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Born in 1963 in Armenia, Colombia
Lives and works in Bogotá and the Departamento del Chocó, Colombia, and in London, UK

Article

Fernando Arias

Fernando Arias usually works performatively, using a wide variety of media and forms of expression to do justice to the theme in question. All of his works emerge from his personal experience, and many incorporate his own body as well.

In Lego Coffin (Homage to the Children of the Drug War), Arias enables us to experience the game of death. By building a coffin out of Lego pieces in the national colors of Colombia, he transforms a child’s dream of Lego into an artifact of death. The lid of the coffin bears not a cross but a white line symbolizing cocaine.

¿Quién da más? (Do We Have Another Bidder?): Arias tattoos his own signature onto his loin, literally putting his skin onto the market for the highest bidder to purchase.

Sir Ernst Gombrich’s Story of Art is ambiguously bolted shut, a bible of art laid to rest. As a small glimmer of hope, he juxtaposes it with his own thinner, similarly designed book, La historia de Arias (The Story of Arias), thus ironically elevating himself to the pantheon of the arts.
 

Hans-Michael Herzog

Daros Exhibitions
Bibliography
Selected titles in our library

Campo a través. Arte colombiano en la Colección del Banco de la República. Exhibition catalogue, Sala Alcalá 31, and Casa Museo Lope de Vega, Madrid, Spain, Feburary 20 - April 22, 2018. With texts by Estrella de Diego. Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, 2018.

Thomas Fischer/Susanne Klengel/Eduardo Pastrana Buelvas (Eds). Kolumbien heute. Politik – Wirtschaft – Kultur. Frankfurt am Main, Vervuert, 2017.

Amirsadeghi, Hossein (ed.). Contemporary art Colombia. With texts by Christine Barthe, and Jaime Cerón. London, Thames & Hudson, 2016.

Colin, Jonathan, and Fernando Arias (ed.). Better than. Second part of Nuevautopias 2012-2016 = Mejor que 2. Parte II de Nuevautopias. Fundación Más Arte Más Acción, 2015.

Realidades en conflicto = Realities in conflict. Exhibition catalogue, Espacio ArtNexus, Bogotá, Colombia, June 12 - September 9, 2014. With texts by Francine Birbragher, and Oscar Roldán-Alzate. Bogotá, Arte en Colombia, 2014.

Aliento. Arte de Colombia. Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Kolumbien. Exhibition catalogue, Kunstmuseum Bochum, Germany, November 23, 2013 - February 2, 2014. With texts by Hans Günter Golinski, Sarah Poppel (et al.). Bochum, Kunstmuseum, 2013.

Aliento. Arte de Colombia. Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Kolumbien. Exhibition catalogue, Kunstmuseum Bochum, Germany, November 23, 2013 - February 2, 2014. With texts by Hans Günter Golinski, Sarah Poppel (et al.). Bochum, Kunstmuseum, 2013.

Cantos Cuentos Colombianos. Arte contemporânea colombiana. Exhibition catalogue, Casa Daros, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, March 23 - September 8, 2013. With interviews with the artists by Hans-Michael Herzog. Rio de Janeiro, Cobogó, 2013.

Fotobienal MASP 2013. Exhibition catalogue, Museu de Arte, São Paulo, Brasil, August 14 - November 17, 2013. With texts by Ricardo Resende and Teixeira Coelho. São Paulo, MASP, 2013.

Arias, Fernando, and Jonathan Colin. Nowhere. First part of Nuevatopias 2012-2016 = Ningún lugar. Parte I de Nuevatopias. Colombia, Fundación Más Arte Más Acción, 2013.

Roca, José, and Sylvia Suárez. Transpolítico. Arte en Colombia 1992-2012 = Transpolitical art in Colombia 1992-2012. Barcelona and Madrid, Lunwerg, 2012.

