In Historia Sintética at Dallas Contemporary, Francisco Moreno blends history and fantasy to shape a surreal new reality.
Francisco Moreno: Historia Sintética
April 17–August 30, 2026
Dallas Contemporary
Amid a lush, grassy backdrop, a squirrel lounges on a pillowy bed of rocks while sipping a tiny glass of red wine. In another scene, a female squirrel reclines sensually on a small couch while a male squirrel sketches her figure. I turn and spot the little furballs again and again, munching on a taco or being chased by a dog. Through navigating his identity and cultural hybridity, Mexican American artist Francisco Moreno has created a kaleidoscopic universe that drew my attention to the smallest details.
In his first solo museum exhibition, Moreno demonstrates the breadth and depth of his fourteen-year studio practice. Geometric paintings near the entrance lay the foundation for his relationship with images and space through formal explorations of color and composition. Another section groups together small paintings of magical, anthropomorphized animals partaking in recreational activities, illustrating a more imaginative side of exploring the human condition. In the show’s central passage, Moreno’s history paintings offer complex substance and storylines through a medley of subjects.
Moreno’s universe is in a constant state of flux as he reimagines time in both directions.
A ten-foot-tall wooden structure of a Spanish Byzantine chapel stands in the middle of the large gallery space, magnetically drawing me in. The painted interior depicts a dense, psychedelic montage of symbols, patterns, and images that the artist refers to as his “collapsed archive,” resulting in an intimate space for meditation on the past and future.
The apex of Historia Sintética is Moreno’s most recent major project, Mural Cycle (2024-26). Five allegorical murals, each spanning nineteen feet, depict complex and fantastical stories about the stages of life, encapsulating themes of creation, procession, acceptance, awareness, and consciousness. These allegories are populated by Aztec feathered serpents, Japanese anime characters, European explorers arriving by ship, flying pizzas, an astronomer (modeled after Moreno’s father), and, of course, another mischievous squirrel.
Moreno’s universe is in a constant state of flux as he reimagines time in both directions. His work explores his identity and what it means to exist and belong, whether he’s inventing a synthetic creation myth or reimagining the secret lives of the critters living right outside our front doors.
