Freddy Carreño

Freddy Carreño has been a prominent figure in the Venezuelan cultural scene for his unwavering commitment to art criticism, museology and teaching. Born in Caracas on August 13, 1947, Carreño obtained a degree in Architecture from the Universidad Central de Venezuela in 1973, a profession he practiced for many years. In 1980, he began to study art in that same university and earned a BFA in Visual Arts. Later on, he completed a degree in Museology at the Universidad Nacional Experimental "Francisco de Miranda," in Coro. Between 1985 and 1996, Carreño served as director of the Museo de Arte Moderno "Jesús Soto," in Ciudad Bolívar, eventually becoming part of the Board of Directors. During this period, the museum was solidified as an institution as result of a directorship that addressed both the internal structuring of the place as well as its projection to the world. He favored an openness that broadened the programming and established interinstitutional alliances that favored the mounting of important exhibitions, the organization of complementary events, and the implementation of diverse educational and recreational activities in almost all disciplines, which gave the institution a distinctive seal that had a notable impact in the region. Noteworthy of mention was the National Guiana Biennial (1987-1997). With five consecutive inaugurations, it represented a new experience that invited artists from different parts of Venezuela, included the participation of art critics and theoreticians, and attracted the gathering of audiences that transformed the museum into a cultural referent. As an exhibition project, it generated a dynamic beyond the museum's wall and conquered new spaces in and out of the city. During its third edition—a tribute to Jesús Soto—art critic Roberto Guevara pointed out: "The museums that are happening are those that contravene traditions and choose to face criticism and encourage discussion by proposing new systems to evaluate and promote Venezuelan art. Among these is, almost as an isolated case, the Third National Guiana Biennial of Art organized by the Museo de Arte Moderno 'Jesús Soto'… On this occasion, the Guiana Biennial has completely triumphed. It offers the best group presented in all of the latest biennials or salons held in the country.'' During his trajectory as a university professor, Carreño taught at the Escuela de Artes of the U.C.V., from 1989 to the day of his death in Caracas, on January 10, 2016. As head of his department, he oversaw the creation of a program in Museology, Museography and several elective courses on curatorship, documentation, registry of collections, and on modern and contemporary art. Likewise, he participated as juror, curator and museographer in exhibitions, salons, and biennials. He gave lectures and conferences and published numerous articles on art in different media, including ArtNexus. He was an active member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA-Venezuela). With his serene demeanor and fi...