Artist Biography
Luciano Suárez, born in Buenos Aires in 1976, graduated in Fine Arts in 2004, an achievement that followed his prestigious Erasmus Scholarship at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2003. After graduating, Suárez spent two years in Norway refining his craft before returning to Madrid. There, he established himself at the Noviciado 9 Studio, where he continued to develop his pictorial work, focusing on the contextual influence of the city.
Suárez’s scholarly pursuits have centered on the idea that ‘ludens’ (play) and ‘faber’ (creation or work) are fundamental to humanity. He believes that these elements, when combined and expressed through painting, achieve their purest form. This concept arose from his study of early avant-garde movements like Surrealism and Dadá, as well as Art Brut, Bad Painting, and Neue Wilden genres.
In recent years, Suárez’s work has shifted from figurative towards an abstract interpretation of figures. His compositions, sometimes clear and sometimes concealed behind layers of paint, compel close examination. His work exists within the philosophical realm, requiring intellectual engagement to fully appreciate its subjective aesthetic. He believes that both the understated significance and the spectacle of art are crucial to artistic integrity.
Suárez has exhibited his work in Spain, Madrid, the Ukraine, and Australia, and his pieces are held in collections worldwide.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My latest works are part of an ongoing series that began in late 2018, titled “Although you don’t see me, here I am,” where I continue to explore new possibilities. These pieces are designed to provoke thought and invite viewers to question the nature of representation.
My work has consistently been on the edge of figuration. This exploration was influenced by a dream where I discussed creative processes and his novel *El Tunel* with Ernesto Sábato, an author who has greatly impacted my work. In our conversation, Sábato shared that he would cross out the most beautiful words in his novel to create a more compelling story.
Inspired by this, I decided to apply a similar concept to my own art. I began to cover the parts of my work that I considered most beautiful, layering and concealing them until they disappeared. This process creates a dialogue with varying thicknesses, layers, and the idea of invisibility itself. It allows the represented elements to exist together, revealing both sides of a concept beneath an intermediate plane, with figuration becoming abstraction and suggesting a journey from the interior to the exterior of the painting.
EDUCATION
2004 Graduated in Fine Arts, Complutense University, Madrid SPAIN
2003 Erasmus Scholarship, Leeds Metropolitan University UK
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2009 De Dentro Hacia Fuera, Silo de Hortaleza, Comunidad de Madrid SPAIN
2006 Caminantes, Centro Cultural Paco Rabal, Madrid SPAIN
2006 Silencios, Centro Miguel de Cervantes, Madrid SPAIN
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Group Show, VaVa Gallery, Madrid, SPAIN
2019 Exhibtion, Hub 27, This is Jackalope Nonprofit Organisation
2018 Directors Choice Exhibition, 19 Karen Gallery, Gold Coast, AUSTRALIA
2017 Saatchi Gallery Screen, Saatchi Gallery, London UK
2016 Puertos de Entrada, Sala de exposiciones de la diputación provincial de Huesca SPAIN
2016 Poder Planetario, Watdafac Gallery, Madrid SPAIN
2015 De pared a papel, Casa Quiroga Space, Madrid SPAIN
2014 Un Salón de Éter, Jameson Place, Madrid SPAIN
2014 Plas, Matadero de Madrid, formando parte del Mercado Central de Diseño SPAIN
2013 Presente Continuo, Centro Conde Duque, Madrid SPAIN
2013 La piña, el swing y el chachachá, Exposición en La Casa Encendida, Madrid SPAIN
2012 Open Studio, Madrid SPAIN
2012 Plas, Plas, Plas Gallery, Madrid SPAIN
2011 Open Art Fair 2011, Feria de arte internacional, Utrech THE NETHERLANDS
2010 Viernes, Noche en Blanco, Madrid SPAIN
2010 Canarias At The Hotel, Hotel ME, Madrid SPAIN
2010 Don Toldo, Festival Primavera Sound, Barcelona SPAIN
2008 Sparrows, Hudgraf Gallery, Kiev UKRAINE
2008 No Me Toques Los Bares, Sala Nasti, Madrid SPAIN
2007 Cocido Madrileno, Galería Rojo Máquina, Madrid SPAIN
2004 Big Cities, Leeds Metropolitan University. Leeds UK
Achievements
2022 Finalist in the Premio BMW De Pintura Competition, Spain
