Juan Eli Rodriguez

Juan Elí Rodríguez Sánchez
born 1975
Granada, Nicaragua.

The experiences from the collaboration with Wolfgang Hunecke in the sector of art design, his education in the “Casa de los Tres Mundos” in Granada in Nicaragua and the work with other famous artists made Juanelí using extraordinary materials for his works, which add a deep clearness and three-dimensionality.

Furthermore the use of these materials shows, that Juan Eli’s works are similar to the works of the spanish artist Antonio Tápies and the style of informalism, a movement, which arised in postwar-period, as well as Juan Eli in the 90ties was also influenced by the consequence of the war in Nicaragua.

The expressionistic art of Juanelí Rodríguez contains explosive colours, free gesture and strong abstraction. The artist is exploring the interior of the human being. The discovery of new patterns is the most important part of his art.

The humorous and also ironic moments of several works of Juanelí Rodríguez show the unresting aspect of the artist, who uses the phantasy of plain simplicity and the exciting world of dreams. The works fascinate because of their power and sensuality of tropical colours and lights of oil and acrylic on canvas.

Juan Eli sometim...

From 1991 to 1993 he studied at the "Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes" in the capital of Nicaragua, Managua. In 1993, Juan Eli was discovered by Dietmar Schönherr, the founder of the “Casa de los Tres Mundos” foundation. In the same year Rodríguez began his studies of various techniques in art and graphic workshops and also became a member of the artist group VAGONI. At the age of 18, Rodríguez had the opportunity to work as an assistant in Gottfried Helnwein's studio at Burgbrohl Castle in Germany. He was also able to work with the German artist Wolfgang Hunecke in Nicaragua and Germany.

Amongst other things Juan Eli is looking back on a cooperation with Jesús Núñez, the director of the foundation CIEC in Galicia-Spain. Also with Allison Wickl from Great Britain, with Leopolado Morales Praxedis, graphic artist from Mexico, who is very famous for his linocuts as well as Antonio Zarro from Brasilia and Juan Bernal Ponce from Chile, who died in 2006.

Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, San Marino, Austria and Finland

selected exhibitions:


1998 Teatro Nacional Ruben Dario, Nicaragua

1999 Art Museum Aspen, Colorado, USA

2000 Segunda Bienal Arte Correo “Alas de Papel” Amsterdam, Netherlands

2001 Gallery Art at SO, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2002 Atelier in the tree house, Bonn, Germany

2003 City Hall Koenigswinter, Germany

2004 fusión04, Artes visuales, Casa de los Tres Mundos, Granada, Nicaragua

2005 City Hall Saarbrücken, Germany

2006 Small Animal Clinic Gallery, Berlin, Germany

2007 Sala Mostre Della Casa del Castello, San Marino
-Exhibition of Latin American Art in the premises of the Mayor of Borgo Maggiore
-San Marino's Minister of Culture, Francesca Michelotti, acquires a picture by Juan Eli Rodriguez for the State Museum of the Republic

2007 Castello degli Agolanti, Riccione, Italy

2007 Planet Vivid Galerie, Frankfurt, Germany;
-Invited and participated to promote intercultural Exchange between European and Central American art

2007 Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, San Jose, Costa Rica

2008 Stadtsaal-Galerie, Vöcklabruck, Austria

2008 LAI, Latin America Institute, Vie...