Emilia Cantor

Emilia Cantor explores alternative worlds as she challenges the viewer’s preconceived ideas of reality with an innovative approach to colour and classical tools. Her surrealist canvases are transformed into symphonies of colour that feature vast areas of emotionally charged contrasts, often with pastel and vibrant colours juxtaposing against stark black and greys, creating visually striking harmonies that evoke a sense of otherworldliness. Shrouded in ambiguity and infused with rich mythological forms, Cantor's paintings convey a distinctive narrative style. The viewer must engage in an emotional puzzle to decipher the artist’s intention, leaving us in a state of curiosity.

Cantor received formal training at the Florence Academy of Art in 2003 where she honed traditional skills and techniques, which she now blends with a modernist colourful sensibility, creating a fusion of contemporary and classical art.

Dedicated to formal art training and valuing traditional methods, Cantor founded the Atelier del Sol in San José in 2012, which is Costa Rica’s first and only institution of its kind, underlining her commitment to preserving and promoting classical artistic techniques. Quoting Picasso, Cantor echoed the sentiment that “you must learn the rules to be able to break them”.

Cantor has exhibited extensively throughout Costa Rica, most recently at Galería Talentum in San José, and has showcased her work internationally in France, Mexico, and Italy.

Why We Love This Artist
We love the tension in Emilia’s work — a Florence-trained eye for classical technique meeting a colour sensibility that feels completely unique. Her canvases have real weight and authority, and her surreal worlds and figures take you somewhere unexpected. We haven’t come across anyone who paints quite like her.