Impressions from the Studio: Andaz Art Week Opens at the Andaz Costa Rica Resort on the Peninsula Papagayo

This week, the studio space at Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo has been transformed into a contemporary gallery for the second edition of Andaz Art Week, curated by MÍRAME Fine Art. With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Culebra Bay on the Papagayo Peninsula, the space invites natural light into the exhibition, allowing the artworks to shift with the changing atmosphere of the ocean.

As sunlight moves through the gallery across the day, certain works take on unexpected luminosity. Jaime Gurdian’s layered abstractions — evoking coastal textures and tidal motion with sand textures mixed into acrylic paint — appear almost kinetic as morning light pools across their surfaces.

Ivannia Lasso and Carolina Guillermet and Andaz Art Week

A presentation of works by Jimmy Downing, Ivannia Lasso and Carolina Guillermet forms a kind of material triptych: sea, land and city. Downing’s gyotaku prints record coastal marine species using a traditional technique of direct printing from life. Lasso’s assemblages, constructed from salvaged wood and industrial remnants, reflect the textures of urban infrastructure.

Guillermet’s geometric abstractions introduce a system of colour and form that maps space through human logic. Together, the works explore different modes of trace and surface — organic, residual and constructed — framing an understated dialogue between environment, material and spatial perception.

Two paintings by Roberto Carter are installed directly on the windows, floating between interior and landscape. The works are protected from direct sunlight, yet enhanced by the ambient warmth of the studio. As the light changes, so do the paintings: soft forms and subtle colour fields begin to emerge, revealing Carter’s attention to layering and quiet variation.

His process — built slowly, with a focus on surface, mood, and restraint — mirrors the slow movement of nature itself. In this setting, the foliage beyond the glass becomes part of the work, echoing its chromatic rhythm and further softening the line between image and environment.

Roberto Carter at Andaz Art Week, 13-18 April, 2025

In the dedicated photography section, Edwar Herreño’s underwater wildlife portraits provide a moment of clarity and stillness. These are placed in dialogue with Leonardo Ureña’s abstract photographs — evocative, ambiguous compositions that many visitors have returned to for longer viewing. Together, they offer two distinct ways of seeing Costa Rica’s natural environments.

Ulises Rivera’s paintings draw from his background in muralism, combining graphic precision with intuitive mark-making. Built through layers of spray paint and acrylic, the works balance architectural structure with raw gesture. His compositions reflect the energy of urban environments while exploring abstraction as a form of coded visual language.

What's more, Isaac Loria’s landscape paintings echo the foliage just beyond the studio windows. Rooted in the Guanacaste environment, his works bring the outside in — translating earth tones, shifting light, and native vegetation into layered, expressive canvases. In this setting, nature becomes subject and presence within the exhibition space.

Isaac Loria at Andaz Art Week

Beyond the visual composition, the exhibition has sparked ongoing conversation. Hotel guests — many encountering Costa Rican contemporary art for the first time — have responded with enthusiasm and curiosity. Artists’ processes, materials, and regional references have become topics of dialogue between visitors, curators, and collectors. One guest noted, "I had no idea this level of work was happening in Costa Rica — it's thoughtful, beautifully made, and surprisingly diverse."

“This event feels incredibly special because of the quality of work and how naturally the space, the light, and the landscape support it. You can feel that something meaningful is happening here. It’s a privilege to bring these artists into this setting and to continue promoting Costa Rican contemporary art.” — Belinda Seppings, MÍRAME Fine Art

Andaz Art Week at the Andaz Costa Rica Resort

Andaz Art Week at the Andaz Costa Rica Resort continues to develop as a meaningful partnership between hospitality and the arts. It reflects MÍRAME's mission to expand the visibility of Costa Rican artists and Andaz’s commitment to creating thoughtful, culturally engaged experiences for its guests. A USD 50 donation will be added to the price of each work sold, supporting Creciendo Juntos, a local non-profit focused on empowering children and strengthening communities across Guanacaste.

Andaz Art Week remains open through the end of Holy Week. PDF catalogue available upon request.

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MÍRAME Fine Art Email: [email protected] Follow: Facebook | Instagram

Andaz Costa Rica Resort