Estuardo Maldonado

Maldonado was a member of VAN (Vanguardia Artística Nacional), the group of Informalist painters founded by Enrique Tábara.

Other members of VAN included, Aníbal Villacís, Luis Molinari, Hugo Cifuentes, León Ricaurte and Gilberto Almeida.

Born in Píntag, in the Quito district of Ecuador, Maldonado left home at a young age in order to observe and learn from nature.

In 1957, Maldonado set out for Europe on a scholarship and traveled to France, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands and settled in Rome, Italy.

Constructive Universalism is an innovative style created by Joaquín Torres García who after living in Europe for over forty years, returned to his native land, Uruguay and brought with him new artistic concepts.