Miguel Angel Castrillo Fernandez
Biography
Miguel Angel is an artist based in Santa Pola , Spain creating oil paintings focusing on the human figure.
Under the stage name of Sotoko, the human figure is the prominent focus and theme throughout Castrillo´s art pratice providing him a venue to illustrate the most basic and primitive instincts of humans; Furthermore, his paintings capture primal characteristics that still accompany our society even as we evolve.
He self-describes his work as controversial and dynamic; An experience or a fleeting thought can be the basis for his creativity; More specifically, his practice finds inspiration from the Renaissance and the revival of Classical forms and styles.
He embraces a naturalistic realism, yet illusionist painting techniques used in Renaissance artworks.
Additionally, he is fond of Italian painter Sandro Boticcely´s work and portrayal of the nude. However, contemporary artists such as Scottish painter Peter Howson inform his practice as well.
Currently, Castrillo´s work displays permanently at the San Joaquin y Santa Ana Museum in Valladolid, Spain. His works have exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums in London, Portugal and Spain.
Miguel continues creating new series of paintings incorporatings new ideas.
Artist Statement
Starting from a need, I create compositions that exist not only on the canvases I give life to, but also in a dimension that grows silently between those who contemplate my work and I.
When that connection is established between people and my work, in such a dimension things happen and those things free us from the heavy slab of responsability, the mistakes we make or the feeling of guilt that for whatever reason we humans bear sooner or later.
All those figures that I first draw and then delicately paint with oils, can be found in very different scenes of nowadays life, normally inspired in its form by the Renaissance movement.
Of course, in my artwork I give a great prominence and leadership to the human figure because it is towards people that the message of hope that relates my life to art and what I paint with my life, is addressed.
Website https://artsotoko.blogspot.com
Facebook Miguel A. Castrillo
Eva y Adán Oil on Canvas 150 X 115 cm.
Fear on the Underground Oil on Canvas 112 X 145 cm.
The Dominas Oil on Canvas 155 X 185 cm.
Protección Oil on Canvas 100 X 80 cm.
Self-Portrait Oil on Canvas 55 X 40 cm.
Mamá en Valladolid Oil on Canvas 175 X 100 cm.
Mediterranean Fantasy Oil on Canvas 143 X 194 cm.
Foursome XL Oil on Canvas 170 X 230 cm.
