Biography

Fernando Gómez Balbontín

Chile

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Painting

Fernando Gómez Balbontín

Born in 1981, Santiago, Chile
Lives and works in Santiago, Chile

My work emerges from the necessity to create a visual language based on the critical representation of contextual realities. The purpose is to build a shape as a con-secuence of the content, and the result of it is nothing but the register of a thoughtful process. I am currently interested in an in-depth study on how our society lives. This excercise is done through analysing the view that society itself has about the existence of death.

Through painting I try to build anti-dogmatic realities. Converted into surreal scenarios, these realities represent a critique to a western system (immersed in a consumption society) that keeps us in denial of living in harmony with our inherent condition of mortal and spiritual beings.

I believe that being aware of the existence of death can allow us to understand the meaning of life.

Education:

2001-2006. Six-year degree in Architecture. Finis Terrae University. Santiago, Chile.
1987-2000. Cumbres School. Santiago, Chile.

Solo exhibitions:

2018. Desfiguración. November. CIMA Gallery, Santiago, Chile.
2014. Thoughts about life and death. April – May. Da Wang Culture Highland, A building gallery, Shenzhen, China.
2011. Li, Las Condes Cultural Corporation. Santiago, Chile.
2000. Obras recopiladas, University for Development. Organized by Cumbres School. Santiago, Chile.

Group exhibitions:

2019. The Other Art Fair. May. Brooklyn Expo Center, NY, US.
2012. 100 curators, 100 days, Virtual Collection , curated by Kira Sjöberg. Saatchi Online Gallery.
2011-2012. Cabeza de ratón, Museum of Visual Arts (MAVI). Santiago, Chile.
2011. Art Paris. Saatchi Online Gallery. Paris, France.
2008. Year-end sale. Patricia Ready Gallery. Santiago, Chile.
2008. Hombre al Desnudo. Praxis Gallery. Santiago, Chile.
2000-2001. Arte Actual Gallery. Santiago, Chile.
1996. SANTAM. Tajamares Museum, organized by the Embassy of South Africa together with the Cultural Corporation of Providencia. Santiago, Chile.

Awards:

2011. Third place in “Cabeza de ratón” Contest,  Museum of Visual Arts (MAVI). Santiago, Chile.
2011. Finalist in Showdown Nº5 Contest, Saatchi Online Gallery.
2003-2006. Scholarship for Architecture Development, Las Condes Council. Santiago, Chile.
2003-2005. Scholarship for Architecture Development, Finis Terrae University. Santiago, Chile.
2004. Scholarship for Architecture Development, Finis Terrae University. Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
1999. First place in Interscholastic Painting Contest, organized by Deutsche Schule. Santiago, Chile.
1996. Selected in International Student Art contest “SANTAM”, organized by South African embassy together with Cultural Corporation of Providencia. Santiago, Chile.

Publications:

2013. Made in Chile: Reflexiones sobre la vida y la muerte. elsafari.cl
2013. Published in for-example.org
2013. “El fondo de la imagen”. Interview.  Urbe Salvaje.
2012. Published in jueso.diandian.com
2012. “The art of a car crash”. milkmade.com
2011. Published in emptykingdom.com
2011. “Pintor captura a chica que pasa indiferente frente a la muerte”. Interview. “Las Últimas Noticias” Newspaper. Chile.
2011. “Cabeza de ratón: El arte emergente tiene ganadores”. artishock.cl
2011. “Concurso de arte joven “Cabeza de ratón” ya tiene ganadores”. Mavi.cl
2011. “El artista que retrató todas las caras del litio”. Interview. “El Mercurio” Newspaper. Chile.
2011. Published in thenewcollectorsbook.com
2010. “A non-egocentric death”. aqnb.com
2010. “El vacío abundante”. Interview. “Vivienda y Decoración” Magazine. Chile.
2009. Published in “Casas” Magazine. Chile.
2009. Published in “ED” Magazine. Chile.
2008. Published in “Casas” Magazine. Chile.
2008. Published in “+ Decoración” Magazine, Chile.
2008. Exhibited in “La Red” TV. Chile.
2007. “Je emoties in toom houden” “De Volkskrant” Newspaper. Netherlands.

Collection | Public and Private

Museum of Visual Arts (MAVI)
Andrew Sirotnik, private collection, Seattle, US
Cara Hoepners, private collection, San Francisco, CA
Jeff Whitman, private collection, San Francisco, CA
Monica Weiler, private collection, London, UK
Zhang Yufang, private collection, China
Claudio Perez, private collection, Santiago, Chile.
Simcha Freifeld, private collection, NY, US