Fernando Cuétara (Madrid, 1969) is a self-taught Spanish artist currently based in Miami, Florida. The painter has lived around the world in diverse places such as California, Switzerland, and Asia; his travels and experiences have been a key inspiration for his artworks and personal growth. Cuétara began his artistic career at a very young age. He was initially self-taught until he had the opportunity to work with the prestigious Spanish artist Gines Serrán Pagan who influenced his artistic style. This period was a turning point for Cuétara as it introduced him to new methods, particularly the use of varied materials to create intricate textures within his works.

The artist starts creating each piece using a blank canvas, which he then manipulates by hand, creating different folds, angles, and slits. He considers this initial step as the “foundation of the piece” and therefore does not rush the process of forming since he firmly believes it will be the structure to hold the color, soul, and permanence of the artist’s creativity. The second step is the development of the appropriate color and pigment for the work. Most of them are monochromatic but depending on where the viewer stands, the color might differ. Cuétara enjoys travelling to exotic places like Morocco in search of unique colors.

Cuétara is meticulous when making each fold and repeating the process so every single element is balanced, symmetrical, and executed to perfection. His most recent series include LED lights, which are embedded inside the canvas’ slits creating colorful shadows. Cuétara refers to this series as auras or the electromagnetic field that surrounds the human body and every organism and object in the Universe. Accordingly, each of these paintings has a particular color, shadow, and light intensity. The artist takes pride in his works being very contemporary, minimal, sublime, and subtle.