JC Arana

Arana creates paintings that bridge history, memory, and myth. His artistic journey began with an interest in re-examining historical figures and pivotal moments, but over time his practice has turned inward, evolving into a more personal narrative.

Arana’s work reanimates fragments of memory and imagination, recalling the ways a child perceives the world with wonder, distortion, and intensity. Central to his practice is the figure of the superhero—a recurring subject that functions as both icon and allegory. By making superheroes of anonymous or overlooked individuals, Arana questions cultural ideals of perfection, valor, and invincibility. His heroes are not untouchable figures, but rather embodiments of humanity itself: strong yet vulnerable, extraordinary yet profoundly flawed.

This tension between myth and reality runs through Arana’s collections, where he illuminates forgotten stories while weaving in his own lived experience. His work invites viewers to reconsider the narratives we inherit, the figures we idolize, and the ways memory itself becomes both archive and invention.