The painting creates a metaphor by using metaphorical objects that was easily translated by the audience in which she painted for. In the pieces displayed, the background are often very vague, and not important. They all have very concentrated palettes.
Hector uses the style by adding his own twist with it. Since his story was very similar to the style it was a very was adaption of the two. The work made by hector does have some links to the style in a very modern day relation and he uses the style correctly. For the image about “the creation” i believe that the photo was not heavy handed, but very slick in its execution.
When creating an image for a particular audience, it is easier to communicate as you know what symbols will be meaningful. Certainly, the Dutch still life painters knew their audience and referenced Christian iconography that everyone would know. There is another level though that still works, a more general one that anyone today can grasp about the life cycle and mortality.
As to Membreno-Canales, yes, the photographs are technically impressive. Slick sounds so negative.