Modern Myths

The Garden of Nymphs

In contrast to the court’s decadence, this sub-series blooms with quiet tenderness. Here, Varona introduces flower nymphs, nude, innocent figures with blooming flower heads, frolic freely in wild meadows, sip tea beneath toast-winged butterflies, and lounge in sun-drenched leisure.
Though strikingly sensual to the viewer, these beings are unaware of their beauty. Like animals or blossoms, they live without shame or self-awareness.

Their nudity is not erotic to them, it is simply natural. The sensual tone of these works emerges not from the figures themselves, but from the viewer’s gaze.
Each piece is a meditation on the ephemeral nature of beauty. Like real flowers, these nymphs are radiant but fleeting. Their innocence becomes all the more poignant because we know it cannot last.

"Gods Don't Share Thrones"

Collaborative work by Darien Varona & King Saladeen

This powerful artwork merges myth and modernity, blending the iconic story of Icarus with today's relentless pursuit of Artificial Intelligence. At its core, it poses a stark warning: humanity, like Icarus, may be flying too close to the sun.
In this piece, Icarus is reimagined not just as a tragic figure of myth but as a symbol for our time—his wings composed of data, his ambition echoing our technological ascent. Where Icarus sought to join the gods with wax and feathers, we now race to create our own form of sentience through AI, flirting with forces once thought divine. But as the title states: "Gods Don't Share Thrones."

By fusing King Saladeen's signature graffiti aesthetic with my own figurative realism, we've created a striking juxtaposition of style and substance, where classical ideals of beauty clash with the raw urgency of street expression. The canvas is littered with quotes and mantras that echo warnings from philosophers, prophets, and dreamers. It's both a tribute and a cautionary tale, a modern myth retold for the age of algorithms.
This painting mirrors our era: bold, defiant, and on the edge of something irreversibly transformative.