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Apolonio Zeballos

Inhabitants of the Andes find in Apolonio Zeballos Velasquez (Arequipa, 1944) a painter who testifies to the grandeur of his past. The painting of this artist is lodged in a genuine inspiration for identification with his roots. He portrays the energetic connection with the earth of the Andean people exulting their past, portraying the apogee of their history with a haunting beauty. His figures emerge from the ancient ruins as if surprising a hidden butterfly to illustrate the palpitations of the Inca universe.

"I must admit that I've painted since my childhood years. I basically taught myself, but still took art classes both in Arequipa and in the National School of Fine Arts in Lima. I describe my work as a revival of Andean heritage impelled by a force within me that is difficult to define. I'm motivated to express the force and power of the Inca culture through its most expressive figure - the Andean man. I devote myself full-time to painting now and my work is concerned with showing the positive side of the human condition of the inhabitant of the Andes, portraying him with his customs and beliefs.

"My works have been exhibited in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia as well as in some European countries. My methods are simple and practical: First I make a sketch to establish the composition, then I begin on the canvas. During the painting process I can add something or take something away if the spirit moves me - in that respect the mind is quicker than the hands. My colors are preferably warm ones using contrasts of light and shadow.

"Here I am, having gained and lost some battles, but realizing that my main goal I've achieved in having a family in my adulthood, that motivates and drives me, giving me emotional security for my creative work. To Novica clients I'd like to tell them that my painting contains the essence of the Andean past that continues to astonish the world. As an artist I must show it simply through efforts of love and truth…"

Apolonio is an artist of few words, but each one is full of meaning. He cultivates a sacred heritage that he expresses in his paintings, as if the soul of his Andean figures escaped to show their ancestral majesty."