Oswaldo Figueroa

In his paintings Osvaldo Figueroa explores the multiple realities of Bolivia, in some cases inspired by the continued transition from a rural to an urban landscape. This exploration is not limited to the mere architectural contrasts but also rescues the human component, with portraitures of urban characters that inhabit these dynamic processes. His works also underscore the creative solutions that the Latin American urban landscape develops almost in an organic fashion to cope with the needs of an increasing population, a population with an urge for change that modifies the landscape at will. In his portrayals of urban characters, and gatherings of people, he pinpoints to the struggle for the maintenance of cultural values and traditions in the face of “progress". Figueroa says about his approach: “one has to try to find in a painting what is hidden, what is missing, absent, or latent". Referring to his paintings regarding architectural themes, he adds: “I intend to graph my reading of urban life and my urban experiences: the streets and the buildings, spaces that originate in the need for functionality that streams from our colonized nature, in cities that even though are still of a medium size, retain a vigorous growth rate. The thousand and one stories they generate, and hide, are what catches my attention."

Osvaldo Figueroa is a versatile plastic artist, graphic designer and teacher. His works have been exhibited since 1995 in galleries and exhibition halls through Bolivia, Perú, Israel, and the United States. He has also been invited to give talks about art history in multiple venues and participates regularly as a judge for national plastic art awards in Bolivia.

His work has received multiple recognitions at a national level, including the First Place in the National Watercolor Contest in 2001, and a gold medal in the National Painting Contest in 1976. His work in photography and graphic design has also been recognized with several awards in Bolivia.