Twin Hearts (2023) from “A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets” on view at The Gallery at Windsor.
Photo: Aric Attas
Artist Federico Herrero Brings Color and Form to a Special Exhibition at Windsor
The Costa Rican talent conveys a sense of place in his bold geometric abstractions at the exclusive Florida community
Montaña de aqua (water mountain) (2023) from “A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets” on view at The Gallery at Windsor. Photo: Aric Attas
Art has an unparalleled ability to convey a sense of place. It can evoke the colors, the mood, even the weather of some faraway locale. Those sensations can become even more acute when the works are displayed in just the right setting. Such is the case with the solo exhibition by Federico Herrero entitled “A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets” on view at The Gallery at Windsor through April 26 in Vero Beach, Florida.
The exuberant show of 12 paintings and 26 monotypes by the Costa Rica–based artist crackle with energy and life. Colors—one more vivid than the next—are layered upon one each other creating rich, kinetic mélanges of his life in San José, his country’s capital. While his home may seem a world away from Windsor, the private sporting community encompassing 472 acres of barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River, a lush coexistence with flora and terrain links the two. “What’s so beautiful about the relationship is that it really was a mutual agreement between The Gallery at Windsor team and me,” says Herrero. “The connection between my work and nature, almost seamlessly correlates with the connection that is drawn between Windsor and its natural environment.”
Cangri (2019) and Lost at Sea (2023) from the exhibition “A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets” by Federico Herrero on view at The Gallery at Windsor. Photo: Aric Attas
Curated by Elena Ketelsen González, assistant curator at MoMA Ps1, the show pops with both color and ideas at every turn throughout the multi-room gallery atop Windsor’s clubhouse. His geometric abstractions also create a wonderful bridge to the world of figuration. One doesn’t have to gaze at the works very long before elements of Herrero’s everyday life come into focus—overgrown landscapes, jumbles of buildings, rising mountains. All are a part of the worlds he conveys—all seemingly carefully balanced piece by piece, fighting for space. “Embodying a sense of place is one of the most crucial aspects of the creation process for me, as it not only relates to the time and place but also the mental and psychological state,” says Herrero.
No stranger to this type of attention, Herrero has had an impressive two-decade career, which includes being the recipient of the Young Artist’s Prize at the 49th Venice Biennale in 2001, participating in numerous museum exhibitions worldwide, and having works in the permanent collections at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Reina Sofía in Madrid. He is represented by James Cohan Gallery, which collaborated on this presentation.
Huracan (2023) and Figure from the exhibition “A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets” on view at The Gallery at Windsor. Photo: Aric Attas
Herrero continues a rich calendar at The Gallery at Windsor, which annually delivers show after show by some of today’s most acclaimed artists. Hon. Hilary M. Weston, who founded the community with W. Galen Weston and serves as creative director, continues to collaborate with galleries and institutions on a superb roster of shows. “This exciting show follows our long-standing curatorial focus at The Gallery, which has presented a diverse roster of some of the world’s leading contemporary artists for more than two decades,” she says. Prior exhibitions have spotlighted such luminaries as Grayson Perry, Sir Michael Craig-Martin, and Rose Wylie. Last year, the program featured sculptures and works on paper by Sir Tony Cragg.
An installation view from “A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets” exhibition by Federico Herrero on view at The Gallery at Windsor. Photo: Aric Attas
Letras (2018) from the “A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets” exhibition on view at The Gallery at Windsor. Photo: Aric Attas
But for any visitor to the Herrero show, it’s clear this isn’t just about booking big-name talent. Something deeper is conveyed in these exhibitions, and a true connection is made. “From the moment I arrived, I knew that there was something magical about this place and what lies within,” says Herrero of his visit to Windsor. “The community conveys an essence of unique beauty that garners a sense of togetherness between nature and the surrounding tranquil and lush environment.”
Cover: Twin Hearts (2023) from “A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets” on view at The Gallery at Windsor.
Photo: Aric Attas
