Nacho Frades

Lives and works in Cádiz, Spain

Artist statement

My name is Nacho Frades, I was born in 1967 in Madrid. I remember my childhood doing always some kind of art — drawing, building structures with wood colored pieces. I was very introvert. At the age of 10 I went to Museo del Prado and saw Goya's dog painted, and I wanted to replicate it with oils. But the most intense memory I have related to painting in those times was to see a portrait of El Greco on a piece of furniture, and realize it were only colors and strokes. In 1980, when I was 13, I decided to be a painter — mentally, in the deepest of my heart. So I continued painting and drawing and started my formation. At this age I was rejected in a drawing contest because "a child can't draw so well." This was very frustrating in that moment, but in reality, with that sentence, I think I won the contest somehow. In 1987, I was 20, something magical happened. I found a program called Deluxe Paint, I installed it and I saw a new world. It was very basic, but it allowed me to paint with light. I could describe my work as Frozen Light. I want to paint questions — questions to the viewer. I want to paint light, color, atmosphere, temperature, time of the day, like little holograms of an instant of perfect perception. I put all my mind when painting; it's almost a deep meditation for me. I'm only painting, and there is no room for other thoughts. I am very prolific. I have painted more than one thousand artworks, basically because I'm always working and I enjoy it. My works are...

Artwork