Cándido Bidó (20 May 1936 – 7 March 2011) Dominican Artist

His paintings are representations of daily life in contrasting tones of blues, bright reds, orange and yellows; colors of the campos, the village houses, the trees and the surrounding mountains, brought to life by his signature haloed sun. Cándido Bidó (1936–2011) called his art “the themes of daily life... the life of a vendor, a coal worker;” lives that he knew growing up. Bido wrapped his colors in thick bold lines; around the solemn faces of the women and men going about their daily routines. His style is unmistakable and instantly recognizable; a style representational of a land where bright colors and hard work are a way of life.

Portrait of Candido Bido
Photo: Kronos Art BCN @ArtKronos

Cándido Bidó (20 May 1936 – 7 March 2011) was a Dominican painter born in Bonao, capital of the Monseñor Nouel province, in the Dominican Republic. In 1951, he moved to Santo Domingo to work at the Serafín de Asís College, founded on February 2, 1931 by a Community of Franciscan nuns. It is at Serafín de Asís that Bido’s life as an artist takes form. In the afternoons, and with the support of the nuns, Bido begins to study at the School of Fine Arts in Santo Domingo.

“I always have to mention the nuns of the school, because the truth is that being at that mentioned center of studies, is how my life as a painter was born. I had a vocation, I had qualities, but that's when I start to develop them.”

At The School of Fine Arts, Bido had the opportunity to study under the guidance of Gilberto Hernández Ortega, José Gausachs, Clara Ledesma and Jaime Colson; graduating in 1962. Upon graduation, he worked as an assistant professor at the National School of Arts until 1967, when he receives a spot as a faculty professor until 1981. In 1982, he inaugurates the Cándido Bidó Art Center in Santo Domingo, teaching painting, drawing and sculpting. The center operates until 1987, after which, Bido moves back to his hometown of Banao and opens the Cultural Center Plaza, and the Cándido Bidó Art Museum. This is followed by the opening of The School of Arts of the Dominican Air Force in Santo Domingo, in 1996.

Throughout his career, he held more than 20 individual exhibitions, both in the national territory and abroad, including: New York, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Colombia, Spain, France, Israel, Brazil, Washington, D.C., London, Germany, Haiti, Italy, Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Martinique, Korea, Yugoslavia, Japan and Belgium. Among the most important awards obtained by Bidó are: First Prize ESSO Contest of Young Artists (Santo Domingo, 1965); Fourth and Fifth Prize Eduardo León Jimenes Contest (Santiago de los Caballeros, 1967 and 1968, respectively); Third Prize XII National Biennial (Santo Domingo, 1972); First Prize XIII National Biennial (Santo Domingo, 1974); Second Prize XIV National Biennial (Santo Domingo, 1979); First Prize Eduardo León Jimenes Contest (Santiago de los Caballeros, 1981).

For more than 50 years, Bido drew inspiration for his art from his native Bonao and the farm lands of the Cibao and region. His paintings become live scenes of mothers nursing, campesinos in the fields, birds adorning the trees, and lovers in the aldea.

Cándido Bidó passed away on the afternoon of March 7, 2011, from cardio-respiratory failure caused by a severe coronary syndrome. He was 74 years old.

Paintings by Cándido Bidó

Paseo de la Mañana
Paseo de la Mañana C. 1979.
Woman in profile
Woman in profile c. 1984
Woman in profile
Woman in profile c. 2000
Bodegon con peces
Bodegon con peces c. 2004
Retrato en azul
Retrato en azul c. 1989
Mother with child
Mother with child c. 1982
Mujer con pañuelo rojo
Mujer con pañuelo rojo c. 1980
Retrato de mujer
Retrato de mujer c. 1977
Mujer con vasija Taina c. 1989
Abstract painting
Abstract painting c. 1990
Retrato de mujer
Retrato de mujer c. 1977