Santiago Insignares-Martínez

Santiago Insignares-Martínez is among ten selected for international prize; trained in Germany, participated in biennial in South Kore

Colombian artist based in Germany, Santiago Insignares-Martínez, was announced as one of the laureates of the Ceramic Brussels Art Prize 2026.Insignares is among ten artists selected for a curated group exhibition during the event. The prize includes a solo exhibition at the 2027 edition of the fair, as well as exhibitions and artist residencies yet to be announced.

The artist creates ceramic sculptures inspired by ancient and modern ruins, offering critical reflection on systems in crisis. Through playful appropriations and reconstructions, he assembles colorful ceramic structures that explore the relationship between architecture and identity, evoking the nostalgia of childhood building games.

Insignares’ trajectory began in Bogotá and passed through Rome and San Francisco before settling in Germany. There, he studied under Professor Isa Melsheimer at Muthesius Kunsthochschule, a prestigious art and design university located in Kiel, in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany. Founded in 1907 as a School of Arts and Crafts, the institution is named after architect and designer Hermann Muthesius, one of the founders of the Deutscher Werkbund movement, a precursor to the Bauhaus. The university maintains approximately 600 students and is internationally recognized for its programs in fine arts, industrial design, communication design, and architecture, with strong emphasis on artistic experimentation and the development of contemporary languages.

His training period at Muthesius resulted in institutional exhibitions for Insignares and participation in the 12th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Art Biennale in 2024. Held in South Korea since 2001, the biennial is one of the most important events in the global contemporary ceramic art calendar. Based in Icheon, a city recognized as a traditional center of Korean ceramic production and designated by UNESCO as a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, the biennial brings together artists from dozens of countries and presents both experimental works and reflections on the role of ceramics in contemporary art. The event includes thematic exhibitions, international shows, and competitions that highlight new talents and innovative approaches to using clay as an artistic medium.

The scenography of the group exhibition was developed in partnership with MAD Brussels and Action et Service.

Website: https://bio.site/insignaresart

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insignaresart/