Cayara, 2006

Benjamín Lafuente  

Benjamín Lafuente has received multiple first prize awards at a national level for his paintings as well as prints.  He started painting as a young teenager and identifies the natural environment as his main source of inspiration. His training developed to a great extent while painting outdoors with other older local painters. Even though he received formal training at the Cochabamba Superior School of Plastic Arts, specializing in printmaking, he characterizes himself as “self-taught by definition and academic by extension". 

His work reflects the impetus characteristic of the born artist in constant pursuit and exploration.  He argues: “there is no unity in my work, and you would not find it, because my works reflect the various moods and influences under which they are crafted, ranging in style from naturalism, impressionism, fauvism, cubism, sometimes bordering expressionism to the many contemporary neo-isms". His themes are as diverse as his stylistic approaches, ranging from the landscapes of the Andean valleys, traditional marketplaces, characters performing local trades, and fantastic renditions of artists´ ateliers.