Peruvian artist Nicolás López opens his exhibition “The Shadow of Transparency” today at the ICPNA in Miraflores, a series of watercolors in shades of gray that offer a critical perspective on the country and its recent history.

López, born in Huancayo in 1984, has developed a career marked by watercolor painting. He has won several national awards for his work and has also exhibited in Chile and Argentina. In this new exhibition, the artist uses shadow as a central element to reflect on violence, memory, and the social reality of Peru.

“I believe we are always under a shadow. If we analyze the last few years in our country, they have been hard and dark due to social problems and politics,” the artist notes. For López, shadow not only represents darkness but also a constant presence that accompanies daily life.

The artist affirms that shadow has a visual and symbolic power within the image. He compares it to silence in music, because both elements allow for a deeper understanding of the meaning of a work. From his perspective, watercolor allows him to construct desolate atmospheres, open spaces, and scenes where the viewer can immerse themselves in an immense, almost infinite reality.

The exhibition also includes references to history and figures linked to Peruvian identity. López mentions that his work engages with a critical vision of the country and with themes such as violence, memory, and independence. His pieces allude to figures like Sebastián Salazar Bondy, among other cultural icons.

“The Shadow of Transparency” is presented as a visual proposition where grays, voids, and diffuse forms construct a metaphor for the dark times society is experiencing. Through his watercolors, Nicolás López invites the public to look inward and recognize that which often remains hidden, yet is still present.