Longing, 2023

Luis Alberto Quispe  

Luis Alberto Quispe was born in La Paz, Bolivia in 1981. He started drawing at the age of 8 and pursued a degree in Fine Arts at the Institute Raul G. Prada in Cochabamba, where he is now a Lecturer in Drawing. He has been an active member of the National Association of Plastic Artists for 14 years, having participated in more than 150 national and international exhibitions, of which 17 correspond to solo shows. He has won 15 national art contests, most recently, the First Place in Drawing at the National Eduardo Abaroa Award in 2021, the Unique Price in Drawing at the September 14th National Plastic Arts Contest twice, in 2017 and 2019. He has also received 14 Honorable Mentions in other national art competitions.

He defines himself as a versatile artist, always looking for opportunities to expand his horizons within the plastic arts. Having said this, drawing is his undisputable favorite as evidenced by his awards. He is also recognized as a pioneer in the use of dried coca leaves combined with drawing to create very characteristic mixed media collages. He has a tendency towards hyperrealism, and his depictions of national themes and portraits set him between costumbrismo and social realism.