Hágase la Luz

In this surreal composition, Cuban conceptual artist Alan Manuel González transforms a light bulb into a vessel for two palm trees — their trunks built from stacked coins and their fronds crafted from banknotes. At first glance, the imagery evokes wealth and tropical abundance. Yet, within the clarity of the bulb, the message unfolds: money is ultimately just paper, its power fragile and contained.

By encasing these symbols of currency inside glass, González questions the value we place on material possessions and the illusion of permanence they bring. The palm trees, often associated with vitality, leisure, and aspiration, here remind us that behind the allure of what money can buy, its essence is insignificant compared to life’s deeper truths.

With hyperreal precision and thought-provoking symbolism, González invites the viewer to reconsider what truly illuminates our lives — and what is simply decoration.