Born in 1933 in San Salvador, El Salvador. Cañas is considered one of the most relevant figures in Latin American Art. He influenced whole generations of Salvadorian artists. He joined the neo-figuration trend early in his career; nevertheless he created his own identity and artistic language by adding an erotic and surrealist edge to his oeuvre. He died at Arlington, Virginia in 1987. His work is represented in the permanent collections of major museums in Latin America and the United States.