McManu Espinosa
[ artist ]
My work explores the intricate realms of human emotion, identity, and narrative storytelling. I draw inspiration from personal experiences, weaving them into artworks designed to provoke thought and introspection.
Rooted in a deep commitment to exploring the complexities of the human condition, my art challenges societal norms and fosters dialogue on identity, sexuality, and the human experience. Influenced by artists like David Hockney, Sophie Calle, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Lucian Freud, my style is characterized by visual rhetoric and poetic imagery.
Experimentation with various mediums, including photography, digital media, and other technologies, allows me to push the boundaries of traditional storytelling. My projects, such as "Coitus Secretum" and "Mindscapes within the Garrets," invite viewers to engage in free associations and interpretations, rooted in their personal experiences and cultural backgrounds.
I believe in the transformative power of art to evoke raw emotions and provoke deep introspection. Through my work, I seek to inspire viewers to confront their preconceptions, embrace the complexity of the human experience, and find the courage within themselves.
—EXHIBITIONS—
Confessioni Inconfessabili
( Collective Exhibition )
"Coitus Secretum" series
( Digital Photography )
Pubblica_Lab - Sant'Omero, Italy
August, 2024 - September, 2024
WHAT’S ART?
( Solo Show )
( Installation )
Pubblica_Lab - Sant'Omero, Italy
June, 2024 - July, 2024
FORMATO CHIC N°7
( Collective Exhibition )
"Coitus Secretum" series
( Digital Photography )
Galería Compacta, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
November, 2023 - January, 2024
PARATISSIMA 2023
( Collective Exhibition )
"Coitus Secretum" series
( Digital Photography )
Turin, Italy
October - November, 2023
What Normal?
( Collective Exhibition )
"Thinking Within The Box"
( Interactive Sculture Using Analogue Photography )
WerkBund - Frankfurt, Germany
June - July, 2022
TELEFOTO
( Collective Exhibition )
Coitus Secretum" series
( Digital Photography )
Elvira Morena Gallery - Bogota D.C., Colombia
July - September, 2020
Environment: Natural, Spiritual and Virtual
Connexion Festival
( Collective Exhibition )
Coitus Secretum" series
( Digital Photography )
Mattatoio - Roma, Italy
December, 2019
Habitus, Modus, Moda
Biennial Of Venice De Bogotá • VIII Edition
( Collective Process )
"X + Y" ( With Xio García and Others )
( Fashion Project )
Custom Museum - Bogota D.C., Colombia
March, 2017
Encuentro de Fotografía
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
( Collective Exhibition )
"Darkness Calls" series
( Digital Photography )
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana - Cali, Colombia
March, 2012
Analogue Photography Exhibition
( Collective Exhibition )
Various Photographs
( Analogue Photography )
Universidad de los Andes - Bogota D.C., Colombia
November - December, 2011
—ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & PUBLICATIONS—
RIVISTA SEGNO
Mentioned in the article “Teramo e Dintorno” Summer 2024 edition, Supplement 296
PARATISSIMA
Featured on Paratissima’s Instagram with “Coitus Secretum”
[ Online ]
June 14th, 2024
WHAT NORMAL?
Participant in a Collective Art Exhibition
WerkBund [ Frankfurt, Germany ]
Mentioned in Frankfurter Neue Presse, June 28th, 2022
COLOMBIAN SCIENCE MINISTRY
Bachelor‘s Thesis “Coitus Secretum” published on ‘Red Colombiana de Información Científica’
[ Online ]
UNILEVER
Participant in Unilever’s contest ‘Unigames Middle America‘
[ Bogota D.C., Colombia ] 2016
UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES
Excellence Distinction
[ Bogota D.C., Colombia ] 2013
bio
McManu Espinosa, born in 1988 in Chaparral, Tolima, Colombia, is a contemporary artist whose work explores human emotion, identity, and narrative. Raised in Cali, his early experiences amidst Colombia's socio-political unrest profoundly shaped his artistic perspective.
Espinosa completed his Bachelor of Design with a Minor in Art at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá in 2017. He pursued further studies at Darmstadt Hochschule in Germany, earning a Master of Art in Expanded Media in 2024. His education has been instrumental in developing his distinctive approach to art, which combines traditional and modern techniques.
Espinosa's artwork has been exhibited internationally. Notable exhibitions include "Coitus Secretum" at PARATISSIMA 2023 in Turin, Italy, and "FORMATO CHIC N°7" at Galería Compacta in Bogotá. His work has also been featured in collective exhibitions such as "What Normal?" at WerkBund in Frankfurt and "Environment: Natural, Spiritual and Virtual" at Connexion Festival in Rome.
In addition to his artistic practice, Espinosa has significant experience in art management. From 2017 to 2019, he served as Executive Assistant and Coordinator of the Curator Department at Galería Casa Cuadrada, managing art exhibitions and fostering international art fair participation in cities like Mexico D.F., Hong Kong, New York, and Miami.
—EDUCATION—
10/2021 - 03/2024
DARMSTADT HOCHSCHULE
Master of Art in Expanded Media
Focused on new technologies, user experience, immersive experience, and storytelling
[ Dieburg, Germany ]
12/2023
UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM
Introduction to Communication Science
[ Online ]
10/2022 - 12/2022
DEUTSCH AKADEMIE
German Language
[ Leipzig, Germany ]
06/2019 - 12/2019
CENTRO LINGUISTICO ITALIANO DANTE ALIGHIERI
Italian Language
[ Roma, Italy ]
2011/01 - 06/2017
UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES
Bachelor of Design and a Minor in Art
Emphasis on design thinking, human-centred design, and communication
[ Bogota D.C., Colombia ]
06/2016
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON & SOAS UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
Understanding Research Methods
[ Online ]
01/2008 - 12/2010
ACADEMIA VERDE OLIVA
Kitchen Technician
[ Bogota D.C., Colombia ]
10/2006 - 05/2007
CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING
English Language
[ Mississauga, Canada ]