Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Gabriel Barbato Verbeek has lived in several countries and cities before finding his home in Curaçao. From his studio in Willemstad, he invites viewers to experience his story and journey through his art.

With nearly four decades of experience as an architect in Spain, Argentina, and Ecuador, Gabriel’s creative foundation is deeply influenced by form, balance, and design. Yet, as he embodies in his work, “we are multitudes.” Architecture may have shaped his professional life, but painting remains his most personal form of expression.

Four years ago, after relocating to Curaçao, Gabriel returned to painting with renewed passion. Over the years, his art has evolved through various phases such as figurative pieces in pointillist technique during his youth, abstraction during his years in Spain, and later, provocative sculptural works.

Curaçao marked a turning point. The island’s rhythm, its light, and its colors reshaped his artistic voice. Here, surrounded by the immeasurable blues of the sea and sky, the movement of the wind, and the vibrancy of local nature, Gabriel rediscovered color in its purest form.

Today, his work is characterized by abstraction, a reflection of both freedom and introspection. More than anything, Gabriel defines himself as someone who needs to paint.