Opening on August 27, 2026, the art exhibition “Enfermedades Preciosas” by visual artist Cecilia Avendaño explores contemporary themes surrounding bodily somatisation, beauty manipulation, and identity at the Galería de Arte de la Facultad de Medicina. Avendaño, a visual arts graduate with a specialisation in photography from the Universidad de Chile, spent five years investigating classical portraiture through digital post-production to build the collection. The resulting body of work consists of 19 images featuring digitally constructed female figures that merge human traits with botanical elements, challenging conventional Western aesthetic standards.
The research behind the exhibition examines how the female body physically manifests psychological and cultural pressures. By combining portraits from multiple models into singular digital compositions, Avendaño weaves plant hybrids directly into the human form. This visual approach addresses complex relationships between personal identity, internal psychological states, and cultural expectations placed on physical appearance.
“Enfermedades Preciosas tiene relación con cómo incorporamos nuestros ciclos vitales y nos conectamos con nuestro cuerpo,” Avendaño stated regarding the origins of her project. “Al empezar a observarnos y aceptarnos, también comenzamos a admitir en nosotros todo lo que implica dolor. Al aceptar el dolor, nos encontramos con nosotros mismos, y ese acto está lleno de belleza. La botánica, la naturaleza, es un regreso a nuestras raíces y volver a aceptar lo que somos y lo que nos rodea.”
The upcoming showcase at the Faculty of Medicine’s art gallery brings a contemporary investigation into a clinical and academic setting.
Five Years of Research and Publication
The foundational research culminating in the August 2026 exhibition spans a multi-year creative process. In 2019, Avendaño published a monograph titled “Enfermedades Preciosas,” which gathered the core photographic series alongside critical essays. Contributors to the publication included project curator Andrea Jösch, writer Rocío Cano, researcher Elisa McCausland, and art theorist Sergio Rojas, providing multi-layered academic context to the visual exploration.
Over the past 15 years, Avendaño’s artistic trajectory has encompassed several distinct series, including “Enfermedades Preciosas” (2015–2019), “e.Merge” (2014–2015), “Blow” (2012), and “PRIDE” (2009). Her portfolio has traveled widely through solo and group exhibitions at prominent Chilean venues such as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Galería Animal, Galería Patricia Ready, Sala de Arte CCU, and Isabel Croxatto Galería, as well as international spaces like Galería Sicart in Spain and Reverse in the United States.
International art fairs have also featured her digital composites extensively. Her exhibition history includes appearances at Art Central Hong Kong, Contemporary Istanbul, Art Miami, Sydney Contemporary, Swab Barcelona, Lima Photo, and ArteBa, establishing her presence within global contemporary photography circuits.
Institutional Recognition and Global Collections
Avendaño’s career has received substantial support from the Chilean state, earning awards on four separate occasions from the Fondo Nacional del Desarrollo Cultural y las Artes (FONDART) between 2008 and 2018. During this same decade, she was selected to represent Chile internationally at Foto Week DC in Washington, D.C., and at the “Fotografía e identidad” exhibition hosted by the Korea Foundation in Seoul.
Her works reside in numerous institutional and private collections worldwide. Notable holdings include the DKV Collection and César Monzonís Collection in Spain, the Korea Foundation and Trazos Gallery in Seoul, the Cem Yilmaz Collection in Istanbul, and the Embassy of Chile in the United States. Domestic institutional collections holding her pieces include Colección Ca.Sa, Colección Engel, Colección Arte Al Limite, and the Fondo Nacional de las Culturas y las Artes in Chile.
The exhibition opens to the public on August 27, 2026, at the Galería de Arte de la Facultad de Medicina, offering audiences an opportunity to engage directly with Avendaño’s rigorous examination of nature, pain, and the somatic self.
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