José Santos

Born in Oaxaca, Mexico, José Santos is an independent and free-thinking artist who has developed a distinctive body of work defined by freedom, experimentation, and conceptual depth. Educated in England at the Metropolitan University of London, he absorbed influences from artists such as Joseph Beuys, Gilbert & George, and contemporary British art movements, shaping an aesthetic grounded in human ethics, nature, and everyday life.

Santos studied Ceramics, Printing, and Painting, and his education in the arts has taken him around the world. Between 1988 and 2013, he pursued studies at institutions including Roger Bacon College in El Paso, Texas, Mira Costa College in California, The London Metropolitan University, the London College of Printing, and the University of Worcester, where he completed his B.A. (Honours) in Fine Art and later a program in Creative Enterprise. This diverse training allowed him to develop a multidisciplinary approach that merges craftsmanship, conceptual thought, and experimental processes.

His paintings and installations reflect a critical yet joyful perspective on modern existence, merging recycled materials, vivid color, and poetic spontaneity. His art celebrates imperfection and transformation, using strokes and textures that connect the urban and rural worlds of his Oaxacan roots with the dynamism of European avant-garde thought.

Throughout his career, José Santos has participated in more than 25 group exhibitions between London and Oaxaca, building cultural bridges through his exploration of form, color, and material. Today, his work stands out for its freedom of expression, conceptual honesty, and vital sense of play, redefining what contemporary Oaxacan art can be on both a local and international stage.