Muriel Gallardo
A R S
Scroll to explore
Biography
Muriel Gallardo
Muriel grew up surrounded by art, as her father was a renowned painter and sculptor in their native Guatemala. This early exposure to creativity shaped her artistic path.
After completing high school, she was awarded a scholarship to study Italian in Perugia, Italy, where she chose art-related courses that deepened her passion. She later pursued a degree in Anthropology from Universidad del Valle and worked as an Italian and German teacher before fully dedicating herself to the arts in 2024.
Statement
In a world obsessed with productivity, efficiency and disconnection from the Self, my work invites a pause — a return to presence, emotion and origin.
My multidisciplinary practice includes painting, sculpture and photography, drawing inspiration from academicism, the human figure, and philosophical thought. I explore the meaning of duality — light and shadow, good and bad — emphasizing their interdependence as a mirror of the human experience.
A recurring subject in my work is the human hand, which I see as a silent narrator of time, individuality and the beauty found in imperfection.
But Why Hands?
I am fascinated by hands. Just like fingerprints, each hand is unique — not only in form, but in the story it tells. Every fold, mole, scar, tattoo, and even the way a person wears their rings speaks of who they are and where they've been. Time leaves its imprint on our hands. That's where beauty lies: in the quiet poetry of imperfection, individuality and impermanence.
I find meaning in observing and honoring what makes us human — and what reminds us of our mortality. Since the only certainty we have is death, I choose to celebrate life's fleeting details, day by day, hand in hand with time.
Work
Collections
Conexión
Conexión seeks to highlight those subtle yet profound bonds that unite us — with others, with the here and now, with ourselves. It's a visual pause and an invitation to reconnect with what's intimate, authentic and enduring.
Fragments of the Body, Reflections of the Soul
This series is an intimate contemplation of the human body, presented in fragmented close-ups, revealing as much as they conceal. Within the quiet spectrum of monochrome, textures, shadows, and lines emerge — expressing beyond words, where form becomes emotion and silence becomes meaning.
Get in Touch
Contact & Social Media
Interested in a piece or a commission? Send a message and I'll get back to you.
- Email gallardoartis@icloud.com
- Instagram @muriel.gallardoars