“When Cultured featured a review of my solo show “Heliplaza” (Pivô, Sao Paulo, 2021, curated by Luis Silva and Joao Murao) I was deeply and personally moved," says Manuel Solano, whose Brilliant Stunningly Beautiful Gorgeous Art, is the latest in our Anniversary Artist Cover series. "This wasn’t just a flattering and thorough review; I was refreshed and filled with hope to be reminded that the art world can indeed look at my work and see beyond the hashtaggy labels that crowd around me and what I do. So often am I seen as only my disability or only my gender identity, but Cultured dove in and analyzed my technique and skill as a painter—as well as my personality, my sense of fashion and my approach to myself through my work. When I read it, I remember smiling and getting the feeling that people can see me in my work, that my work works. So, of course I’m honored to have been invited to design a cover for the magazine.”