489 25th St, Oakland
June 7, 2026
In the back corner of The Orchard Galleries on 25, artist Alejandro Rubio sat in his sun dappled studio surrounded by his paintings. In a color palette reminiscent of Seurat, but with a texture that seems to be a cousin to Mission School muralism, Rubio’s paintings demand a long first look. And then a second.
Green is the dominant color, hopping from an idyllic scene of three cypress trees to a man in green. The man’s back is to the viewer. Houses and trees rest on his back as if he is the earth itself. He stares at a seascape with a brilliant orange sky. In one hand he holds a cigarette, its smoke unfurling into the sky, and in the other a glass. It seems he is both a part of and essential to the landscape.
The green figure moves from work to work, always retaining the dual roles of being a part of and existing within Rubio’s landscapes. He is rendered nearly invisible, yet simultaneously demands awareness.
“The series is called The Green Man. I imagine a connection between the figure and the landscape, the landscape becoming a breathing person with sensitivity, emotions, bodily functions. I imagine a world in which our planet can acquire the same kind of ‘personhood’ corporations have,” Rubio says.
The works are an intriguing depiction of an environmental movement that has been gaining popularity worldwide; Mount Taranaki, or Taranaki Maunga in Māori, has been granted personhood by New Zealand’s government. Granting a mountain legal rights gives the Māori authority to restore it to a healthier ecosystem and support important conservation work.
Rubio, who grew up in Uruguay under a military dictatorship, understands the importance of preserving natural spaces. He began his art practice at the age of 18, following in his father’s footsteps, but also studied under two artists who belonged to Joaquin Torres Garcia’s school of teaching. His work leans into abstraction, geometry and composition.
Rubio’s work stands as a physical iteration of the idea that humans cannot seperate themselves from the earth that they live on. It is a reminder that it is a living being that must be cared for as we care for our own bodies and that we cannot survive without it.
Rubio’s next show will be in November at Saint Mark’s Cathedral in London as part of a group show about liminal space. To learn more about his work, visit his website or Instagram page. He lives and works in Oakland.
The Orchard Galleries are a fairly new space, but the vibrant community of artists who show there make it worth a visit. Catch them next weekend for Open Studios or monthly at Oakland Art Murmur.
East Bay Open Studios will continue June 13 and 14.
