ARTIST BIO / STATEMENT
Aldara Ortega is a self-taught photographer whose exploration of underwater photography began over a decade ago as a sanctuary from the pressures of urban life. Her work transforms this personal escape into a universal journey of self-discovery, freedom, and the raw expression of body, mind, and heart. Beneath the surface, her subjects embody a profound sense of release, reconnecting with their authentic, liberated selves.
Through her underwater portraits of women, Aldara crafts evocative narratives that celebrate femininity. Her photographs invite viewers into an intimate experience of strength, sensuality, and empowerment. Embracing spontaneity and the ever-changing interplay of water, light, and weather, her creative process becomes a dance of experimentation and collaboration. Each session captures fleeting, unrepeatable moments shaped by the unpredictable energy of nature.
Spanish-born Aldara Ortega brings a rich, multidisciplinary perspective to her work. With a background in fashion design and mixed media art, she weaves diverse influences into her distinctive underwater portraits. Deeply inspired by her Spanish heritage and lifelong passion for dance, Ortega’s art highlights the expressive power of the body and the transformative energy of water, inviting viewers to connect with its profound emotional resonance.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Underwater, I surrender to an uncharted world, a space where I am both explorer and collaborator. The natural interplay of water’s power, light, and motion creates a dynamic canvas that constantly reshapes itself, inviting spontaneity and discovery.
My photography celebrates feminine energy—an ode to its strength, elegance, and sensuality. I seek to honor the female form not as a static object but as a living narrative, a vessel of self-expression and empowerment. Each image captures the interplay of light, motion, and emotion, inviting viewers to reconnect with their own sense of wonder, liberation, and authenticity.
Education
Fashion Design Superior Center, Madrid, Spain
Sustainable Agent of Change, University of Colorado System.
Tropical Coastal Ecosystems, The University of Queensland.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 Dive In, Galerie L'Atelier, New York, NY.
2020 Etérea, Tulum, Mexico.
2014 NH3 Gallery, Liquid Project NY
2013 Casa Mezcal, Liquid Desert, New York, NY
2012 Space 108, Refractions, Miami, FL
Selected Exhibitions
2023 Salt House Fine Art, Sag Harbor, New York
2022 Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Southhampton, NY.
Galerie L'Atelier, Greenwich, CT.
2021 Context - Art Miami, Art Basel Miami, FL.
Galerie L'Atelier, Greenwich, CT.
Art On Paper, New York, NY.
Summer Breeze, New York, NY.
Re-Merge, Bridgehampton, NY.
Art Marker, Bridgehampton, NY.
2019 White Porch Gallery. Miami, FL.
2018 “Displacement: Woman’s Journeys”, Ceres Gallery, New York, NY.
Art Palm Beach, West Palm, FL.
2017 Context Art Miami, Miami, FL. Feria Internacional de Arte y Cultura de Bogotá, BARCÚ, Colombia.
Georges Berges Gallery, New York, NY.
Market Art + Design, Bridgehampton, NY.
Roman Fine Art, East Hampton, NY.
2016 The Flatz Gallery, Breaking Surface, Peekskill, NY.
Art Hamptons, Bridgehampton, NY
2015 Scope Miami,Florida.
Art Toronto, Canada.
Feria Internacional de Arte y Cultura de Bogotá,BARCU, Colombia.
Affordable Art Fair New York, NY.
Galleria Ca D’Oro, Breaking Surface, New York, New York
Art Hamptons, Hamptons, NY
Index Dubai, International Design Exhibition, United Arab Emirates
2014 Art is Life and Life is Art, New York, NY
What would you rather be?, Group Show, New York, NY
2013 ManHATan/MADhattan, New York, NY
Majestic Creations, Temporary Public Installation, New York, NY
2012 Linus Gallery, Motion, Online Exhibition
Linus Gallery, Bits an Pices, Pasadena, CA
Linus Gallery, Water’s Edge, Pasadena, CA
Location 05, Group Show, New York, NY
MOD’ART International, Shanghai International Fashion Center, Zeal, Shanghai, China
The Boiler Gallery, Annual Wagmag Exhibition, Williamsburg, NY
Lazypoint, Summer Group Show, Amagansett, NY
Quartier Salon, Brooklyn, NY
2009 20 Bond, Group Exhibition, New York, NY
Aldara Ortega is a self-taught photographer whose exploration of underwater photography began over a decade ago as a sanctuary from the pressures of urban life. Her work transforms this personal escape into a universal journey of self-discovery, freedom, and the raw expression of body, mind, and heart. Beneath the surface, her subjects embody a profound sense of release, reconnecting with their authentic, liberated selves.
