Katzen Arts Center, American University, Washington, DC 

Exhibit: April 19 to May 18, 2025

The work displayed in this exhibition is inspired by the extraordinary and complex case of Pablo Escobar’s hippopotamuses—once a private exhibition of excess, now an ecological crisis.

Imported in the 1980s as a symbol of unchecked power, these animals have since thrived in Colombia’s Magdalena River Basin, growing from an initial four to an estimated 150 to 200 by 2025. Their rapid proliferation has disrupted local ecosystems, sparking urgent debates about invasive species, human intervention, and ethical wildlife management.

But this story is more than just an environmental anomaly—it is personal. I grew up in Colombia during Escobar’s reign, a time marked by relentless terrorism, bombings, kidnappings, and violence that left a generation impacted. Friends and colleagues bore the burdens of this era—some were kidnapped, and others were murdered. These experiences shape my artistic inquiry, embedding within it a visceral understanding of history’s weight and the shadow of power.

This body of work is not solely about Escobar’s hippos; it also addresses the aftershocks of unchecked authority, the clash between human ambition and nature, and the role of art as a witness to global challenges. Through these paintings, I encourage viewers to reflect on the enduring consequences of human actions—on individuals, on landscapes, and on the narratives we choose to uphold.

About the Artist

Andrés is a Colombian-American artist whose portrait-based oil paintings reimagine iconic figures and historical moments. Through bold color, contrast, and visual tension, his work explores the layered intersections of power, memory, and environmental disruption. Drawing from personal experience and social history, Andrés brings forward themes of legacy, trauma, and reckoning.

Paintings in the Exhibit:

Title: Hippo’s and Coke III – The Candidate
Date: 2025
Size: 4 ft X 8 ft
Medium: Oil on Masonite

Title: Hippo’s and Coke I
Date: 2025
Size: 4 ft X 8 ft
Medium: Oil on Masonite

Title: Hippo’s and Coke II
Date: 2025
Size: 4 ft X 8 ft
Medium: Oil on Masonite

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: Escobedo
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: Santomifio
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: Garcia Herrajes
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: Aguirre
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: Mr. President
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: The General
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: Hernando
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: Andy
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper

Artist: Andrés Izquierdo
Title: Gustav
Date: 2025
Size: 16 inches x 20 inches
Medium: Oil on paper