Geles Cabrera facts for kids
Geles Cabrera Alvarado (born August 2, 1929) is a famous Mexico City sculptor. She uses many different materials in her art. There is even a museum in Mexico City dedicated to her amazing sculptures!
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Early Life and Education
Geles Cabrera was born in Mexico City. Her father, Salvador Cabrera, was an engineer who owned a factory. This factory made beautiful paper decorations for homes. Geles also had two aunts who were artists: Rosario Cabrera was a painter, and Consuelito Cabrera was a singer.
Geles loved art from a young age, and her family supported her. She was also interested in music. From 1943 to 1947, she studied art at the Academy of San Carlos. In the afternoons, she learned classical and folk dance.
In 1947, her family moved to Cuba because her father found work there. Geles continued her art studies at the San Alejandro Academy. She even won awards for her art in Havana in 1948 and 1949.
Return to Mexico and Family
Geles and her family came back to Mexico in 1949. She then studied at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado "La Esmeralda". While there, she had a special chance to sculpt a bust of the famous movie star, Dolores del Río. The actress and her mother loved the sculpture!
Geles married Rafael Cano, a doctor, who always supported her art. They were married for 65 years and had five children: Salvador, Erika, Irma, Iris, and Rafael. Geles Cabrera still lives and works in Mexico City today.
Her Career as a Sculptor
Geles Cabrera had her first art show in 1949. A famous art critic, Paul Westheim, praised her work, comparing her to well-known sculptors like Brancusi and Moore.
Throughout her career, Geles has had over 22 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 50 group shows. Her art has been displayed in many places, including the Coyoacán metro station and the Botanical Garden at UNAM.
She has also written three books. In 1975, she helped start an art group called GUCADIGOSE. This group wanted to create large sculptures for city spaces.
Geles has received many awards in Mexico and other countries like Belgium, Bulgaria, the United States, Cuba, and Israel. She won first prize for sculpture in Gabrovo, Bulgaria, in 1985. She also became a member of the important Salón de la Plástica Mexicana art group in 1949.
For 37 years, Geles taught art at the José Vasconcelos National Preparatory School No. 5. You can see many of her sculptures at the Geles Cabrera Sculpture Museum of Art in Mexico City.
Artistic Style and Themes
Geles Cabrera's sculptures often focus on the female body. She uses simple, modular shapes. Her art explores themes like love, loneliness, and being a mother. She has also used unusual materials like newspaper in her later works.
Geles Cabrera Sculpture Museum
In 1966, Geles Cabrera opened a free sculpture museum next to her husband's clinic. She called it the Museo Escultório. She kept the museum running for 40 years using the money she earned from teaching.
Today, it is known as the Museo Escultórico Geles Cabrera. It is believed to be the first museum in the Americas dedicated only to sculpture. The museum has a permanent collection of Mexican sculptures, including 60 pieces by Geles herself, dating back to 1948.
Geles wanted the museum to connect art with people. She famously said, "Here there are no signs that say 'don’t touch.'" One special sculpture is a swing that makes a human heartbeat sound when you ride it! Many children visit the museum with their school classes.
See also
In Spanish: Geles Cabrera para niños
