to create a contrast not only in the use of bright colors against darker themes but also between emotions: sadness and discovery, isolation and connection. I want people to think, feel, and to experience that tension within the work.” - Manuel Zamudio

 

A key component of Zamudio’s world-building is a "technological marvel dubbed ‘The Ascension Patch,’” which presents as a glowing symbol hovering above and around the faces of its users, and more importantly, it seems to differentiate one class or ideology of people in Neon from another. Zamudio writes, “In Neon City, some inhabitants have ascended to a heightened state of ‘light,’ achieved not only through their journeys, meditations, and ancient texts but, most profoundly, through neural chip augmentation...With a single implant, one can grasp the thoughts of beggars huddled in alleyways and the wisdom of spiritual icons, who once seemed untouchable.”

 

Manuel Zamudio (b. 1988) is based in McAllen, Texas where he has lived most of his life. A self-taught artist born in Mexico City, he cites coming to the United States at an early age as one of the most defining experiences of his life. “Being an immigrant is never easy,” Manny tells us, “and those challenges deeply shaped who I am both as a person and an artist. While I’ve been blessed with many beautiful moments along the way, those early experiences of loss, change, and resilience have left a lasting imprint on my work and the themes I explore.” RETURN TO NEON is Zamudio’s second solo feature with Arch Enemy Arts. He began showing with the gallery in 2020 after submitting to our Spotlight Showcase, and we are honored to welcome him to Philadelphia for the opening reception on First Friday, August 1st. 

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RETURN TO NEON will be on view from August 1st - 31st, 2025
Sold works will begin to ship the week starting September 7th, unless other rush shipping arrangements have been made. 

Items marked with a red dot have already been sold.

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