Ernesto Engel: between traditional art and digital innovation

Ernesto Engel is a renowned Argentine visual artist and educator, originally from Posadas, Misiones. His career combines painting, set design, and digital art, with a strong educational vocation and an innovative approach to technologies such as NFTs. With academic training in Spain and international projection, Engel has left a mark both in the artistic and academic fields, being awarded for his commitment to the culture of Misiones and his ability to reinvent himself at every stage of his career.

Origin and academic formation

Ernesto Engel was born in Posadas, Misiones, Argentina. His academic training includes a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and a Master’s in Research in Plastic and Visual Arts, both obtained at the University of Granada, Spain. This solid academic foundation has been fundamental in his development as an artist and educator.

Artistic career

Since 2004, Engel has directed the Ernesto Engel Gallery in Posadas, a center dedicated to the teaching and dissemination of art. His pictorial work is characterized by a deep connection with the nature of Misiones, exploring themes such as the jungle and local culture. He has held numerous solo and group exhibitions both in Argentina and abroad, and his works are part of private collections in countries such as Chile, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.

Set design and television

Engel has ventured into set design, participating in theatrical productions such as Edipo Rey (2001), Antígona (2002), and Las aventuras de Scapino (2003). He also designed the set and costumes for the comic opera La Serva Padrona by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi in 2010 and for the opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell in 2011. In television, he worked on the set design for the program El Periodista in 2009.

Innovation in digital art

Engel has been a pioneer in integrating traditional art with new technologies. In 2021, he launched the collection Cripto Mates Arte&NFT, exploring crypto art and NFTs as new forms of expression and commercialization of art. This initiative has expanded his international reach and positioned his work in digital collections.

Educational work and cultural management

In addition to his artistic career, Engel has had a distinguished career as an educator. He has taught at the National University of Misiones, the University of Salvador, and the Antonio Ruiz de Montoya Institute. He participated in the creation of the Bachelor’s degree in Digital Art at the University of Salvador and the Bachelor’s in Plastic Arts at the Montoya Institute. He was also part of the founding team of the Catholic University of the Missions (UCAMI).

Recognitions and distinctions

In 2009, he received the Premio Sapucai Misionero for his contribution to the knowledge and dissemination of visual arts in Misiones. He was also awarded the Premio de Honor a la Trayectoria en Pintura at the first Biennial of Misionero Art Mboyeré. Engel is recognized for being the first artist to create a complete art collection with the purpose of burning the works live, and the second to perform this action in a solo work.

Presence in media andsocial networks

Engel shares his experience and knowledge through in-person educational seminars called Experiencia Ernesto Engel. He also maintains an active presence on social media and digital platforms, including a YouTube channel where he shares content related to art and his creative process.