Ana Liz Cordero has always had a fascination with nature and its conservation, as a result of her Ecuadorian heritage and her awareness of the Incan people of her native country. Her curiosity and admiration for this ancient culture stems from childhood trips to the countryside in the provinces of Azuay and Cañar with her father. Here she witnessed the practices of collecting and recycling in Incan settlements and gained an understanding of the communities’ way of living that took advantage of natural resources. The young artist saw natural materials being used for a range of purposes, including building their adobes: dwellings made from bricks comprised of a mixture of soil, sand, water and straw, with braided reed roofs. The artist reflects, “I remember that they collected what the “Pacha Mama” (Mother Earth) gave them in the lands. They shared that food with us, because they made us feel that we were part of their family. They did not have much but, what they had, they shared it”.
The practice of using what was given by nature enthralled Ana Liz Cordero. As the artist says, “My art has Inca antecedents, giving value to their care for nature. That’s my identity as an Ecuadorian: to remember to take care of the ecosystem and biodiversity; to generate connection with human beings and their natural environments.” In her art practice, she applies this knowledge and experience to the materials she uses and the ideas she embodies: that of the unity of man, nature, and creator. Ana Liz’s work maintains an abiding connection to the Bible, emphasizing positive messages that allow viewers to imagine, feel and remember what was and is our nature. The artist says that the use of abstraction in her work “helps me find the essence of God in his creation, reminding me that we must preserve his legacy. Nature and human beings have always been part of a single creation; and my work always aims to remember that unity.”
Abstraction is a key feature of Ana Liz’s work, in conjunction with her Ecuadorian heritage and her current home in Dubai, where she has been based since 2019. Similar to the ways in which the artist saw the Incans using natural materials in their everyday lives, Ana Liz Cordero uses elements from the UAE area that she finds in the desert, in the sea, and in the mountains. Here, she not only seeks materiality for her works but also finds a source of deeper inspiration. Other influences include the abstract sculpture of British artists Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, whose semi-abstract sculptures often respond to the natural environments in which they sit. Cordero’s work also responds to land art, a movement inspired by minimalism and conceptual art as a way to think about and express the relationship of human beings to the planet. She admires Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti not only for his renowned sculptures, but also for his role as a painter and architect. For Ana Liz Cordero, the composition of Michelangelo’s works and their attempt at perfection is a source of inspiration, and she identifies with his statement: “The true work of art is but a shadow of divine perfection.” She also takes inspiration from his most famous sculpture, David (1501-1504), which was made from a discarded piece of marble. For Ana Liz Cordero, making use of even the smallest resource and not discarding it is to be aware of the importance of caring for the environment, and the need to take advantage of every minimal resource.
This idea is central to Cordero’s own work, where she continuously mixes layer after layer of various natural materials that she finds in her local area such as leaves, flowers, sand, soil, and shells. Ana Liz Cordero says, “I collect everything and that is the skin of my painting. Each painting has a personal and unique seal.” The use of a wide range of materials and the practice of layering gives her abstract works a sense of depth, even a sculptural quality. Her images capture the essence of nature that she calls “organic abstraction,” and reflect her desire to separate from reality in order to connect with the spiritual through art. Nature, art and the divine are all inextricably connected for the artist, who says, “Nature speaks to us with its details, shapes, and colors, it is the source of connection with God, who helps us to search for the true essence of the human being.” The preservation of nature, then, is tantamount to the preservation of spirituality, which is why the significance of care and conservation is omnipresent in her work. She uses a monochrome palette to communicate the essence of nature, emphasizing the shapes and movement of the landscapes that inform her work. “Rugged landscapes, mountains, plants – they have different shapes, movements. That’s why my art is not flat, because movement is life.”
Ana Liz is continuously exploring, experimenting, and reevaluating her work, and is increasingly interested in alternative and more natural ways of creating art. The desert, the mountains, the birds, and the plants all contribute to her research and provide new ideas for her practice of organic abstraction. Materials that, for some, are dead and discarded, come back to life in Cordero’s works and give rise to new shapes and colors revealed by nature. Using nature itself as raw material, Cordero makes it tangible and permanent through the techniques of abstraction and layering that she uses. Her work reflects her passion for the nature that she loves, and aims to promote a practice of care through its enhancement and preservation in her paintings.
