Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría is a visual artist whose work moves between drawing and painting, but his creative universe has deeper roots. He grew up between Bogotá and the countryside, surrounded by horses, bulls, and a landscape that invited him to observe and capture it. His father, a cattle rancher and bull breeder, may have envisioned a different path for him—perhaps the bullring instead of the canvas—but it was precisely the intensity of bullfighting and the essence of life in the countryside that first drew him to art. While he acknowledges its controversy, for him, it was an aesthetic experience that speaks viscerally about life and death. From an early age, Cayetano drew compulsively—not out of passion, but as a necessity—filling every blank page he could find. Today, that same impulse continues to drive his work: an exploration of mythology, folklore, and the human psyche that has taken him from Bogotá, to London, as he seeks to tell stories through images that invite viewers to lose themselves and imagine.
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
“Perhaps it was those bullfights and [their] way of revealing something transcendent about life and death that first inspired me to tell stories… In school, all I ever did was draw. I always wanted to be drawing—to the point that I almost didn’t graduate because I couldn’t focus on anything else. I wouldn’t even call it a passion; it was more of a necessity. Whenever I saw a blank page, I felt an uncontrollable urge to fill it with drawings.”
When asked whether anyone else in his family had been involved in the arts, Cayetano responded that they had not. His grandparents had a furniture factory, so, in a way, he grew up surrounded by design. They crafted spectacular furniture, but beyond that, the origins of his artistic side remain unclear. “It was quite unexpected… I think my father wanted me to be a bullfighter or something like that. That’s why he named me Cayetano.”
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
It was his love for art that led him to study at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, where he graduated with the highest honors in 2021. He is currently based in London, where he recently completed a Masters degree in painting at the Royal College of Art. Throughout his career, he has participated in different exhibitions and projects. Highlights include the silent auction of the Association of Friends of the National Museum of Bogotá, a solo exhibition in Galeria La Localidad, a prize of the Colombian news channel Caracol TV to produce exclusive prints. He also won the Tagsmart award at the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair (UK) and has participated in several group exhibitions in London, with galleries including Arusha Gallery, Bermondsey Project Space, JGM Gallery and Norito Gallery. His first solo show will take place in September at BWG gallery.
Cayetano describes his style as deeply inspired by mythology, folklore, and Colombian culture. He enjoys exploring the thoughts and emotions of the human mind and spirit, but, above all, his goal is to tell stories through his work, and stimulate the power of imagination in others. His creative process always begins with writing: “I write a short story or a poem—it helps me organize the images in my head because I have too many of them. My process begins with running for about two hours to clear my thoughts, and then I sit down to write. The things I write are private; I don’t share them. But for me, they act as a guide, a sort of pre-sketch for what I will eventually paint. After writing, I move on to drawing, and only then do I transition to the canvas. I’ve always considered myself a draftsman first—I feel most comfortable with a pencil. To me, drawing, the line itself, is the most natural form of expression.”
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría, The Lord of Light Triptych, 2022. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
Painting is something that he has only recently begun to explore in depth, and, so far, it has been an exciting but challenging journey. “Painting is still a big challenge for me, which is why I rely so much on drawing. When I draw, I always know what the final result will be. With painting, I never do. That makes it exciting, but at the same time, I often feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. I try to embrace the uncertainty and let myself be surprised by the final outcome. But there are moments when I look at a painting I’m working on, and I hate it—I want to tear it apart and scream. When that happens, I take a deep breath and tell my studio friends, ‘Let’s go grab a beer.’ It’s important to always remember, as all painters say, ‘trust the process.’ Nothing is truer than that—it’s like a mantra, almost a religious phrase. So, above all, I try to believe in the process, but it’s not always easy. There are paintings I love and others I don’t. But every single one of them is important to me—I’m aware that I dedicated a moment of my life to each one, so they all hold meaning. They also represent my evolution as an artist. That’s why I keep them. I don’t recycle them, I don’t paint over them, I don’t throw them away. If I’m really ashamed of one, I just hide it. But to me, all of my works are significant, even the ones I consider failures.”
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría, The Beauty and the Beast, 2020. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
He enjoys painting all kinds of animal species, but especially birds and fish. For Cayetano, fish represent the constant flow of thoughts in the human mind, while birds serve as elements that help clear them. His works are filled with allegories and stories. “I don’t expect everyone to understand them—in fact, maybe no one does. But that’s not what matters to me. What I want is to create visual experiences. I like to think of my paintings as immersive scenes where viewers can lose themselves and enjoy the moment. That is my priority, beyond whether they fully grasp the story, the concept, or the meaning behind it. That’s how I first fell in love with art. I loved going to museums in search of images I could appreciate, immersing myself in compositions, colors, brushstrokes, and the way artists painted hands, eyes, and expressions. I was much more interested in that than in reading curatorial texts to understand the concept. So I rely more on those visual sensations—on drawing the viewer in through imagery rather than theory.”
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría, Portrait of a Conversation With Camila, 2025. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
Other recurring themes in his work are the city of Cartagena, the Caribbean, and the Barranquilla Carnival: “That carnival helped me find a narrative thread that allows me to tell stories where different cultures converge. It’s a mix of Indigenous, Spanish, and African traditions. I love how, through the carnival, everything connects and is celebrated. I know it has a complex historical background—Colombia and Latin America carry a past shaped by colonialism and violence. But I appreciate how this fusion of cultures is embraced and celebrated in the Carnival. I think it’s something we should do more of today, instead of focusing solely on victimhood and perpetuating past tragedies. I like to think that, despite everything, that past also gave rise to new unions and cultures.”
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría, You Snooze You Lose, 2024. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
One of his greatest challenges as an artist is finding a balance between using a visual language that appeals to a very specific, Colombian imaginary while also connecting with a more international audience. However, he believes that while his paintings contain many local symbols, they address broader themes. “My work explores subjects related to life, death, attraction, fears, and anxieties—universal concerns. It’s true that my paintings are filled with metaphors rooted in Colombia and Latin America, and sometimes I wonder how many people will actually understand them. But at the same time, I see that as a strength—sharing a bit of that rich, colorful culture in a city like London, where the sky is often gray. Regardless of how Colombian my visual language might be, the themes I explore are not necessarily Colombian; they are deeply human.”
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría, Any Given Sunday, 2024. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
When asked about the future, Cayetano simply says that all he wants is to be able to paint in peace. His priority is to perfect his language in painting as he has already done with drawing. Eventually, he would like his work to be displayed in museums. “Museums reach a much broader audience compared to galleries. I say this from personal experience—museums were what inspired me to become an artist. So I’d love for my paintings to end up there one day. ”
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría, Accidental Confrontation With The Ferocious Mister Benny, 2024. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
In the long run, he is also interested in exploring sculpture, particularly working with bronze, as he is fascinated by its materiality—an interest partly inspired by Rodin’s sculptures. However, for now, he is primarily focused on developing his practice as a painter. “I go step by step, you know? Some artists are great at doing many things at once, but I focus on what I’m obsessed with at the moment. Right now, that’s painting. Sculpture will come later.”
Find out more about Cayetano’s work on Instagram
Cayetano’s work is being shown at Norito Gallery, London in Mirage of Water until 5 April.
Cayetano Sanz de Santamaría, Ballad of my Own Demise, 2025. Photo Courtesy: the artist.
Mariana Duque Mordecai
Social Media Manager, MADE IN BED