Ana Maria Pacheco facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ana Maria Pacheco
Pacheco working on a polychrome sculpture
Born	1943 (age 81–82) Goiânia, Brazil
Known for	Sculpture, Painting, Printmaking

Ana Maria Pacheco, born in 1943, is a talented artist from Brazil. She creates amazing art as a sculptor, painter, and printmaker. A sculptor makes art by shaping materials like wood or stone. A painter uses colors on a surface, and a printmaker creates images by transferring them from one surface to another.

Ana Maria Pacheco's art often shows stories and ideas from her Brazilian background. She likes to explore themes that are a bit mysterious or magical. Her artworks have been shown in galleries all over the world, and she has won many awards for her creative work.

Her Life Story

Ana Maria Pacheco was born in Goiás, Brazil in 1943. When she was living in Brazil, she studied sculpture and music at different universities. She even completed a special course in music and education in Rio de Janeiro. Later, she taught at these universities.

In 1973, she moved to London to study art even more. She was given a special scholarship to attend the Slade School of Art. From 1985 to 1989, Ana Maria Pacheco made history! She became the first woman to lead the fine art department at the Norwich School of Art.

She has received many honors for her work. In 1999, the Brazilian government gave her the Order of Rio Branco. This is a very important award. In 2002, she was given an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of East Anglia. She also became a Fellow of University College London in 2003.

Her Art and Career

Ana Maria Pacheco's art often explores ideas about journeys and travel. She loves to include themes of fantasy and the supernatural. For example, she uses ideas from Brazilian legends, ancient Mythology, and even Christian stories.

Her artworks tell stories that viewers discover as they look at them. She wants her art to make people curious and use their imagination. Ana Maria Pacheco says her art also helps us understand how we, as humans, are sometimes vulnerable. She says that the famous Brazilian sculptor O Aleijadinho is her biggest inspiration.

Famous Sculptures

Ana Maria Pacheco is most known for her large groups of sculptures made from wood. These sculptures are often painted with many colors, which is called "polychrome." She usually displays them as "installation pieces." This means the artworks are set up in a space to create a special experience for the viewer.

Some of her famous works include Man and his Sheep, which is at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Another important piece is Dark Night of the Soul, created in 1999. She made this artwork while she was an artist-in-residence at the National Gallery, London. It was her artistic response to an older painting called The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.

In 1986, Ana Maria Pacheco and two helpers created a large sculpture from yellow limestone. This was for the Stoke-on-Trent Garden Festival in England.

Working at the National Gallery

Ana Maria Pacheco was the first sculptor to be an Associate Artist at the National Gallery in London. She held this special position from 1997 to 2000. During this time, she had a big exhibition called Ana Maria Pacheco: New Painting and Sculpture. It was shown at the National Gallery from September 1999 to January 2000. After that, the exhibition traveled to other places in the UK.

Recent Exhibitions

In 2015, Ana Maria Pacheco's art was shown in four different exhibitions at the same time in Norwich, UK. These shows were organized by Keith Roberts. Her art was displayed at the Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, and The Cathedral of St John the Baptist. Keith Roberts said that her art explores big themes like violence, journeys, death, and love. He also noted that her work has humor.

In 2017, her work was part of an exhibition called Dispersing the Night at Salisbury Cathedral. This exhibition included her artwork Be Aware, which was shown to the public for the first time. The curator, Jacquiline Creswell, explained that the exhibition's theme was hope. She said Ana Maria's art helps us think about how we deal with life's challenges.

Awards and Special Honors

Ana Maria Pacheco has received many awards and special appointments throughout her career. Here are some of them:

• 1970: First Prize at the Goiás Biennale in Brazil. She was chosen to represent Brazil at the São Paulo Biennale.
• 1973: Received a British Council Scholarship to study at the Slade School of Fine Art in London.
• 1985-1989: Head of Fine Art at the Norwich School of Art.
• 1997-2000: Appointed as the fourth Associate Artist at the National Gallery London.
• 1999: Received the Ordem do Rio Branco from the Brazilian Government.
• 2002: Awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of East Anglia.
• 2002: Also received an Honorary Doctorate from the Norwich University of the Arts.
• 2003: Became a Fellow of University College London.
• 2012: Received the Comenda do Anhanguera from the State of Goiás, Brazil.
• 2015: Won the Mário Pedrosa Award for Contemporary Artist from the Brazilian Association of Art Critics.