Fred Ama was born in Chile, a country with a rich cultural and intellectual tradition that would deeply shape his artistic vision. His journey into the world of visual arts has never been a straightforward path; instead, it has been a deliberate pursuit of knowledge and exploration across disciplines. With a Master’s Degree in Philosophy of Science (USACH, 2009, with Highest Distinction) and an MBA (USACH, 2003), Ama cultivated a foundation that blends critical inquiry with analytical thinking. This multidisciplinary approach allows him to see art not only as an aesthetic practice but also as a philosophical and social endeavor.
His studies did not end there. Driven by an insatiable curiosity for art and its history, Ama earned a Diploma in Art History at PUCV (2025) and a Diploma in Aesthetics and Philosophy at the Catholic University of Chile (2024). These achievements reflect his commitment to understanding art beyond technique, seeking instead to situate it within broader intellectual, cultural, and philosophical contexts.
Artistic Training and Development
Ama’s formal art education is rooted in years of study at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where he specialized in painting, drawing, and general art from 2013 to 2017. During this time, he also pursued studies in the Theory of Visual Arts (2014–2016), equipping him with the language and conceptual tools to question and expand the meaning of visual expression.
This dual trajectory philosophy and art have shaped him into more than a painter. He is a thinker, an intellectual, and a creator who constantly examines the role of art in society and the possibilities of visuality in the modern world.
Expanding Horizons: Global Engagements in Art and Thought
Ama’s learning journey is global in scope. He has engaged with international institutions to deepen his artistic and pedagogical practices. In 2024, he completed Teaching Critical Thinking through Art with the National Gallery of Art, a SmithsonianX course designed to explore how art can be used as a tool for inquiry and education.
Further, in 2023, he completed five certificate programs from Coursera in collaboration with MoMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York), including Modern Art & Ideas, What is Contemporary Art?, Fashion as Design, Seeing Through Photographs, and Modern and Contemporary Art and Design. These experiences reinforced his connection to the major artistic revolutions of the 20th and 21st centuries, especially those that sought to expand and redefine the boundaries of visual language.
The Search for the “Future Image”
For several years, Ama has been consumed by a question: What kind of painting will emerge to expand the boundaries of visuality? This is not a casual inquiry, but a deep philosophical concern rooted in his study of history and practice. He looks to the European avant-garde movements and to Abstract Expressionism in New York as historical turning points that redefined art in their respective eras.
Ama’s fascination lies in these transformative power moments when art is no longer bound by convention but instead opens the door to new ways of seeing and understanding reality. For him, the challenge is not only to admire these revolutions but to participate in shaping the next one. His art is a conscious attempt to construct what he calls the future image, a visual form that belongs not only to today but anticipates tomorrow.
Artwork Highlight: Abstract Self-Portrait (2022)
Among Ama’s recent works, Abstract Self-Portrait (2022) stands out as a profound exploration of identity, space, and meaning. Painted in acrylic on canvas, the work does not reject the wall it hangs upon; rather, it embraces and interacts with it.
This dialogue between painting and environment recalls the words of Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset: “I am myself and my circumstances.” For Ama, this idea captures a fundamental truth about human existence that the self cannot be separated from its surroundings. His self-portrait embodies this philosophy, depicting not only the individual but also the inseparable reality in which that individual exists.
The painting becomes more than a representation; it becomes an existential statement. By abstracting the self and embedding it within the space of the wall, Ama shows that art is not simply about the image; it is about the interaction of the image with its world.
Art as a Philosophical Journey
Ama’s body of work reveals an artist who is not content with surface-level beauty. He engages art as a philosophical journey, a search for meaning in an era where images dominate our perception of reality. In this sense, his approach aligns with Ortega y Gasset’s view of existence but also connects with the broader discourse of modern and contemporary art, where the artwork is often inseparable from its conceptual framework.
His paintings are therefore not isolated objects but living questions. They invite the viewer to reflect not only on what is seen but on how we see, and ultimately, on how visuality shapes our understanding of the self and the world.
Teaching, Thinking, and Creating
In addition to painting, Ama embraces teaching and intellectual exchange as vital components of his practice. His involvement in programs like the SmithsonianX course demonstrates his dedication to using art as a tool for critical thinking and education. He views art not merely as a personal act of expression but as a shared dialogue, an opportunity to foster questioning, reflection, and creativity in others.
This integration of teaching, philosophy, and creation underscores Ama’s unique position in the contemporary art world. He is not only a painter of canvases but a painter of ideas, seeking to construct new forms of seeing that resonate beyond the boundaries of the studio.
Conclusion: Toward the Future Image
Fred Ama’s journey is one of synthesis between philosophy and art, history and innovation, personal reflection and universal inquiry. His academic achievements, international engagements, and deep philosophical questioning all converge into a singular mission: to contribute to the construction of the future image.
Through works like Abstract Self-Portrait, Ama demonstrates that art is not only about representing the self but also about situating that self within its circumstances, its history, and its world. As he continues to evolve, his art invites us to reflect on our own relationship with images, urging us to look forward not just to what art has been, but to what it can become.
