“At 15, Young Artist Is Already Exhibiting in Museums”

Native to Medellín, Tomás Salazar Suaza is a 15-year-old artist who has lived for several years in the municipality of Rionegro, Antioquia.

Since 2018, he has been studying painting at the art school of the Alas de mariposa Corporation, which closed its in-person workshop at the beginning of the pandemic and now conducts its classes online. Virtual learning has not been an obstacle for Tomás to continue exploring different pictorial techniques alongside his teacher Betty Cárdenas, who guides him to find the expressive mechanisms best suited to his restless personality, as Tomás is clear that what he wants is to express the concerns of his inner world through art.

When his mother, Claudia Suaza, recognized her son's skills and passion for painting, she decided to support his dream of becoming an artist. It was then, almost by chance, that the family came across our Art Workshop, where Tomás has been developing a special affinity for contemporary painting and Expressionism, finding that acrylic applied with a palette knife is a technique that perfectly matches his rebellious and curious spirit.

Tomás has held solo exhibitions and has also participated in group exhibitions across various cultural spaces in the municipality. Since June 25, he has been participating in the exhibition “EN PERSPECTIVA” (In Perspective), sharing the space with other local artists as the youngest participant.

The work he is currently exhibiting is titled “El sueño” (The Dream) and, in the artist's words: “it belongs to a series of self-portraits that reflect my inner world, my youthful dreams, and my vision of the future. Each work is created in a range of purple tones that speak for themselves. Their connection to one another is identified through the objects placed on the canvas, where the human figure stands out, gaining importance through the spontaneity of the stroke. I want to highlight the relevance of the pictorial technique I have chosen; acrylic applied with a palette knife imparts a uniqueness to each texture within the piece, making it unrepeatable. The lumps, cuts, and heavy impasto of each palette knife stroke reflect the intensity, expression, and sensations I wish to convey.”

The future looks bright for our young and curious art student, who, with a firm step and a clear mind, is beginning to forge his path in the exhibition world.

The exhibition “EN PERSPECTIVA” will be open to the public until August 30 at the Rionegro Museum of Arts (MAR).