AGE: 30
BASED IN: Los Angeles
A critic once likened a painting by Luz Carabaño to “a minty block of fudge, with its glossy surface and uneven ridges.” The Venezuelan-born artist made her name with diminutive, delectable, and imperfectly shaped canvases painted in candied hues that look blurred or buffed. Her work has captivated the tastemaking dealers at galleries including Nina Johnson, Lulu, Hoffman Donahue, and April April. At a moment when so much painting shouts for attention, Carabaño’s work silently beckons from across the room.
Describe one work you’ve made that captures who you are as an artist.
While still in grad school, I was cutting panels using a bandsaw when my friend, Valeria Tizol Vivas, suggested I make a painting from a very small offcut. I’ve forgotten what visual reference I had while painting it, but that small piece—later wrapped in linen and gessoed—became a strange painting of jagged lines extending in many directions. I called it araña. It was simple, it felt spontaneous, tied to the world, but something of its own, too. I later gave the painting to that friend.
Describe your work in three words.
Curious, enigmatic, practical.
Tell us about a teacher who changed the way you think about art.
Through reading, I’ve learned much from John Berger. His words have given me space to reflect and taught me to deepen my own sensibilities.
What’s an underrated studio tool you can’t live without?
I’ve used the same palette knife since I started oil painting. It’s an extension of my hand and mind. Its elongated form and history also make it quite special.
What art-world trend would you like to see die out?
I’m not sure it’s much of a trend, but I’m not a big fan of iPad art.
Is there a studio rule you live by?
Since moving into my current light-filled studio three years ago, I paint only during daylight hours. Having the full spectrum of the sun’s light allows me to really see the colors I am working with.
Who are the three people, alive or dead, invited to your dream art-world dinner party?
Natalia Goncharova, Luchita Hurtado, and Etel Adnan.
See CULTURED‘s full 2025 Young Artists list and access other individual artist profiles here.
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