Future Primitive: Questioning Architecture and Childhood Symbols

Jean-Philippe's Future Primitive series draws on his exploration of the Cortijo de los Jurados, an abandoned manor in Málaga, steeped in dark legends. The work interrogates themes of abandonment, power, and occupation, while questioning the symbolic weight of both architecture and toys.

Using the Snake Mountain (Evil Castle) from He-Man action figures—an iconic symbol of evil from his 1980s childhood—the artist transforms this playful object into a permanent, cement sculpture. This shift highlights how childhood toys can be reinterpreted to embody themes of power and decay, much like abandoned architecture. The He-Man figure becomes a metaphor for the collapse of power, mirroring the deterioration of the cortijo itself.

Jean-Philippe also adds small cement huts to the piece, symbolizing the temporary occupation of the space by others. These huts reflect how architecture, whether grand or makeshift, is redefined by its inhabitants over time.

Through this work, Jean-Philippe blends architecture and childhood symbols to question how spaces and objects, once full of meaning, can evolve into remnants of the past—both haunted and reimagined by those who occupy them.

La Térmica, Creadores 2016

Technique: Pigmented reinforced concrete and plywood.
Dimensions: 28x36x70 cm.
Year: 2016