Antonio Figuero's Light and Colour captures Trinidad's beauty

Antonio Figuero’s signature style is highlighted in his latest offering, a solo exhibition titled Light and Colour.

The exhibition, which runs from November 1-13 at Arnim’s Art Galleria, is a combination of several months of quiet observation of a variety of locations across Trinidad, from landscapes to rural settings, solidifying this artist’s mastery of plein air painting, a media release said.

Light inspires Figuero work and "reigns supreme" for the oil painter. This is evident throughout his works, often set in the outdoors – or plein air – with scenes and captures of fleeting moments at different times of day.

The release said Figuero’s work has a way of making one pause, reflecting on the nostalgia of a similar memory in one’s own life, perhaps. "There lies a story in the stillness of the landscape or the magnificence of the sunset, characters and creatures scattered or hidden throughout the scene that bring that stillness to life before the moment passes.

"It’s in the way the light hits the water, or perhaps in how it highlights an easily-overlooked detail at a very specific time of day as he drives past on his way home, causing him to stop and take it all in. This, he says, is how he creates," the release said.

Visitors will see the island and all its hidden glory, musing over the stories and interactions unfolding before their eyes. While some of the pieces are purely an appreciation for the way light works to create colour, such as the piece Glory, others are significant contributions to the cultural and historical landscape, like The Graveyard Shift in the Moonlight series, which is a painting of the famous Powergen stacks, recorded on canvas just days before they were taken down once and for all, the release said.

This exhibition follows the release of Figuero’s first book, Diaries of An Artist, earlier this year, where viewers were invited to indulge in the stories behind the paintings and learn more about how they came to be, from a personal, historical and cultural perspective.

Light and Colour is on at the Galleria, 27 Tragarete Road, Port of Spain, Monday to Friday, 12 pm-7 pm and on Saturday, 9 am-6 pm.

All covid safety protocols are in effect.