BIO

b.1982, in Tijuana, Mexico. Lives and works between Lago di Como and Mexico City.

Collao’s practice investigates the boundaries of painting, reimagining it as a dynamic rather than static medium. Specializing in oil, he has developed a unique sfumato technique that mimics the appearance of digital or airbrushed imagery, yet is achieved entirely by hand—using brushes, oil paint, and a slow, deliberate process. In an era when technology can generate images instantly, his work invites a reconsideration of time, labor, and authenticity in image-making. Collao’s mastery use of color and technique serves as a subtle form of seduction, challenging our perception of reality and pushing traditional painting into a softer, more fluid visual language that looks toward an optimistic future.

Collao pursued a bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts at the University of Baja California, in 2009. From 2010 to 2015, he resided in Mexico City and participated in exhibitions such as the XV Bienal de Pintura Rufino Tamayo, and art fairs like Zona Maco and Salon Acme. His works have been exhibited in renowned institutions like the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes and the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art. In 2016, he relocated to Milan, where he held his second solo exhibition titled Penétrame, curated by Maria Grazia Muscatelo. His third solo show, Queering Abstraction, took place in 2020 at Cardi Gallery and was curated by Sofia Gotti. His artistic contributions have been featured in art books such as Ecos y Resonancias, MPBA, as well as in publications like Artsy.com, Domus Magazine, among others.

CV

SOLO EXHIBITIONS 

Upcoming:

2025 Colector Gallery, Dallas

2020 Queering Abstraction, Cardi Gallery, Milan

2017 Penétrame, R3, Milan

SELECTED GROUP SHOWS 

2025 Tabula Rasa, Consigna Gallery, Mexico City

2025 Boom: Bloom, Richart Gallery, Taiwan

2023 Salon Acme X, Mexico City

2021 Tijuana Triennial Pictoric International I, CECUT Museo El Cubo, Tijuana

2016 Virtual Realty, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Brasil

2013 Lakino, Galeria Neurokian, Berlin

2013 MPBA, Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City

2012 Faith for non believers, Galeria Frontera 96, Mexico City

2012 Bienal de Pintura Rufino Tamayo, Museo Tamayo, Mexico City 

2010 Caviar Izquierda, Zona Maco, Mexico City 

2009 Running into the Political Equator, Mexico/Israel 

2009 Distancia Relativa, CECUT, Tijuana

2007 TNT, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego 

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS 

2009 Bachelor of Fine Arts Escuela de Artes, UABC, Tijuana 

PUBLICATIONS 

2024 Oohart.net

2024 Manera - Magazine

2023 Kenta - Magazine

2023 Artsy

2021 Echoes and Resonances - Painting Book 

2020 Galleries Now

2020 Artsy 

2013 Zeta - Newspaper 

2013 MPBA - Art Book 

2012 Domus - Magazine  

2011 Caviar Izqueirda - Magazine