Iván Navarro’s art is deeply informed by his upbringing during the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile in the 1970s-1980s, a time when electricity was weaponized as a means of torture, control, and surveillance. Through the use of fluorescent and neon lights, mirrors, and everyday objects like ladders, tables, doors, fences, and water towers, Navarro transforms familiar forms into powerful metaphors that critique systems of authority, power, and observation. His luminous installations stand out for their minimalist yet highly refined aesthetic, drawing viewers in with their visual intensity and prompting an immersive, reflective experience.

A prime example of this approach is Shrapnel. This piece showcases Navarro’s distinctive use of light, mirrors, and optical illusion. Constructed from LED lights, painted glass, wood, a sandblasted mirror, and a one-way mirror—all energized by electricity—the work’s title evokes notions of violence and fragmentation, yet its form has otherworldly beauty. This duality underscores Navarro’s larger oeuvre: the way light, often associated with clarity and revelation, can also blind, deceive, and mask underlying violence. As light creates a fast-moving cosmos of colored shards, it invites viewers to question how our physical and psychological environments can be manipulated and how perspective can be transformative.