"Joaquin Cortes. Spanish dance." Painting

I am a contemporary figurative artist working in the Latvian countryside, where nature, silence and emotional intensity shape my visual language. A graduate of the Latvian Academy of Fine Arts, I have worked professionally for over two decades and developed a signature style that combines strong composition, symbolism and psychological depth.

My work explores the human condition through the body—not as anatomy, but as emotional energy. One of my most recognized directions is a series inspired by classical mythology, where I reinterpret figures such as Icarus, Narcissus and St. Sebastian through a female gaze. Instead of idealized heroism, I portray the vulnerable male body as a site of intimacy, fragility and inner truth. This inversion of art history’s traditional power dynamics has become a central theme in my practice.

Alongside figurative work, I also paint expressive landscapes and character-driven animal portraits that echo the emotional states found in human nature. I work primarily in oil, combining layered color with intuitive brushwork to create atmosphere, tension and movement.

Over the years I have presented solo exhibitions across Latvia and participated in numerous international group exhibitions in Italy, France, Portugal, Lithuania and beyond. I am a selected artist of the YES International Art Program (Italy/Portugal, 2025), a member of the Latvian Artists’ Union, and have participated in professional residencies including the Iron Casting Symposium in Aizpute (2024). I am also a finalist of the Latvian State Forest Landscape Competition (2022, 2023).

My works are held in private collections in Latvia, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, USA, Japan, Israel, Estonia, Ukraine and Russia, with over 50 artworks collected internationally.

I believe that the most powerful art reveals truth. Each of my works is built from emotional clarity—honest, direct and unrepeatable.