The Businessman. 2021

Cordero paints a portrait of a businessman, a self-referential figure, that represents an aspect of his persona that he struggles to fully connect with. Marked by his hat, suit and tie, the figure is a symbolic representation of a business-oriented, materialistic bourgeois society that dominates contemporary life. Dressed in a colorful suit, the businessman stares with a gaping mouth, yelling or grimacing, hinting at feelings of alienation and melancholy. For Cordero, the businessman is a reminder of the harsh reality that stands in opposition to the romanticized notion of an artist. The imaginary persona of the artist is a figure who acts on his creative impulses and is isolated from the market, societal conditions, and, to a certain extent, reality as a whole.