Gladys Afamado

Gladys Afamado was a Uruguayan visual artist, engraver, and poet born on May 24, 1925, recognized for a long and evolving career that spanned traditional printmaking to contemporary digital art. Her work reflects a sustained commitment to experimentation, adapting to new techniques and mediums while maintaining a strong foundation in graphic expression and poetic sensibility.

Afamado became a member of the Montevideo Engraving Club in 1954, an important institution in the development of printmaking in Uruguay and Latin America. Through this association, she contributed to numerous monthly editions and almanacs, participating in a collective effort that emphasized accessibility, collaboration, and the social role of art. This early involvement helped shape her artistic identity, grounding her work in the discipline of engraving and the exchange of ideas within a creative community.

Her practice is characterized by a sensitivity to line, texture, and composition, qualities that originate in her training as an engraver. Printmaking techniques allowed her to explore contrast, repetition, and structure, developing images that balance precision with expressive nuance. Over time, she expanded her work into other forms of visual art, incorporating painting, mixed media, and experimental approaches.

In later years, Afamado embraced digital art, demonstrating an openness to new technologies and a willingness to evolve her practice. This transition did not replace her earlier methods but extended them, allowing her to reinterpret her visual language within a contemporary framework. Her digital works maintain the clarity and compositional awareness of her engraving, while introducing new possibilities for color, layering, and form.

Alongside her visual practice, Afamado was also a poet, and this literary dimension is reflected in the conceptual depth of her work. Her images often suggest narrative or symbolic elements, inviting interpretation while maintaining a sense of structure and restraint. This combination of visual and poetic thinking contributes to the distinct character of her work.

Throughout her career, Afamado exhibited her work and gained recognition within Uruguay and beyond. Her longevity as an artist and her ability to adapt across decades of artistic change highlight her significance within the cultural landscape.

Gladys Afamado died on December 29, 2024. She is remembered as an artist who bridged traditional and contemporary practices, combining engraving, poetry, and digital media into a coherent and evolving body of work.