STATEMENT
As an artist, I see myself as a storyteller and work primarily through the juxtaposition of drawing and writing, often in the form of artist books. My artistic research is deeply influenced by traumatic events in my life, and the choice to work with images and text allows me to convey the necessary depth to explore themes such as death and love.
I was born in Quito, Ecuador in 1984. I Graduated in Visual Communication from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and I have been working as a graphic designer for more than 20 years. I studied plastic arts at the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana, and I am currently an active member of Estampería Quiteña where I do engraving.
My dissertation project, Satori, was my first artistic project, it took the form of a Comic Book and it won second place in the Professional category at the 2009 Ichiban National Comic & Manga Contest. The dark atmosphere and the surreal aspects of the work take inspiration from an eerie dream that I had a few years earlier and from my experience of altered states of consciousness through psychedelia. These inspirations alongside my willingness to better understand my own emotions led me to study psychology and mysticism to sustain my artistic vision. Whilst my knowledge of video games has been a starting point in developing my very own narrative style.
In 2009 Pedro, one of my best friends, died. Being the witness to this death and the consequent excruciating pain that led to the death of his mother only a few years after, made me obsess more and more about the meaning of death and love. In that moment of grieving, art became my way to reflect on these themes and look for answers. The images produced by my subconscious and the dreadful feeling left behind by that premonitory dream became the structure of my last artwork The Pilgrim.
In 2009 Pedro, one of my best friends, died. Being the witness to this death and the consequent excruciating pain that led to the death of his mother only a few years after, made me obsess more and more about the meaning of death and love. In that moment of grieving, art became my way to reflect on these themes and look for answers. The images produced by my subconscious and the dreadful feeling left behind by that premonitory dream became the structure of my last artwork The Pilgrim.
With the help of music and inspired by the masters of Romanticism I was able to channel my trauma through art and transform my creative process into a healing process. Sharing with God the most divine act: the creative act, I was able to find beauty even in tragedy and to understand that love is more powerful than death.
My entire art practice is dedicated to love and the eternal battle between love and death, with the hope that my works can bring comfort to the viewers and lead to healing.
My entire art practice is dedicated to love and the eternal battle between love and death, with the hope that my works can bring comfort to the viewers and lead to healing.
José Manosalvas Chiriboga
EXHIBITIONS:
FUE TETÉ
Itchimbia Cultural Center
Quito - Ecuador, May 2009
NATIONAL COMIC & MANGA COMPETITION ICHIBAN 2009
Cultural Center of the Pontifical Catholic University
Quito - Ecuador, August 2009
IMAGE CENTER OF THE FRENCH ALLIANCE
French Alliance
Quito - Ecuador, March 2010
CHRISTMAS EXHIBITION 2014
Cienfuegos Gallery
Quito - Ecuador, November 2014
MIRAGES
Artistic Promotion Center from the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana
Quito - Ecuador, December 2015
CABINET OF PARADOXES: ARTIST'S BOOK (FOURTH EDITION)
Contemporary Art Center
Quito - Ecuador, March 2022
BRUJERÍAS
Contemporary Art Center,
Quito - Ecuador, April 2023
Itchimbia Cultural Center
Quito - Ecuador, May 2009
NATIONAL COMIC & MANGA COMPETITION ICHIBAN 2009
Cultural Center of the Pontifical Catholic University
Quito - Ecuador, August 2009
IMAGE CENTER OF THE FRENCH ALLIANCE
French Alliance
Quito - Ecuador, March 2010
CHRISTMAS EXHIBITION 2014
Cienfuegos Gallery
Quito - Ecuador, November 2014
MIRAGES
Artistic Promotion Center from the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana
Quito - Ecuador, December 2015
CABINET OF PARADOXES: ARTIST'S BOOK (FOURTH EDITION)
Contemporary Art Center
Quito - Ecuador, March 2022
BRUJERÍAS
Contemporary Art Center,
Quito - Ecuador, April 2023
BRUJERÍAS
Museum of America, Madrid
Spain, April 2023
Museum of America, Madrid
Spain, April 2023
BRUJERÍAS
Alfara Studio Museum
Oviedo - Spain, April 2023
Alfara Studio Museum
Oviedo - Spain, April 2023
AWARDS:
2009 Ichiban National Comic & Manga Contest, Professional Category. 2nd place.
2014 Mountain Photomarathon of the Andinism School of the Polytechnic University of Ecuador. 1st place.