Laura Pretto Vargas

Biography:

I'm an 30 years old Italo-Brazilian artist living in Miami. I attended Istituto Marangoni Milano for a Fashion Design intensive program and Fine Arts at Accademia di Belli Arti di Brera. I also worked as an apprentice at Atelier Lou Borghetti (Porto Alegre - Brazil) to refine my studies and practice. Beginning of my education as a fashion designer I realized the fashion industry was not the correct setting to explore my creative impulses, and then I decided to pursue a painting career. I fell in love with art when I was very young. Many years later, it is still what gives me strength when pursuing my artistic career.
My background has always been very influential in my art; since my parents are Brazilian and Italian, they naturally influenced me. However, as I got older, living on two different continents, Miami (in America) and Milan (in Europe), made me realize that certain characteristics of people from each part of the world stood out to me. This has caused me to incorporate these cultural influences into my art.


Artist Statement:

My paintings are gestural and aesthetically similar to artworks from the Abstract Expressionist movement, the canvases are filled with highly textural brush marks and color application....

• PUCRS (Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul) - Law school (Brazil) 2011 - 2014;
• Istituto Marangoni Milano (Italy) - Fashion Design - 2015;
• Accademia di Belli Arti di Brera (Italy) - Painting - 2015;
• Lou Borghetti Atelier (Brazil) - Worked as an apprentice and had private lessons - 2017;

Certificates:

• The Museum of Modern art - Modern art & ideas - 2020;
• The Museum of Modern Art - What is contemporary art? - 2020;
• The Museum of Modern Art - In the Studio: Postwar abstract painting - 2020;
• Michigan State University - Cameras, Exposure and Photography - 2020;

Solo:

• ARTFACT Gallery (Solo exhibition) - June 2021 - New York City (USA);
• Saphira & Ventura Gallery (Solo exhibition) - 2021 - New York City (USA);
• The Plaza Coral Gables (Solo Exhibition) - Shop Windows Ground Floor Sevilla Ave - 2023 - Coral Gables (USA);
• Saphira & Ventura Gallery (Solo exhibition) - 2023 - New York City (USA);


Group:

• Lou Borghetti Atelier (Group exhibition) - 2017 - Porto Alegre (BR);
• Sofia Coral Gables (Group exhibition) - 2018 - Coral Gables (USA);
• Agora Gallery (Group exhibition) Engaging the Full Spectrum - October/November 2020 - New York City (USA);
• Agora Gallery (Red Dot Miami) - December 2020 - Miami Beach (USA);
• Artblend (Group exhibition) - October 2020 - Miami (USA);
• Artblend (Group exhibition) - December 2020 - Miami (USA);
• Divulgarti Group (Group exhibition) - Gifts of Art 4° edition - December 2020 - Gallery in Palazzo Ducale Fondazione per la Cultura, Genova (Italy);
• Hansford and Sons Fine Art (Group exhibition) - Pandemonium - January 2021 - Online;
• Contemporary Art Curator (Group exhibition) - Infinite Dreams - February/June 2021 - Online;
• Artblend ( The Palm Beach Show - Contemporary Focus ) - February 2021 - Palm Beach (USA);
• PAKS Gallery (Group exhibition) -...