A Dialogue with the Unseen
Zahira Barneto is an American-Spanish contemporary artist whose work unfolds through painting as a slow, attentive practice rooted in presence and sustained observation.
Her paintings emerge through a layered, time-based process in which color, form, and structure are allowed to develop gradually. Rather than depicting specific narratives, the work explores subtle inner states and perceptual thresholds, inviting quiet reflection and extended looking.
Before fully devoting herself to painting, Barneto had a successful career in the New York City film industry, where she worked in production design. This background continues to inform her disciplined approach to composition, rhythm, and spatial awareness.
Working primarily with oil on canvas, Barneto develops each painting through extended periods of engagement and pause, allowing the work to find its own coherence over time. While her practice is informed by ceremonial contexts and sustained spiritual inquiry, these influences remain implicit, shaping the rhythm and attention of the work rather than its literal imagery.
Currently based in Madrid, she continues to develop a body of work rooted in abstraction, material presence, and the exploration of color as a structural and perceptual force.
