Ricardo Chavez Tovar graduated from the National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking, Mexico City in 1983. His postgraduate studies was in Chinese Painting at the China National Academy of Fine Art, China (1999). His primary medium is photogram, a medieval technique of capturing pictures without the use of cameras.

He exposes objects onto light sensitive papers in a darkened room to gather silhouettes forms, which he then works into collages, assemblages and installations. One still picture leads to another, he constructs the whole narrative, inspired by his interest in myths, literature, history and his sacrosanct muse. Ricardo’s surrealist works often thrust the viewers into a vortex made up of the mystique of human psyche and homage to the primitive nature.

Ricardo was awarded First Prize in the Snow Sculpture Contest at Snowfest, Ontario, Canada in 1995. His selected solo exhibitions include “The Muse Came To My Show Dropping Her Crown At My Art Installation” (Suma Orientalis Fine Art, 2024), “The Subtle Harmony of a Dead End” (Suma Orientalis Fine Art, 2023), “TROPIKAL AVANT-DARK” (Suma Orientalis Fine Art, 2019), “Albino Shadows On The Tiger’s Tail” (Alliance Française, Penang, Malaysia, 2011), “Playing On The Lunatic Side Of The Moon” (Penang State Art Gallery, Penang, Malaysia, 2010), and “Dark Shapes At Play, Chapter 2” (Seksan Gallery, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2007). Some of the group exhibitions he has participated in include “Is Art Serious?“ (Darling Muse Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2006), “Gado-Gado” (University Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, 2005), “Collective Exhibition” (Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,1999), “Nicchu Gouryu Chiten” (Nishiogi Wenz Studio, Tokyo, Japan,1999), “Cuentagonia” (El Escalon, Mexico City, Mexico,1998), “Starting 2” (Galeri Petronas, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1997) and “Starting” (Shanghai Art Museum, Peoples Republic of China,1996).

Ricardo currently lives and works in Penang, Malaysia.