ANTONIO MURADO

ARTIST BIO & ARTIST STATEMENT

Antonio Murado was born in Lugo, Spain, in 1964 and graduated from the University of Salamanca. He early on caught the attention of the Spanish art scene, taking center stage in a number of important contests and juried exhibitions. In 1995, with the help of an Unión Fenosa – MACUF Artists Abroad Grant, he enjoyed a residency in New York City, eventually settling there for good. Considered by critics as one of the most internationally renowned Spanish painters today, his artwork has been shown in both solo and group shows in Germany, Canada, the United States and elsewhere. His work can be found in important international collections such as New York’s Philip Morris Collection, The Nagasaki Art Museum in Japan, The American Express Collection, and Barcelona’s La Caixa Collection of Contemporary Art.

Now based in New York City, Murado experiments with a variety of techniques and source materials to create his works. His images range from abstract to representational, with thick impasto and lighter gestural marks. His works often contain mythological and art historical references that explore his interest in nature. For Murado, the important thing is that it excites; that there is something abstract that moves. As a result, the work does not speak of its techniques as something instrumental, but rather an affirmation of the operational process through materials, their behavior and the history of painting. His landscapes serve as a repository of shared places, preserving the narrative of life on Earth and our marks upon it. The animals depicted carry symbolic significance, alluding to sacrificial offerings, while the figures within his works become wanderers who traverse and become one with the entirety of existence.

Antonio Murado has taken inspiration from the renowned Southwest school of painting and the tonalist art movement. Tonalism, which originated in the 1880s, involved American artists painting landscapes with an overall tonal quality, using colored atmosphere or mist. Captivated by the American spirit of exploration and influenced by landscapes from northern romantic painters, Murado has embarked on experiments with washes, varnish, and turpentine. These techniques embody a distinctive approach and chromatic palette in his artwork. The use of varnish produces a weathered, "dirty windshield" effect, imparting an aged quality to an otherwise contemporary painting. Murado's focus lies in expansive landscapes and open spaces, driven by a profound sense of searching and immersion.