In his most recent exhibition, the renowned Ecuadorian artist transports the Spanish Golden Age master to the Andean altitudes, fusing the Baroque with pre-Hispanic textiles and the light of the Sierra.

QUITO – Ecuadorian painter Miguel Betancourt has achieved what seemed impossible: having Diego Velázquez “stroll” through the Andes mountain range. Through his exhibition “Nymphs, Meninas, and the Painter’s Gaze”, Betancourt establishes a deep and vibrant artistic dialogue where the iconic painting of Las Meninas is reinvented from a Latin American perspective.

The exhibition, composed of 44 watercolors and oil paintings (selected from a three-year project encompassing over 70 interpretations), presents Infanta Margarita surrounded not only by her original retinue, but also by landscapes of Cumbayá, colonial architectures of Quito, and thousands of colored butterflies.

A Fusion of Essences and Textures

What makes this proposal unique is its materiality. Betancourt uses supports he calls “Andean skin”: rough jute, rice paper, and textiles that evoke pre-Hispanic tapestries.

“All these contrasting colors, such as fuchsias and greens, stem from my inspiration in pre-Hispanic textiles. There is a synthesis of several essences in this proposal”, explains the artist.

In the artwork, the viewer will find:

• Picassian Versions: Influences of Cubism and Pop Art that playfully deform and color the characters.
• Quiteño Symbolism: In his favorite piece, Infanta Margarita appears to crown a series of colonial churches, a clear reference to Legarda’s Virgin on El Panecillo.
• Recycled Materials: In an exercise of technical virtuosity, the painter uses fragments of antique dresses and golden threads to emulate Velázquez’s mastery of light.

The Mirror and the Gaze

Betancourt does not forget the conceptual elements of the original painting. The mirror, essential in the 1656 masterpiece, reappears in his canvases showing a full-length Velázquez with palette in hand, reflected in oval shapes that challenge traditional perspective.

With this exhibition, Miguel Betancourt reaffirms his intention to “update his own essences” to present them to the world. It is an invitation to view European classics under the tropical sun, where baroque figures leave the Spanish court to be embraced by the flora, myths, and harmony of the Ecuadorian Andes.

More information here (El Universal report)