Federico Herrero's prolific career reached a defining moment in 2001 when he was awarded the Golden Lion for Best Young Artist at the 49th Venice Biennale, the highest honor bestowed by this prestigious international contemporary art exhibition. His work is deeply influenced by the ever-evolving relationship between Costa Rica's natural landscapes and urban structures, particularly exploring how painting exists as an autonomous entity.
Recent solo exhibitions include A Piece of Waterfall in the Sound of Crickets at The Gallery at Windsor in Vero Beach, Florida (2024); presentations at James Cohan in New York (2023); Táctiles at Kunsthalle Lissabon in Lisbon (2022); The sun and the moon at Mendes Wood DM in Brussels and Night Blue at Sies + Höke in Düsseldorf (2021); Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (2020); Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói in Rio de Janeiro (2019); Witte de With in Rotterdam (2018); Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (2018); Sies + Höke in Düsseldorf (2017); Galeria Luisa Strina in São Paulo (2015); Proyectos Monclova in Mexico City (2014); and institutional shows at 21st Century Art Museum in Kanazawa (2012), CCA Wattis Institute in San Francisco (2008), and Kunstverein Freiburg (2008).
His work has been featured in notable group exhibitions such as the Thailand Biennale in Korat (2021); Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (2022); Museo Amparo in Puebla (2019); Geometries at Onassis Cultural Center in Athens (2018); X Central American Biennial (2018); Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York (2014); and Para/site in Hong Kong (2011).
Herrero's works belong to major collections worldwide, including Tate (UK), Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid), MUAC (Mexico City), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Saatchi Gallery (London), Guggenheim Collection, 21st Century Art Museum (Kanazawa), and MUDAM (Luxembourg), among others.