The art practice of Sid Natividad (b. 1989) is deeply anchored on the permanent concept of impermanence using the natural, impermanent qualities of water. Understanding that water, with its constant ebb and flow, perfectly captures the movement and change we so associate with impermanence, Natividad, a free diver, acknowledges that being in the water is one of the most explicit examples one can imagine of being in the moment.
To continuously hone his art practice, he carefully selects significant people and objects in his life and visually captures their moment of tranquility below the surface. Using the energy from the movement of water, he allows his most personal objects to meditatively float; once and for all, the past and the future disappear. Knowing for painting the unbelievable kinetic movement of humans and their underlying psyche associated with water, he expertly captures their sensations of peacefulness and solemnity while interacting with other natural elements and forces.
To emphasize the natural impermanent qualities of water, Natividad paints in expressionistic hyperrealism that straddles both figuration and abstraction to balance distortion and realism. He uses an abundance of energetic brush strokes in technical shades of turquoise blue, white, and ivory black to echo the fluid nature of water, while capturing the gentle ripples and light refracting through it, beautifully illuminating his subjects.
As a result, Natividad creatively taps into the perception of his subject’s oneness and connectedness with water in moments of complete surrender to memory and sensation.