Gilbert Duran (San Antonio, Texas, 1947-2023), prowling shark with coral and underwater life, Atlantis Southwest series, 1996, oil on canvas

size: 36 x 48 in.

Artist's note: As the beasts of the underwater world survey their newfound domain and shadow the relics of one's past... I too must find my way. Upon arriving in the desert of the Southwest, I began to research the paintings of artists from Taos and Santa Fe, whose styles all cascaded from the same ideas. This frustrated me, so I decided to submerge the Southwest and create my own unique style. Thus was born the concept of "Atlantis Southwest".

Provenance: Property from the collection of the Southtown San Antonio, Texas studio of noted artist Gilbert Duran

Gilbert Durán (1947-2023) was a celebrated artist first known for his watercolor renditions of South Texas wildlife and Texas ranch scenes, and later for vivid oil paintings of South Texas and Latin themes, most famously depicting Frida Kahlo holding a margarita ('Frida Margarita'), an image which has been widely copied and displayed throughout Texas and beyond. Durán worked for many years out of his Southtown San Antonio, Texas live / work studio, Durán Arte, producing strikingly original canvases as well as sculpture and commissioned work. Many of Durán's key works were displayed in prominent San Antonio restaurants including Rosario's and Soluna, and have been shown at the Smithsonian Museo Alameda, and added to private collections including that of Guadalupe Rivera Marin, daughter of Kahlo's husband Diego Rivera. Durán's impressive legacy as one of San Antonio's outstanding artists continues to grow as pieces begin to come to market at auction houses and galleries throughout the Southwest.