“The Lesson” (2020), oil on canvas, 130 x 170 centimeters. All images © Paco Pomet

In Beginnings, Spanish artist Paco Pomet (previously) visualizes a series of jarring and absurd scenarios born out of an equally concerning event. He juxtaposes disparate elements—a mushroom cloud erupting in a classroom, women cavalierly poking at a tabletop sunrise, a mountain range lying on an operating table—in a series of satirical commentaries infused with pop culture references and nods to art history.

“Headstrong” (2020), oil on canvas, 23 3/5 × 28 7/10 inches

Generally contrasting a black-and-white scene with a recurring, full-color sunrise or sunset, Pomet’s compositions merge time periods and situations to mark the start of a new reality, a broad theme tied to the current moment. […]

“Hesperides” (2020), oil on canvas, 51 1/5 × 66 9/10 inches

More: Ironic Compositions Juxtapose Outlandish Scenarios in Paco Pomet’s New Paintings