As a Colombian raised in the digital age, Esteban was exposed to American culture through the internet and television. His work is a collaboration between his influence on Western art history and his Colombian lifestyle. His work reflects this cross-culture influence. When he painted the wine label, he thought the perfect way to combine the Parthenon was to transform it into a floatie, making it the focal point in the piece.
Combining visual references from life and photographs, and using my imagination, I recreate my memories and everyday experiences as they feel and look inside my head. My paintings can’t be placed in a particular day, month or year of my life, nor can they be understood as a literal, recognizable moment.
Esteban Ocampo-Giraldo is a Colombian painter recognized for his vibrant, autobiographical works that blend memory and imagination. Born in Manizales, Colombia, in 1987, he earned his MFA from the New York Academy of Art before returning to his homeland. Ocampo-Giraldo’s paintings depict personal and universally relatable scenes, often merging elements from life, photography, and his own imagination. His work has been exhibited in solo shows at venues such as ZieherSmith Gallery in New York and Casatinta Gallery in Bogotá. Through his whimsical and nostalgic style, he captures the essence of everyday experiences, reflecting the cross-cultural influences of his Colombian heritage and exposure to American culture.