XI Bienal de Cuenca. Entre-abierto. Aperturas, conexiones y derivas en el arte actual (Vol. 1: Atrabiliario, vol. 2: Hacia un meridiano inquietante, vol. 3: En defensa de la delicadeza). Exhibition catalogue, Bienal de Cuenca, Ecuador, November 11, 2011 - January 31, 2012. With texts by Fernando Castro Flórez, Agnaldo Farias, Katya Cazar Almache (et al.). Cuenca, Fundación Municipal Bienal de Cuenca, 2012.

Garzón, Diego. De lo que somos. 110 obras para acercarse al arte contemporáneo colombiano. Barcelona, Lunwerg, 2011.

Martínez Rossi, Sandra. La piel como superficie simbólica. Procesos de transculturación en el arte contemporáneo. Madrid, Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2011.

13 Salones regionales de artistas. Colombia. Exhibition catalogue, Colombia, 2010. With texts by Javier Gil, Fernando Arias (et al.). Bogotá, Mincultura, 2010.

Re[cámaras]. Espacios para una fotografía extendida. Exhibition catalogue, Casa de La Moneda, Bogotá, Colombia, August 11 - October 27, 2010. With texts by María Wills Londoño. Bogotá, Banco de la República, 2010.

5a Bienal Ventosul Curitiba. Paraná - Brasil - 2009. Água grande: os mapas alterados = Large Water: The altered Maps. Exhibition catalogue, 5a Bienal Ventosul, Curitiba, Brasil, 2009. With texts Ticio Escobar, Leonar Amarante, Ferndando Castro Flóres (et al.). Curitiba, Bienal Ventosul, 2009.

Fernando Arias. País para quién. Exhibition catalogue, Mapa Teatro, Bogotá, Colombia. With texts by Santiago Rueda, Gabriela Salgado and the artist. London, Fernando Arias, 2009.

Micromacro. 13 Salón Regional de Artistas centro occidente. Exhibition brochure, 13th salon Regional de Artistas, Armenia, October 2009, Medellín, February 2010. Curated by Fernando Arias. Quindio, Ministerio de Cultura, 2009.

It's not neutral = Ez da neutrala = No es neutral. Exhibition catalogue, Tabakalera, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, July 19 - October 5, 2008. With texts by Joxean Muñoz, Luis Camnitzer and Eugenio Valdés Figueroa. Donostia - San Sebastián, Tabakalera, 2008.

Laborartorio de lo micro a lo macro = Laborartory. From micro to macro. Exhibition catalogue, Calarcá, Quindío, Colombia, Public Space, September 27 - 30, 2008. With a text by Fernando Arias. Calarcá, Universidad del Quindío, 2008.

Pabellón Cuba. 4D - 4 Dimensions. 4 Decades. Exhibtion catalogue, La Habana, Cuba, 8th Biennial 2003. With texts by Eugenio Valdés Figueroa, Tonel, Manuel Piña (et al.). Berlin, b_books, 2008.

Arte latinoamericano y Bienal de Cuenca en el contexto de la postmodernidad. Ensayos. Essays by Carlos Rojas Reyes. Cuenca, Bienal de Cuenca, 2007.

40 Salón nacional de artistas. 11 Salones regionales de artistas. Exhibition catalogue, Museo de Arte Moderno, Barranquilla, and 11 other cities in Colombia, 2006. With texts by Javier Gil (et al.). Bogotá, La Silueta, 2006.

Certain encounters. Daros-Latinamerica Collection. Exhibition catalogue, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada, April 7 - June 4, 2006. With texts by Keith Wallace, Tonel, and Juan A. Gaitán. Vancouver, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, 2006.

Festival de Performance de Cali-Colombia. Documenting five performance festivals, Museo de Arte Moderno la Tertulia, Cali (and other venues) from 1998 to 2006. Edited by Helena Producciones, texts by Wilson Díaz (et al.). Cali, Helena Producciones, 2006.

Pulgar, Publicación ocasional. No. 21, Year 8, No. 4, May 2006. Caracas, Pulgar, 2006.

Necessary Journeys. Edited by Melanie Keen and Eileen Daly. London, Arts Council England, 2005.

