Ismael Frigerio

Born in Santiago, Chile, Ismael Frigerio studied philosophy before turning to art. His monumental canvases, thickly painted in a variety of media, feature highly abstracted compositions peopled by mythic figures. Smaller graphic works likewise depict symbolic subject matter with intense colors and expressionistic lines. Frigerio explores universal themes or events of historical significance, such as the Spanish conquest of the Americas. In addition to addressing the violence of colonialism, Frigerio also produced a series of works alluding to the atrocities committed by the regime of dictator Augusto Pinochet. These were part of the daily experience of Chileans, prompting the artist to relocate to New York in 1979.