Fernando Davila talks about his ‘Masters of Color’ art exhibit, and the digital age

Painting by Fernando Davila. Photo Courtesy of Fernando Davila.

Artist and painter Fernando Davila chatted about his “Masters of Color” art exhibit, and being a part of the digital age.

Background on Fernando Davila

Davila is a Colombian-born artist who has gained recognition for his mastery of figurative painting. His extensive work has been exhibited in South America, Europe, and the United States.

He was selected and personally invited by Maestro Fernando Botero to participate in the XXIX Prix International de L’Art Contemporain in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Davila was awarded the “Orden de la Democracia” by the Colombian Congress in 1999 for his contribution to the arts.

He has published two hardcover books and many catalogues about his paintings with texts written by famous art critics and art historians such as Eduard J. Sullivan, Pierre Restany, Ana Maria Escallon, Georges Gomez y Caceres, German Rubiano Caballero.

How did ‘Masters of Color’ come about? 

I use color from the perspective of my soul. I may not see it well enough, but I can feel it.

When I translate that feeling through the technique I’ve developed, the chromatic ranges emerge as expressions of what I feel, what I dream, and what I imagine.

What inspires you each day as an artist?

My inspiration is present 24/7. There are many things that are conscious, others come from dreams, desires, and frustrations. There are emotions that I try to magnify.

There are situations that I want to repress. There are experiences from the past that I try to recreate. I have always said that “I would like to live inside my paintings.”

What do you plans for the future includes?

My immediate plans remain the same… to continue delving deeper into expressing my essence through my paintings and colors.

How does it feel to be an artist in the digital age?

Being an artist in the digital era has opened doors that didn’t exist before. My art can now be seen by more people and reach an audience without limits.

It allows me to use the digital space to my advantage, inviting people to discover my work and fall in love with it.

Were there any moments in your career that had helped define you?

When I lived in New York in 1985, I discovered that there was a red lens that helped colorblind people like me improve a little.

Its color vision did not help me as much as I thought it would, as the correction was minimal, but it taught me to see a new universe.

What is your advice for young and emerging artist?

It is difficult to give advice, because every human being is completely different from another.

In that sense, I tell them to believe in themselves, to love art with all the passion and depth possible. If one does not love what he or she does, they will never be able to do it well.

What does the world success mean to you?

 The only measure of success is joy!

What would you like to tell our readers about ‘Master of Color’? 

Color must be felt; color is something visceral that has a different frequency. I have an experience from my time as a teacher in Bogotá many years ago. I had a blind student, a woman.

The curious thing was that she could see well until she was nine years old and then lost her vision, meaning she had memories of pink, yellow, blue, turquoise, orange, and red.

I invented a method that worked for her, which consisted of adding textures to the colors. I added sand to red, marble dust to yellow, and metal shavings to blue.

With this, she was able to paint using her hands, using her 10 fingers as eyes. She knew the limits of each shape she painted, and with those limits, she was able to add another color next to it without making a mistake. It was very nice to feel that.

When there is passion, when there is love, and I believe anything is possible!

To learn more about Fernando Davila, visit his official website.