Geles Cabrera facts for kids
Geles Cabrera Alvarado (born August 2, 1929, in Mexico City) is a famous sculptor. She creates art using many different materials. There is even a museum in Mexico City just for her amazing sculptures!
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About Geles Cabrera
Geles Cabrera was born in Mexico City. Her father, Salvador Cabrera, was an engineer. He owned a factory that made beautiful paper decorations. Geles also had two aunts who were artists. Rosario Cabrera was a painter, and Consuelito Cabrera was a singer.
Early Life and Education
Geles loved art from a young age. Her family encouraged her to follow her passion. She studied both dance and visual arts. From 1943 to 1947, she went to the Academy of San Carlos in the mornings. In the afternoons, she studied classical and folk dance.
In 1947, her family moved to Cuba. There, she continued her art studies at the San Alejandro Academy. She even won awards at the Salón de Bellas Artes in Havana in 1948 and 1949.
Return to Mexico
The Cabrera family returned to Mexico in 1949. Geles then studied at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado "La Esmeralda". During this time, the famous movie actress Dolores del Río posed for some art students. Geles was one of them. She created a sculpture of the actress that Dolores del Río loved.
Geles Cabrera married a doctor named Rafael Cano. He supported her art for 65 years. They had five children: Salvador, Erika, Irma, Iris, and Rafael. Geles Cabrera still lives and works in Mexico City today.
Geles Cabrera's Career
Geles Cabrera had her first art show in 1949. A famous art critic, Paul Westheim, praised her work. He said she was as good as other well-known sculptors.
Exhibitions and Awards
Throughout her career, Geles Cabrera has had more than 22 solo art shows. She has also been part of over 50 group exhibitions. Her work has been shown in many places, including a metro station and a botanical garden in Mexico City.
She has received many awards in Mexico and other countries. These include awards from Belgium, Bulgaria, the United States, Cuba, and Israel. In 1949, she won first prize at the Fine Arts Salon in Havana. In 1985, she won first prize for sculpture in Gabrovo, Bulgaria.
Teaching and Groups
Geles Cabrera was a founding member of an art group called GUCADIGOSE in 1975. This group wanted to create large sculptures for cities. She also taught art for 37 years at a school that is part of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Her sculptures can be seen at the Geles Cabrera Sculpture Museum of Art in Mexico City.
Geles Cabrera's Art Style
Geles Cabrera's sculptures often focus on the female body. She uses simple shapes and lines. Her art explores themes like love, loneliness, and being a mother.
She first worked with materials like clay, metal, and stone. She was inspired by ancient art. Later, she started using newspaper as an art material.
Geles Cabrera Sculpture Museum
In 1966, Geles Cabrera opened a free museum for sculpture. It was next to her husband's clinic. She kept the museum open for 40 years using money she earned from teaching.
Today, it is called the Museo Escultórico Geles Cabrera. It was the first museum in the Americas dedicated to sculpture. The museum has a permanent collection of Mexican sculptures. It includes 60 pieces made by Geles Cabrera herself, dating back to 1948.
Geles Cabrera describes her museum as a place for art to connect with people. She says, "Here there are no signs that say 'don't touch.'" One special sculpture is a swing. When you ride it, you can hear a sound like a human heartbeat! Many children visit the museum with their school classes.
See also
In Spanish: Geles Cabrera para niños