Through her underwater portraits of women, Aldara crafts evocative narratives that celebrate femininity. Her photographs invite viewers into an intimate experience of strength, sensuality, and empowerment. Embracing spontaneity and the ever-changing interplay of water, light, and weather, her creative process becomes a dance of experimentation and collaboration. Each session captures fleeting, unrepeatable moments shaped by the unpredictable energy of nature.
Spanish-born Aldara Ortega brings a rich, multidisciplinary perspective to her work. With a background in fashion design and mixed media art, she weaves diverse influences into her distinctive underwater portraits. Deeply inspired by her Spanish heritage and lifelong passion for dance, Ortega’s art highlights the expressive power of the body and the transformative energy of water, inviting viewers to connect with its profound emotional resonance.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Underwater, I surrender to an uncharted world, a space where I am both explorer and collaborator. The natural interplay of water’s power, light, and motion creates a dynamic canvas that constantly reshapes itself, inviting spontaneity and discovery.
My photography celebrates feminine energy—an ode to its strength, elegance, and sensuality. I seek to honor the female form not as a static object but as a living narrative, a vessel of self-expression and empowerment. Each image captures the interplay of light, motion, and emotion, inviting viewers to reconnect with their own sense of wonder, liberation, and authenticity.
Education
Fashion Design Superior Center, Madrid, Spain
Sustainable Agent of Change, University of Colorado System.
Tropical Coastal Ecosystems, The University of Queensland.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 Dive In, Galerie L'Atelier, New York, NY.
2020 Etérea, Tulum, Mexico.
2014 NH3 Gallery, Liquid Project NY
2013 Casa Mezcal, Liquid Desert, New York, NY
2012 Space 108, Refractions, Miami, FL
Selected Exhibitions
2023 Salt House Fine Art, Sag Harbor, New York
2022 Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Southhampton, NY.
Galerie L'Atelier, Greenwich, CT.
2021 Context - Art Miami, Art Basel Miami, FL.
Galerie L'Atelier, Greenwich, CT.
Art On Paper, New York, NY.
Summer Breeze, New York, NY.
Re-Merge, Bridgehampton, NY.
Art Marker, Bridgehampton, NY.
2019 White Porch Gallery. Miami, FL.
2018 “Displacement: Woman’s Journeys”, Ceres Gallery, New York, NY.
Art Palm Beach, West Palm, FL.
2017 Context Art Miami, Miami, FL. Feria Internacional de Arte y Cultura de Bogotá, BARCÚ, Colombia.
Georges Berges Gallery, New York, NY.
Market Art + Design, Bridgehampton, NY.
Roman Fine Art, East Hampton, NY.
2016 The Flatz Gallery, Breaking Surface, Peekskill, NY.
Art Hamptons, Bridgehampton, NY
2015 Scope Miami,Florida.
Art Toronto, Canada.
Feria Internacional de Arte y Cultura de Bogotá,BARCU, Colombia.
Affordable Art Fair New York, NY.
Galleria Ca D’Oro, Breaking Surface, New York, New York
Art Hamptons, Hamptons, NY
Index Dubai, International Design Exhibition, United Arab Emirates
2014 Art is Life and Life is Art, New York, NY
What would you rather be?, Group Show, New York, NY
2013 ManHATan/MADhattan, New York, NY
Majestic Creations, Temporary Public Installation, New York, NY
2012 Linus Gallery, Motion, Online Exhibition
Linus Gallery, Bits an Pices, Pasadena, CA
Linus Gallery, Water’s Edge, Pasadena, CA
Location 05, Group Show, New York, NY
MOD’ART International, Shanghai International Fashion Center, Zeal, Shanghai, China
The Boiler Gallery, Annual Wagmag Exhibition, Williamsburg, NY
Lazypoint, Summer Group Show, Amagansett, NY
Quartier Salon, Brooklyn, NY
2009 20 Bond, Group Exhibition, New York, NY
