Born in San José in 1978, Federico Herrero's prolific career as an artist was crowned in 2001, when he was the winner of the Golden Lion for best young artist at the 49th Venice Biennale, the highest award given in this prestigious international contemporary art exhibition. Federico Herrero's work is influenced by the ever-changing relationship between the natural landscape and urban structures of Costa Rica. Particularly the way the painting exists as an independent entity.
Recent solo exhibitions include: Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (2020), Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro (2019); Witte de With, Rotterdam (2018); Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (2018); Sies + Höke Galerie, Düsseldorf (2017); Galeria Luisa Strina, São Paulo (2015); Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf (2014);Proyectos Monclova, Mexico City (2014); Diablo Rosso, Panama City (2013); La casa encendida, Madrid (2013); 21st Century Art Museum, Kanazawa, Japan (2012); Proyectos Ultravioleta, Guatemala City (2011); Kunstverein Freiburg, Germany (2008) and CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco (2008).
Recent group shows include: Geometries, Onassis Cultural Center, Athens (2018); X Biennial of Central America (2018); South London Gallery, London (2016); MOCAD Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit (2015); Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (2014); MAM-SP Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo (2013); Antigua, Guatemala (2013); EACC de Castellón, Spain (2013); Para/site, Hong Kong (2011) and Art Parcours, Basel (2011).
His work is part of collections such as: CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Art, San Francisco, USA; Ella Fontanals-Cisneros Collection, Miami, USA; Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan; ME Collectors Room, Berlin, Germany; MUDAM, Luxembourg; MUSAC, Castilia y León, ; Museo de Santander, Spain; Museu Reina Sofia, Madri, Spain; MUAC Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City; Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA; Saatchi Gallery, London, England; Solomon R. Guggenheim Collection, USA; Tate Collection, England; 21st Century Art Museum, Kanazawa, Japan.