Carlos Almenar Díaz —almenardiaz— is, first and foremost, a senior banknote designer. His career began with one of the most technically demanding canvases in the design world: paper currency. In that highly regulated space of precision, security and symbolism, Carlos uncovered something deeper — a fascination with how colour, form, and visual rhythm could carry emotional and cultural meaning.
His award-winning banknote designs have portrayed the identity of diverse communities, translating national symbols into layered chromatic codes that move beyond mere ornament.
Over time, his analytical approach evolved into a personal visual language. What began as design with functional constraints became a platform for artistic experimentation. Through meticulous study of colour theory and geometric systems, Carlos transitioned into the realm of Contemporary Art — without ever losing the sharpness of his original discipline.
“The synergy between design, colour theory and printing turns everyday objects into living artworks.“
almenardiaz, 2025
When Visual Art Triggers Emotions
Born in Venezuela and a citizen of both France and Australia, Carlos channels this multifaceted background into work that feels intuitive and structured, calculated and sensorial. His pieces don’t simply exist on walls — they pulse, shift, and play with the eye.
This chromatic choreography emerges in three main series he has developed:
Rítmica Lineal (Linear Rhythm), Rítmica Circular Concéntrica (Concentric Circular Rhythm), and Rítmica Aurora(Aurora Rhythm).
Each explores the tension between geometry and perception, revealing how colour appears, dissolves, and reconfigures itself through controlled repetition and movement.
Carlos was the first Venezuelan artist commissioned to design an Op-Art Swatch watch representing his country at the Expo 2020 in Dubai. His works were exhibited at the Venice Biennale, the Locarno Film Festival, the Swatch headquarters in Biel (Switzerland), as well as in public spaces across Melbourne and contemporary art venues throughout Australia and Europe.
In 2023, he was selected for a prestigious residency at The Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai, marking a turning point in his creative trajectory. From that experience came his participation in “ARTE PULSANTE. Madrid welcomes Shanghai,” held at the Espacio Cultural Serrería Belga and organised by the Madrid City Council.
Currently, one of his works is featured at Swatch’s flagship store in Bangkok,Thailand.
Sparking Bold Creativity
It was in Madrid, during that same exhibition, that two distinct creative worlds crossed paths — and instantly clicked. Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, fashion’s queen of colour and joy, met almenardiaz, an artist whose practice revolves around visual rhythm and structured perception. Their common language? Colour, bold and unapologetic.
Ágatha invited Carlos to create a series of works from his Ritmo Cromático collection to celebrate the opening of her new store in Madrid. What followed was more than a collaboration — it was a visual dialogue. Her iconic hearts, stars and clouds found new form within Carlos’s optical compositions, merging emotion with structure, delight with design.
“It’s a conversation between fashion and contemporary art. Between what we see and what we feel.”
almenardiaz, May 2025
Fuelled by the designer’s exuberant world, Carlos went further — developing a textile adaptation of Ritmo Cromático, launching a capsule of garments and accessories where chromatic rhythm becomes wearable expression.
The lines became simpler, yet the intensity of the colour remained.
And at the centre of it all, the corazón cromático — a chromatic heart — conceived exclusively for this artistic alliance.
A visual heartbeat that bridges two creative realms, without diluting either one’s identity.
Working in close collaboration with Ágatha’s creative team, Carlos reinforces his belief that optical art doesn’t belong solely to gallery walls. It should slip into our everyday lives, moves with us, gently disturb us — and awaken our senses.
Because in the end, Carlos doesn’t just design banknotes or paintings — he designs new ways of seeing.