Beatriz González facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beatriz González
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Gonzalez in 2015
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| Born | 16 November 1932 Bucaramanga, Santander Department, Colombia
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| Died | 9 January 2026 (aged 93) Bogotá, Colombia
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| Movement | Pop Art |
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Beatriz González (born November 16, 1932 – died January 9, 2026) was a famous Colombian artist. She was a painter, sculptor, and also wrote about art. Many people connected her to the Pop Art style. She was known for her bright, colorful artworks. These often showed scenes from everyday life in Colombia. Her art also reflected the country's history during a difficult time called La Violencia.
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Early Life and Education
Beatriz González was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia, on November 16, 1932. She was the youngest child in her family. In the late 1950s, she started studying architecture. However, she soon decided it wasn't for her. She later enrolled at the University of Los Andes. There, she studied fine arts and graduated in 1962. She learned from important teachers like Marta Traba, an art critic, and painter Joan Antonio Roda.
Beatriz grew up in Colombia during the 1940s and 1950s. This was a time of big changes and challenges in the country. This period is known as La Violencia. Growing up then helped shape her views on Colombian society. It also deeply influenced her unique artistic style.
Beatriz González passed away on January 9, 2026, at 93 years old.
Artistic Journey and Style
Pop Art Connections
Beatriz González was often linked to the Pop Art movement. However, she saw herself mainly as a painter. She felt her art showed the "joy of the underdeveloped." She believed her work was unique to Colombia, focusing on everyday life.
A Woman in Art
Beatriz was a respected woman artist in a field mostly dominated by men. She never saw this as a problem. She credited her mentor, Marta Traba, for supporting women in Colombian art.
Early Success
In 1965, Beatriz created a painting inspired by a newspaper photo. It showed a young couple involved in a tragic event at the Sisga dam. The painting was first rejected by an art jury. But with Marta Traba's help, it was accepted. Beatriz even won a special prize, which helped start her career.
Art on Furniture
In the 1970s, Beatriz started painting on furniture. She used cheap nightstands, chairs, and tables. She would take images from famous paintings or news photos. Then, she would transfer them onto these everyday objects. For example, she painted the pope's face on nightstands. This was a playful way to connect art with common household items.
Changing Themes
In 1985, Beatriz's art became more serious. This change happened after a very sad event in Colombia. A group attacked the Palace of Justice, causing many deaths. Feeling deeply affected, she began to explore themes of loss and difficult national events in her art. Her colors became darker, reflecting these serious topics.
Political Art
Beatriz also painted portraits of three Colombian presidents. She showed them wearing Native Amazonian headdresses. Many people saw this as a way to comment on their leadership.
Exhibitions and Recognition
In 2019, the Pérez Art Museum Miami held a big show of her work. It was called Beatriz González: A Retrospective. This exhibition showed nearly 150 artworks from six decades. It highlighted her influence on art movements and Latin American feminism.
In 2023, Beatriz participated in BIENALSUR. This is an international art event. Her work was shown at the Centre Pompidou Málaga in Spain.
Exploring Key Artworks
La última mesa (The Last Table)
This was one of Beatriz's first artworks using furniture. She repainted Leonardo da Vinci's famous Last Supper onto metal sheets. These sheets were then placed on a dining table. She chose this image because it was very popular in Colombian homes. It was often seen as a good-luck charm. Beatriz wanted to show how art can be copied and changed. She made the colors brighter to give it a more Latin American feel.
Nací en Florencia (I was born in Florence)
The full title of this piece is quite long! It translates to I was born in Florence and was 26 years old when my portrait was painted (this sentence pronounced in a low, sweet voice). For this artwork, Beatriz painted her own version of da Vinci's Mona Lisa. She placed it on a large, old coat rack, right where a mirror would usually be. This way, viewers saw a famous image of beauty, but recreated in a simpler, more everyday style. The long title added to the artwork's playful and humorous side.
Canción de cuna (Lullaby)
This artwork features a painting of a mother holding her child. It was based on a common picture found in Colombia. Beatriz painted this image on a metal sheet. She then placed it inside an old crib she found in Bogotá. The theme of a mother and child appeared often in her art. It showed her interest in family and care.
Major Exhibitions
Beatriz González's art has been shown in many important places around the world. Here are some of them:
- Transmissions: Art in Eastern Europe and Latin America, Museum of Modern Art, New York (1960-1980)
- What an Honor to Be With You at This Historic Moment, Works, El Museo del Barrio (1965-1997, 1998)
- I Am Still Alive: Everyday Life in Contemporary Drawing, Museum of Modern Art, New York (March 23–September 19, 2011)
- documenta 14, Athens, Greece and Kassel, Germany (2017)
- Beatriz González: A Retrospective, Pérez Art Museum Miami (2019)
- Poetics of Gesture: War and Peace at the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (2023-2024)
- Beatriz González: The Image in Transit, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo (2025-2026)
Where to Find Her Art
Her artworks are part of many important art collections, including:
- Pérez Art Museum Miami
- Tate Americas Foundation
- Museum of Modern Art, New York
- De Pont Museum, Tilburg
