Lara, Armando – Honduras

ARMANDO LARA’S BIOGRAPHY

Armando Lara was born in La Lima, Honduras, in 1959. He studied at the National School of Fine Arts, where he graduated in Plastic Arts. His artistic vocation started when he was very young, and from his early years he showed a great interest in drawing.

ARMANDO LARA’S WORKS

During his student days he was attracted by Dali and classical Renaissance painters alike. His interest in combining surrealism with social themes emerged at this time.

On reaching adulthood he started to define his style, continuing to be attracted by surrealism. However, his concept of surrealism is not based on the subconscious as is European and Dalian surrealism, but rather on social aspects, as had already been the case from the start of his career. The artist draws on real-life themes, especially those related to injustice and abuses of power, and transforms them into fantastic images to create the subjective atmosphere he wishes to convey.

From the nineties he started to focus on the human figure and recovered classical Renaissance models, also investigating anatomy, and using icons from classical culture to talk about the lives of present-day human beings.

In his work he tries to reflect his admiration for beauty in general, and that of nature, animals and humans. He is interested in Man’s relationship with the environment and the damage people are doing to the planet, social problems, migration and all kinds of problems that surround the individual, including communication between humans through the use of new technologies.

His human figures speak of multiculturalism and societal problems, which is why many are depicted without faces, in an attempt to avoid individualism. In his works, naked torsos that appear to be floating reflect the vulnerability of humans; they are harmoniously beautiful, but devoid of any erotic connotation.

Silvia Sánchez Ruiz
Curator