The Top 10 Artists in Cancun to Know

“Before I start my work, I close my eyes, feel and smell,” says Damián Lescas. Inspired by the culture of Oaxaca, he has nourished his vision traveling around the world. His paintings feature soft shapes and seductive colors, mythological or historical themes; he often tackles gastronomy, wine or eroticism. His techniques include graphic art, woodcarving, oil, and bronze engraving. His latest work—an art installation about gastronomy in biblical times—is composed of sculptures in bronze and clay, carved in red cedar with gold and silver. His work has been exhibited in Mexico, USA, France and Italy.

Aura Maldonado discovered her calling at a very young age. She grew up surrounded by art and was influenced by her father, one of the pioneers of muralism in Quintana Roo. The graphic artist produces mural paintings with a surrealistic style using different techniques that include: watercolors, Chinese ink, pastel, charcoal, acrylic, oil, and engravings on bronze plate. The themes of her work are related to the Mayan and Olmec cultures, and Mexican flora and fauna. Among her achievements she counts the recognition of the Oasis Foundation and Quintana Roo Town Hall. Maldonado also promotes visual arts through her collective Eco Arte. Her paintings and murals are exhibited in hotels of Cancun and the planetarium of Tabasco.

René Almanza is one of the most powerful contemporary artists in Mexico. His style incorporates features of graphic novels, and his images often promote distinct narratives. His characters have exaggerated faces and gestures. To assist with his technique, Almanza invented a pair of drawing gloves in order to carry out works with ten simultaneous lines—one for each finger.

Nicolas Guzmán’s pictorial work projects the multiplicity of images people are subject to today and he is committed to having society reflect on mass culture. Nudism and pornography are recurrent themes in Guzmán’s artwork, and he often presents abstract images. His artwork has been exhibited in Mexico and in international art fairs in Germany and London.

Born and raised in Spain but currently living in Cancun, Luis Moro raises reflections about ecology and humanity in his art. Zoology and entomology are the central themes of his paintings. He paints the beauty of animals while incorporating metaphors about ecological destruction, war, and other issues facing humanity. He’s won national awards in Spain and participated in international art fairs in Korea, Toronto, Rome, Madrid, New York, and more.

Cristian Pineda is a self-taught artist, cultural promoter, and defender of migrants rights. His work reflects on the relationship of humans with nature; Pineda develops large drawings on linen fabrics and features characters who are hybrids between plants, minerals, and humans. Pineda’s work has been published in books and he’s earned recognition from the Mex-Am Cultural Foundation.

Sabino Guisu is an artist who uses smoked fabric for his art. Many of his themes are linked to the relation of man to fire—either as the primordial spark of civilization’s development or as its violent nature linked to war and explosions. He has exhibited his work both in Mexico and Houston, Texas.

Alberto is a sculptor, painter, and traveler. Many of his paintings are large-scale and the product of long journeys throughout Latin America, where he collected faces, stories, and characters that he transformed into mythological beings and landscapes. His technique involves thick strokes of oil and dark tones that contrast with bright, intense colors. His work has been exhibited both in his native Oaxaca and in Denmark.

Through Guillermo Olguín’s travels, he found raw material for his pictorial series through his experiences with people and flavors. His works would not be possible without encounters with diverse cultures from India, Cuba, Thailand, or Peru. In his paintings, he celebrates life and sexuality. He works with wax, canvas, and photography. His collections are highly valued by collectors and have been presented in Mexico, USA, UK and other European countries.