CM Pliego, also known as Carlos M Pliego, is a contemporary Mexican painter working in oil and charcoal on canvas. Originally from Toluca, Estado de México, Pliego spent more than a decade living and painting in Mérida, Yucatán — a period rooted deeply in the city that left a lasting imprint on his work, visible even as his style continued to evolve.

His recent work shows a shift toward non-realist figuration, in which color, silhouette, and background merge. Human figures, animals, and imagined characters often coexist within a single scene, blending into dreamlike environments through softened outlines and pale tones. The use of diluted, low-contrast colors allows small shifts in intensity to draw attention to specific forms.

In his Gold series, the artist moves closer to abstraction, guided by intuition and an experimental approach. These compositions feature symbolic elements such as letters, words, numbers, and signs — icons with personal meaning that contribute to a narrative layer. Sometimes these appear to emerge from the background, while in other cases they sit distinctly on the surface. The line work in these symbols is precise and deliberate, in contrast with the more fluid fields of color beneath them.

Works created before 2020 exhibit clearly defined figurative elements, rendered with confident brushstrokes and a strong grasp of proportion. Themes vary — from architectural settings rooted in the historic streets of Mérida, Yucatán, to reinterpretations of iconic works by European masters. In these tributes, such as Las Mininas, Los Girasoles de Vincent, and Escuela para Perros, the artist explores energetic brushwork while pushing the boundaries between clarity and painterly gesture.

Early Work and Education in Mérida, Yucatán

Transitional works — like Paseo de Montejo and Zoom, Ciudad Polvo — offer glimpses into the shift between these two stages, each one carrying visible traces of the Yucatecan city that shaped them. This evolution is also visible in Coronas y Polvo, a group exhibition held at El Zapote.

Pliego studied at Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende and at the Escuela Superior de Artes de Yucatán, though his independent practice ultimately took precedence over formal training. During his years in Mérida, he founded the Ruts Workshop, a collaborative space where he and fellow artists of his generation painted side by side, sustaining a strong sense of community rooted in the local art scene. His paintings have been exhibited at venues including Tapanco Centro Cultural, Galería Mérida, Galería la Eskalera, Pasaje Picheta, Centro Cultural Mid Guía, and Galería El Zapote.

He continues to dedicate his full time to painting.

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