Rodolfo Nieto

Biografía

Rodolfo Nieto was one of the foremost representatives of the so-called Oaxacan School, which combines contemporary art movements with traditional Mexican folk art. Animals were central to Nieto’s oeuvre, and, according to the artist, the first ever image he drew was that of a cat. While studying and working in Paris during the 1960s, the exposure to international contemporary art movements resulted in Nieto developing a personal style which interpreted “alebrijes” (brightly coloured Mexican folk-art sculptures of mythical creatures) through the prism of his aesthetic vision. The resulting works, known as the Bestiario series, had become one of the stylistic cornerstones of the Oaxacan School movement.