Joherms Quiala Brooks (Cuban, b. 1970) 

Desayuno De Genio [The Genie's Breakfast or The Genius's Breakfast]

2003

Oil on canvas

Signed and dated to lower right 

Visible 25 1/2 in. x 31 1/2 in., framed to 30 3/4 in. x 37 1/4 in. 

Joherms Quiala Brooks is a Cuban artist who explores surrealism while grounding his work with classical poses. A devotee of Salvador Dalí's surrealism, this work pays homage to his inspiration. 

A mystical portrait of Gala Dalí dominates the foreground with Salvador Dalí looming in the background as a genie or djinn. Gala's breast is partially exposed as she holds her mug and sits with a floating plate featuring a pastry in front of her. This important symbolism ties this work with Salvador Dalí's 1944 Portrait of Galarina (1944),  in which he painted Gala with her arms intertwined, representing a breadbasket, and her exposed breast represented the end of a loaf of bread. Salvador also saw bread as the universal source of life, making the connection between bread and Gala's breast especially significant, as both are featured in this Quiala Brooks's painting. 

The title itself is a play on words, as the Spanish word genio means both "genie" and "genius". A clear reflection of Brooks' regard for Dalí's artistic mastery as well as supernatural qualities. 

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[Art, Cuban Art, Latinx Art, Latino Art, Latin-American Art, Caribbean Art]