Cactus Gallery LA
10 EL ARBOL (The Tree) by artist Milka LoLo
$ 600.00
Acrylic and gold and silver leaf on wood, 8 x 10”
Framed 11”x13”
2026
About the piece: The central idea is the Lotería EL ARBOL card, but the more symbolic inspiration comes from the concept of the Tree of Life. Viewed as axis of the universe, great trees—especially the ceiba—were believed to connect the three planes of existence: their roots in the underworld, their trunks firmly planted in our Earthly realm, and their highest branches reaching into the celestial spheres. To emphasize the sacred yet ephemeral nature of our plane, Milka depicted the tree emerging from the head of Cipactli—a primordial beast from whose body the Earth was formed, according to Aztec cosmogony. In short, it is about the origins and the sacredness of life.
Also shown here is the original Don Clemente Gallo card for EL ARBOL.
Riddle associated with this image:
El que a buen árbol se arrima buena sombra le cobija.
He who butts up against a good tree will have good shade to shield him.
***
Milka Lolo was born and raised in Mexico City. Her work consists of the re-interpretation of the characters, myths, and narrations of Mexican folktales. Her contemporary versions allow them to remain valid in the collective memory while at the same time, generating its own aesthetic. Milka constantly explores surrealism, symbolism, illustration and indigenous art in her work.
Milka has been showing with us since 2018.