Videografías invisibles. Una selección de videoarte latinoamericano 2000-2005. Exhibition catalogue, Museo Patio Herreriano de Arte Contemporáneo Español, Valladolid, November 16 - December 14, 2005, Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, February 16 - April 16, 2006. With texts by Jorge Villacorta (et al.). Valladolid, Museo Patio Herreriano de Arte Contemporáneo Español, 2005.

Cantos Cuentos Colombianos. Arte Colombiano Contemporáneo. Ostfildern-Ruit, Hatje Cantz, 2004.

Malin, Regula. Cantos Cuentos Colombianos. Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Kolumbien. Zürich, Daros Art Education, 2004.

Locombia. A weekend of events by four Colombian artists. Event brochure, Space Triangle, London, June 19/20, 2004. With a text by Pablo Léon de la Barra. London, SPACE The Triangle, 2004.

Narcochic narcochoc. Exhibition catalogue, Musée International des Arts Modestes, Sète, April 29 - October 31, 2004. With texts by Hervé di Rosa (et al.). Sète, Musée International des Arts Modestes, 2004.

VIII Bienal Internacional de Pintura de Cuenca. Iconofilia. Exhibition catalogue, Cuenca, April 12 - June 10, 2004. With texts by José Roca, María Elena Ramos (et al.). Cuenca, Bienal de Cuenca, 2004.

90: Desplazamientos. Arte Colombiano en la década de los 90. Exhibition catalogue, Museo de Arte Moderno, Bogotà, July 8 - August 7, 2003. With a text by María Elvira Ardila. Bogotá, Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá, 2003.

Octava Bienal de la Habana. El arte con la vida. Exhibition catalogue, 8th Habana Biennial, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wilfredo Lam, La Habana, Cuba, 2003. With texts by Rafael Acosta de Arriba, Hilda María Rodríguez Enríquez (et al.). La Habana, Consejo Nacional de Artes Plásticas / Centro Wifredo Lam, 2003.

Colombia. Visiones y Miradas. By Miguel González. Santiago de Cali, Bellas Artes, 2002.

Plas, Els van der. Creating spaces of freedom. Culture in defiance. London, Saqi Books; The Hague, Prince Claus Fund Library, 2002.

Fluid. Exhibition catalogue, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton, September 15 - November 24, 2001. With essays by Bryan S. Turner and David Hopkins. Wolverhampton, Art Gallery; City Council, 2001.

Play. Short stories. Nuove forme di narrazione nell'arte contemporanea = New narrative forms in contemporary art. Exhibition catalogue, "Play", held at Openspace, Milan, March 27 - April 29, 2001 and "Short stories", held at La Fabbrica del Vapore, Milan, March 28 - April 29, 2001. With texts by Gigiotto del Vecchio, Roberto Pinto (et al.). Milan, Commune di Milano, 2001.

Tirana Biennale 1. Escape. Exhibition catalogue, 1st Tirana Biennial, National Gallery & Chinese Pavilion, Tirana, September 15 -October 15, 2001. Edited by Giancarlo Politi, with contributions by Francesco Bonami (et al.). Milan, Giancarlo Politi, 2001.

Leirner, Sheila. Art latino-américain. Au-delà des limites de l'identité = Latin american art. Beyond the limits of identity. Paris, Cie Amérique Latine, 1999.

La Biennale di Venezia. XLVIII Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte.. Exhibition catalogue, 48th Venice Biennial, June 12 - November 7, 1999. With a text by Bernardino Osio (et al.). Roma, Instituto Italo-Latinoamericano, 1999.

Piel que mira. Fernando Arías, Nadin Ospina, Carlos Salas. Exhibition catalogue, FIAC Paris, September 15 - 20, 1999. With a text by Eduardo Serrano. Bogotá, Carlos Alberto González, 1999.

El cuerpo en/de la fotografía. Exhibition catalogue, Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, San José, Costa Rica, July 1 - August 25, 1998. With texts by Virginia Perez-Ratton (et al.). San José, Costa Rica, Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, 1998.

La historia de Arias. London, Printworks Trust, 1998.

