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biography

Born in Santiago, Chile, Elfriede Fett grew up in a multicultural family that recognized early on her unique artistic sensitivity. Her father, an enlightened art enthusiast, encouraged her from childhood to explore painting. At a very young age, she became passionate about drawing, color, and form—a creative impulse that would stay with her forever.

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In 1986, she left Chile to settle in the south of France, drawn by the radiant light and vibrant colors of Provence. This change of scenery was a revelation and marked a decisive turning point in her artistic journey. A passionate self-taught artist, she freely experimented with different pictorial movements before finding in abstraction, language that best matched her need for freedom. Among her influences, Cy Twombly holds a special place.

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During her years in France, while building a successful career as an interior decorator and furniture designer, Elfriede invented a heteronym: Eduardo Fett. Bearing the same initials as hers, this fictional double became her parallel presence in the world. Though fed with elements drawn from her own biography, Eduardo remains elusive, drifting between the south of France and Italy, never truly locatable. This approach is reminiscent of the method used by Liliana Porter, Luis Camnitzer, and Guillermo (...) within the New York Graphic Workshop, through the creation of the imaginary character Juan Trepadori—a fictitious artist, supposedly born in Paraguay and living in Lisbon, who allowed them to sign works collectively while using the sales to fund scholarships for young printmakers.

 

For Elfriede, Eduardo Fett is a space of freedom: he allows her to explore all styles, play with influences, and create without the limitations tied to her own identity.

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Today, for the first time, she brings together her multiple identities through a foundational medium: Indian ink, which was her first true encounter with art. At the age of twelve, immobilized in bed by a cast, her father offered her an exceptional teacher: Peter Chen, a Chinese painter living in Chile, who introduced her to the art of ink painting in the Eastern tradition. For years, he had her draw the same rock tirelessly, from ever-changing angles and scales. This rigorous training shaped both her technique and her sensitivity. Even more, the man behind the teacher—captivating and kind—deeply marked the adolescent.

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Passionate about travel, eager for encounters and cultural discoveries, Elfriede—or Frida, as she is sometimes called—has journeyed across Europe, explored sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, including the islands of Saint-André and Sainte-Marguerite. Faithful to her South American roots, she also continues to explore Chile, the Atacama Desert, Tierra del Fuego, as well as Argentina, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Every place she visits, every sound she hears, every light she captures nourishes both her painting and her Eduardo Fett persona. Her inspirations are many, but nature holds a central place—with its shifting landscapes and evocative power. All seasons inspire her: winter with its low light, summer with its brilliance, sunsets, winds, silences.

 

Music has also always been part of her life. Like painting, it is a vector of emotion. Elfriede draws sensations from it, which she discreetly transposes onto canvas, with sensitive touches. For her - for Eduardo - inspiration is everywhere, continuous and intense.

 

Her works exude a striking energy. They capture light through bold compositions, unexpected perspectives, and volumes freed from realism. Her style, liberated from any direct visual reference, explores a vast, borderless universe.

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She regularly exhibits in Paris, Brussels, and Marseille, and participates in numerous art fairs in France and across Europe. Today, her works attract collectors from around the world. Preferring shadow to spotlight, Elfriede-Eduardo Fett never seeks center stage. But through the richness and diversity of her work, each viewer is invited to discover her many faces…

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