1 What medium of art do you use, and why that medium?
I love exploring new artistic mediums. I think it’s part of my practice. My approach starts by observing nature and learning from it. Understand well which elements of nature that not alive anymore I can incorporate them in my artworks so that I can give them a second life without destroying any natural environment. And, of course, that changes depending on the physical location I’m working on. For example, in my latest series that I created fully here in Dubai, I have used palm leaves, sand, seashells, and Bougainville flowers. Due to the lack of internal water in all of these elements, their size does not change even for hundreds of years. Therefore, I can safely use them in my works with some preservation materials that prevent the works from getting damaged and provide a full guarantee in time.
2 What are the projects you’ve worked on worldwide?
Regardless of the few exhibitions I did back in Ecuador during my early years, I have always said that Dubai supported me to be the artist I am today. My works have been present in various art fairs and in different places in the United Arab Emirates.
At the moment I just finished my most recent installation named “Reefocus”; 100% recycled to raise awareness in our daily practices such as: reducing, reusing, and recycling so as not to contaminate the oceans. Additionally, I also decided to open a new art community named “Chaka”, which means “bridge” in Quechua (the language of my Inca ancestors), creating a symbiosis of artists and artisans who promote care for the environment and rescue ancestral techniques, to take care of its preservation.
I have been invited to participate internationally but at the moment I have not received a proposal that challenges me as an artist, I believe that challenges motivate you much more. And I am sure that that exhibition and that challenge will come. I would love to show my art in different places around the world but I think everything will come in its time.
3 Any collaborations that you have worked on with, i.e., brands, etc.
I believe that Dubai Culture has been the most important entity I have worked with in my career as an artist. They have been supporting my art and, by selecting me to occupy House 40 in Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, has allowed me not only to show my art but to educate and raise awareness among people about caring for the environment and giving value to sustainable art. All of that through a lens that is aligned with Dubai Heritage architecture, materials, traditions, and history.
4 What are your plans for the future? Are there any projects, or collaborations you could hint on?
One of the most important exhibitions I have in the near future is those that will be part of COP28, including an exhibition at Expo 2020 and another on Alserkal Avenue, one of the most important art showcases here in UAE and in the GCC Region. For that, I am working on new art products with 100% recycled materials and reducing my impact on nature to zero, generating zero pollution and zero wastage.
But in general, my plan is to continue creating life through my paintings, it is my daily focus, giving my best. So, although I have some projects and proposals, I am always looking to see the surprises that life will bring me. Life is an adventure.
5 What are your thoughts on the current art landscape?
The current artistic scene is too broad to define my opinion with a single word. My art is not intended to be controversial in order to be appreciated, nor is it intended to tell you something irrelevant. I believe that my art, as I mentioned, promotes life. I like to see the reaction of people when they appreciate my work and I see that they leave my studio with a sensation of peace and calm but above all they take away a strong and positive message from my artworks.
6 What message are you trying to deliver with your art?
My inspiration, as well as my gifts, all come from God. He is always using me to create art and to deliver the messages that He wants me to deliver to His creation. My permanent intention as an artist is to transform negative situations (like the lockdown during COVID, the wars, the human losses, etc.) into positive messages like care, love, hope, and freedom, which all them come from God. I believe that all human beings have been gifted with the ability to transform and evolve, just as some things that we believe to be dead can be transformed into life. That is why in my work I use dead flowers and leaves, which symbolize the negative situation, and incorporate them into my work, allowing them to have a second chance, a second life beyond oblivion by being an active protagonist of that positive message that beats at the heart of each of my artworks.
Materiality is the skin of my canvas that speaks with its 3D shapes and allows us to imagine, transforming a painting into a sculpture over the canvas. My art has movement, and that means progress, growth, and another important aspect is the influence where I am changes.
7 What message would you like to give to our readers and young artists?
Love what you do. It doesn’t matter what people think of you. The important thing is that you believe in what you do. Life doesn’t just give you one chance; it gives you several chances. Be yourself, find your own identity, do not imitate others, be creative, and listen to the voice of your heart.
If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will believe in you. A closed door is just a door, there are many open doors for those who work, do not give up because, from the hand of God, everything is possible.