Les mondes du SIDA. Entre résignation et espoir = AIDS worlds. Between resignation and hope = I mondi dell' AIDS. Tra rasegnazione e speranza = AIDS-Welten. Zwischen Resignation und Hoffnung. Exhibition catalogue, Centre d'Art Contemporain, Geneva, June 6 - October 15, 1998 and at Dialogai, Geneva until 31 August 31, 1998, Centro d'Arte Contemporanea Ticino, Bellinzona, November 15, 1998 - January 31, 1999. With texts by Christa Brunswicker, Frank Wagner (et al.). Bern, Sida Info Doc Suisse, 1998.

Insite 97. New projects in public spaces by artists of the Americas = Nuevos proyectos de arte público de artistas del continente americano. Exhibition guide, Insite 97, San Diego/Tijuana, September 26 - November 30, 1997. With texts by Jessica Bradley (et al.). Tijuana, Installation Gallery, 1997.

Yard, Sally. Insite 97. Private time in public space = Tiempo privado en espacio público. San Ysidro, Trucatriche, 1997.

Short cuts. Links to the body. A cross-over from art, science to bodyImages = Anschlüsse an den Körper. Ein Cross-over durch Kunst, Wissenschaft und KörperBilder. Exhibition catalogue, Deutsche Arbeitsschutzaustellung (DASA), Dortmund, August 22 - October 5, 1997. With texts by Iris Dressler and Liselotte Hermas da Fonseca. Dortmund, Hartware Projekte; DASA; Kulturbüro, 1997.

ES96 Tijuana. Primer Salón internacional de estandartes = First international salon of standards. Exhibition catalogue, 1st International Standard Biennial, Tijuana, 1996. With texts by Teresa del Conde (et al.). Tijuana, Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, Centro Cultural, 1996.

El espíritu de una colección. Exhibition catalogue, Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, San José, Costa Rica. With a text by Virginia Pérez-Ratton. San José, Costa Rica, Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, 1996.

V Bienal de Arte de Bogotá. Exhibition catalogue, 5th Bogotá Biennial, October - December 1996. With texts by Gloria Zea (et al.). Bogotá, Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá, 1996.

Arte y tecnología. Exhibition catalogue, Expotecnia 95, Corferias, Santafé de Bogotá, June 1995. With a text by Ana María Lozano. Bogotá, Embajada de España; Museo de Arte Moderno, 1995.

Fernando Arias. Exhibition catalogue, Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver, October 14 - 21, 1995. With a text by Eugenio Valdés Figueroa. Vancouver, Contemporary Art Gallery, 1995.

II Salón Pirelli de Jóvenes Artistas. Exhibition catalogue, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas Sofía Imber, Caracas, Venezuela, September - November 1995. With texts by María Luz Cárdenas and Luis Ángel Duque. Caracas, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas Sofía Imber, 1995.

Infância perversa. Fábulas sobre a memória e o tempo. Exhibition catalogue, Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, May-June 1995, Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia, August 1995. With texts by Marcus de Lontra Costa. Rio de Janeiro, Museu de Arte Moderna, AT & T, 1995.

Quinta Bienal de la Habana. Arte, Sociedad, Reflexión. Exhibition catalogue, 5th Habana Biennial, Centro Wifredo Lam, May 1994. With texts by Nelson Herrera Ysla (et al.). Madrid, Tabapress S.A., 1994.

Vertientes. Encuentro Nacional de Artistas. Exhibition catalogue, Biblioteca Publica Gabriel Turbay, Museo de arte moderno, and Banco de la Republica, Bucamaranga, September 17 - October 29, 1994. With texts by Adolfo Cifuentes (et al.). Bucaramanga, Museo de Arte Moderno, 1994.

Pulsiones. Exhibition catalogue, Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia, Cali, Colombia, 1993. With a text by Miguel González. Cali, Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia, 1993.

III Bienal de Arte de Bogotá. Exhibition catalogue, 3rd Bogotá Biennial, 1992. With a text by Eduardo Serrano. Bogotá, Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá, 1992.

Artworks