Antonio Ugarte

• Ugarte paints water as a reflection of the spirit, a form of meditation. He sees water as “a primordial element” in life and the physical environment; a source of both energy and serenity. He uses water as a resource to explore the “aesthetic treatment on the surface of the canvas” and, at the same time, the “connotations mysteriously left behind the surface to be discovered by the observer.”

  Water’s shape and color are critical elements in Ugarte’s work. According to the artist, “water is always working to become round”, symbolic of the “whole of the universe” and the life-force of Chi. Water’s diverse shades of blue are the most “tranquil and serene” of the color palette.

  The balance of realism and abstraction in his work reflects his simultaneous training in painting and photographic arts. His earlier works focused on the human athletic form, specifically athletes. Now, moving from “subject to element”, his paintings are immersed in the recurring theme of water.

  Ugarte is originally from Caracas, Venezuela and now lives and maintains a studio in Coral Gables. He is widely exhibited with numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe. Most recently, he returned from a commissioning project in Dubai. He maintains a strong following of collectors in Caracas, London, Madrid, New York, Vienna, Dubai and throughout South Florida. Ugarte’s work hangs in the Museum of Contemporary Art in his native Caracas and in the museum of the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C.

  KELLEY ROY GALLERY