Rodolfo Oviedo Vega

The art of Rodolfo Oviedo Vega is one of paradox and certain contradictions. His paintings can seem at first glance to be heavy, even opaque on the canvas, yet on closer inspection they became surprisingly varied in their textures. Parts of some works have an appealing heft, with collage elements and layers of oil paint worked into a thick impasto, while others can seem as light and delicate as fallen leaves. His compositions can seem purely abstract, and his basic visual language has remained rooted in abstraction for most of his career. Yet figuration keeps poking through in ways that give his work complexity and an enigmatic charm. The abstract forms of some works recall portraiture, while the perspectives and horizon line in others harks back to the landscape-painting tradition. Architectural elements frequently appear in Oviedo Vega’s work – railings, windows, arches, often in sombre colours that emphasise their geometric armatures – and show his interest in urban space and construction. Far from pure abstraction, these works often lead us into explorations of the aesthetic possibilities of buildings, with their multiple planes and volumes, and the architectural forms of contemporary cities, which, in Oviedo Vega’s ha...

CENAR(centre national of arts, El Salvador)