ABOUT ME
“Cada atardecer es un mundo, yo solo estoy aquí para capturarlo.”
Alan Durst is a Mexican artist based in Madrid. Trained as an architect, he found in painting a more direct language, one built from geometry, light, and the quiet presence of small human figures that turn space into story.
In under three years, he has sold over 40 original works, exhibited in Madrid and Mexico City, and produced self-organized immersive experiences that merge visual art, space design, and emotional narrative. His collectors span Mexico, Spain, the United States, Argentina, Italy, Israel, Taiwan, and Panama.
THE CONCEPT
Alan works in acrylic and graphite, building compositions that live somewhere between architecture and emotion. His paintings are structured, grids, planes, geometric tension but never cold. Color does the warmth. Shadow does the weight.
What makes his work immediately recognizable is scale: small, hyperrealistic human figures placed inside vast geometric environments. They are never the subject. They are the measure. They exist to make you feel the size of a space, the silence of a moment, the strange comfort of being small inside something much larger than yourself.
The figures don't perform. They stand, walk, observe. And in that stillness, they become mirrors, inviting the viewer to step in, look around, and sit with whatever they find there.
His background in architecture is not just an influence... it's the foundation. He thinks in planes and light sources before he thinks in brushstrokes. But where architecture serves function, his paintings serve feeling. The precision is still there. The purpose has shifted.
The result is a body of work that doesn't shout. It holds space. It asks for a second look and usually gets it.
Alan is currently developing Groove It, an immersive exhibition opening in May 2026 a psychedelic, music-driven evolution of his visual language, inspired by the iconic sounds of the 70s and 80s.
Q & A
Because art is also about connection. Here are a few questions I often get (and a few I just like answering). If you made it here, take your time, get comfy — welcome to my world.
1. What do you do when you’re not making art? And what would you do if one day you couldn’t?
When I’m not painting, I’m probably hanging out with friends, hiking, hitting up some rooftop, working out, meditating… or binging Marvel and The Hunger Games (guilty). But to be honest, even when I’m “off,” my brain’s still in art mode. I’m constantly looking for new ideas, getting inspired, planning what’s next. I overthink everything, in the best way.
If I ever couldn’t make art anymore? That would be tough. Art is what gives me purpose, it’s what keeps me grounded and energized. But if that ever happened, I’d still find another way to express creativity — maybe through architecture, or some other path where I can keep creating and sharing. I honestly don’t know how to live without that.
2. If your 15-year-old self saw you today, what would they say?
He’d probably be like, “WTF is happening?” because this is definitely not what he imagined. But once he got it, I think he’d be proud. Drawing and painting have always been things I loved, even if I never thought I could actually make a life out of it. So realizing that something I didn’t even know was a dream is now my reality? That’s wild — in the best way.
3. Was there an exact moment when you said, “Yeah, this is it”?
There were a few. One of the biggest ones was in May 2023, when I painted my first-ever piece — it was for some friends, super spontaneous. But it lit something in me. I just kept going from there, and I haven’t stopped since.
Another major turning point was the first time I showed my work in public. It was this little art market at a hotel. I had zero idea if people would even look at my stuff, let alone buy it. But then… someone bought a piece. That changed everything. It wasn’t about the money — it was about someone connecting with something I created. That hit deep.
Also, I’ve worked in several architecture studios, and honestly… it never really clicked. The experiences weren’t awful, but something always felt off, like I was forcing it. But when I’m creating art, everything just flows. Ideas, opportunities, people — it all aligns. It’s like the universe is gently (or sometimes not-so-gently) nudging me in this direction. And I’m listening.
4. What do you want to say with your art, and where do you dream it’ll go?
My art is about being present. About living with intention, enjoying life without stepping on anyone else’s path. It’s about making the most of what we’ve got — connecting, creating, slowing down a bit, and being real.
What makes me happiest is when people tell me that my art helped them reconnect with themselves. That it gave them a sense of peace, or helped them feel something they hadn’t felt in a while. That’s the kind of impact I want to keep having.
And yeah, I dream big. I want my art to reach everywhere. Each piece holds something personal — a part of me — and it’s amazing to think that someone across the world could feel that. Japan is high on the list. I feel like people there have such deep respect for aesthetics and detail, and I’d love to see how they’d connect with my work. But really, I just want to keep building new kinds of experiences — immersive, meaningful, a little unexpected — and take them around the world.
5. What’s your red flag and green flag as an artist?
Red flag: I’m a perfectionist, straight up. If something doesn’t feel right, I’ll redo the whole thing from scratch. No shortcuts.
And when it comes to original custom pieces — I only take them on if I really connect with the idea. If someone comes to me with a concept that doesn’t inspire me or doesn’t feel like something I can translate authentically, I’ll say no. Not because I don’t care — it’s the opposite. I care too much to create something that doesn’t feel real to me. I put so much of myself into every piece that I have to be selective. I can’t — and won’t — create just for the sake of creating.
Green flag: But when I do connect with something? I’m all in. I pour every bit of energy, emotion, and intention into it. I don’t paint just to fill a wall — I create something that will live on for years and hold real meaning. And I think people feel that. I’ve been told that my pieces carry a certain energy — something calm, healing, joyful, grounding.
If a painting of mine can make someone stop, feel something, or reconnect with themselves… then I know I’m doing what I’m meant to do.