Spanish Artist Domínguez de Haro Takes Inspiration From The Sea
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
His abundance of talent has earned him the honorable title of “the new Spanish Picasso”. Domínguez de Haro is the #1 poet and painter of images that conjure up the beauty of what the seafloor holds as he brings these scenes to life on canvas. This Spanish artist astounded his audience when his artwork was displayed at Art Basel 2015 held in Miami last year. The artist’s exhibit featured 17 amazing underwater paintings and could be viewed at the Four Seasons Hotel Miami. “It is with great pleasure that I am bringing my art to the US during Art Basel Miami,” stated Dominguez de Haro. “Four Seasons Hotel Miami is an ideal setting to showcase my work, which is derived from my scuba diving journeys into the bottom of the sea as well as my personal sojourn into the depths of my own psyche.”
At the ripe age of 87 years old, Dominguez has spent the better part of his life, nearly 70 years, capturing the fascination of the ocean’s depths. Keep in mind that diving was not as prominent back then as it is now. Those longing to see what the ocean’s floor held in the way of beauty and intrigue were given this opportunity by viewing Dominguez’s work. This artist treated his fans to an extraordinary glimpse of his many visions of the seafloor. Dominguez had a passion for the mystery of the marine world and was a diver himself for many years. When an accident left him unable to dive anymore, he recreated his perception of the seafloor that had mesmerized him for so long. He took to painting from a visual and sense-oriented position, creating a snapshot of the marine life he observed. His various renditions are simply so unique, with a strong emphasis on individuality, layered with memory and imagination. Taken one step further, de Haro has also inspired and fostered the conservation efforts taken to save the earth and the oceans just by others seeing his work on canvas.
Domínguez de Haro has become the pioneer of seafloor painting, or, what he likes to call it, Organic Art. Recently, the artist was one of the highlights of the Art Marbella: Modern & Contemporary Art Show which was held in beautiful Marbella, Spain, from July 29th through August 3rd, 2016. This was more than just an opportunity for de Haro to showcase his artwork. One of the magical Mediterranean cities, Almuñécar in Granada, recently paid tribute to the artist naming one of its main streets after him and giving the go-ahead for the creation of the Domínguez de Haro Museum. The artist has been diving in the depths of the Mediterranean coast since his childhood and transferring the seafloor onto canvas under the creative gaze of one who is intimately acquainted with the very origin of human existence. The anemones, octopi, mermen, coral or rocks come together in the simplicity and complexity of the universe reflected in the ancestral seafloor, endowing it with its characteristic light, texture and vibrant colors. The artist has become a world-renowned national treasure of Spanish origin.
Throughout his everlasting and illustrious career, Domínguez de Haro has been the recipient of many artist awards, many shining the golden light on his outstanding achievements in the world of art. He has become an art legend of his time and admired by ocean conservationists as well as fellow artists and art connoisseurs from all parts of the world.
(Photos by Johnny Gates/Antonio Dominguez de Haro via Getty Images)
