Colombian artist María Fernanda Cuartas’ artistic identity emerged through her focus on the human body as she embraced neo-figurativism. Filled with metaphysical depth and dreamlike qualities, her faceless figures depicted in bold, flat colors explore existential themes.

Freed from traditional constraints, Cuartas uses simple forms, defined by lines and contours, to capture only the essential. By omitting certain visual elements, she invites viewers to engage with the symbolism and esoteric themes, encouraging reinterpretation.

We caught up with her to explore her artistic journey and the women behind the women.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you started as an artist?

From an early age, I was deeply drawn to art, music, and theatre. My mother, who was my greatest mentor, nurtured my passion for these disciplines throughout my childhood and teenage years.

I initially started with musical instruments – drums, piano, flute, and guitar – before eventually exploring ceramics and painting. Then, when I was nine, the art academy where I studied held a competition, and as a result, they selected my painting for an exhibition in Paris.. That was an important moment for a very young artist.

What message or emotions do you try to convey through your art?

My work explores human behaviour within and outwith the context of today’s society.

Art is both a mirror and a labyrinth; it reflects reality or distorts it beyond recognition. The observer is the alchemist of their own reality. With my brush, I alter the cosmos, playing with the viewer’s perception. I weave a satirical message into the air, mould reality with objects floating towards the ethereal, and extend lines into infinity. My figures pulsate with life. Their gazes and whispers echo within a universe that constantly suggests their presence, with hands and feet barely hinted at in their ethereal existence. These faceless figures speak through the tension of their angles. I invite the viewer to converse with the work, to complete and seal the act of communication it proposes in that fleeting moment. The absence of facial features is the strength of my art. For me, the power of art lies in what is left unsaid.

Do you have any rituals or routines that help in your creative process?

Inspiration strikes me mostly at night. My muse visits in the early hours, and that is when I sketch and let my creativity out.

Can you share the story behind one of your own favourite paintings?

One of my most meaningful series is A Day in the Life of Raquel, which tells the true story of a young woman from Barranquilla, Colombia. Her life was filled with hardship – an abusive father, a home entangled in drug dealings. Seeking a different path, she ran away to the capital, only to fall into the hands of a trafficker who took her to Italy with false documents, forcing her into prostitution. She endured immense suffering throughout her journey. Each of the thirty paintings in this series is inspired by her life and honoring what it must have been like to live it.

If you could collaborate with any artist, living or not, who would it be and why?

I would love to collaborate with Maria Tereza Negreiros. Her use of colour, particularly in her depictions of Amazonian fires, is mesmerizing and deeply abstract.

What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

Originality is key. It’s essential to develop an authentic artistic identity. While inspiration can come from various sources, it’s important to extract ideas rather than replicate someone else’s style.

María Fernanda Cuartas continues to push artistic boundaries with her evocative works, capturing the complexities of human existence with striking visuals. Her journey serves as an inspiration to emerging artists seeking their unique voice in the art world.

María Fernanda Cuartas Artworks