Xavier Patiño

Xavier Patiño (Guayaquil, 1984) is a renowned visual artist and educator from Ecuador. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and a Master's in Art Studies, and has played a key role in Ecuador's art scene. In the 1980s, he co-founded the Taller de Pintura and La Artefactoría, and represented Ecuador at international biennales like Cuenca and Tijuana. With multiple awards, including from the Salón de Julio and Salón de Octubre, he founded the Instituto Tecnológico de Artes del Ecuador (ITAE) in 2002 to professionalize artists in the coastal region. His monumental sculpture Los Bancos (2006) is a significant example of Ecuadorian public art. Patiño is currently the head of the Visual Arts program at the Universidad de las Artes, continuing to influence contemporary art.