Omar Rayo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Omar Rayo
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Rayo in 2000
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| Born | January 20, 1928 |
| Died | June 7, 2010 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | Colombian |
| Style | Shapes |
Omar Rayo Reyes (born January 20, 1928 – died June 7, 2010) was a famous Colombian artist. He was known for his paintings, sculptures, and cartoons. In 1970, he won a big art award called the Salón de Artistas Colombianos.
Rayo's art often used abstract shapes and lines. He mostly worked with black, white, red, and yellow colors. He was part of an art style called Op Art, which uses optical illusions. His work showed how geometric art has been important for a long time and will continue to be. He looked at old art to find new ways to use shapes and lines. One of his most famous shows was in Mexico. It was called "20 years, 100 works: Omar Rayo."
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Rayo Museum
The Museo Rayo (Rayo Museum of Latin American Drawing and Printmaking) was started by Omar Rayo. It opened on January 20, 1981, in his hometown of Roldanillo. He used his own money to help build it. The Colombian government and others also helped. This made sure the museum would always show his artworks.
The museum was designed by a Mexican architect named Leopoldo Gout. When it opened, it had 2,000 of Rayo's artworks. It also had about 500 works by other Latin American artists. The museum has a library, many rooms for art shows, a workshop for graphic arts, and a theater. The museum foundation also holds events to help promote art in the area.
Family Life
Omar Rayo met a poet named Águeda Pizarro in New York in 1963. They started dating and she moved in with him in 1968. They split their time between New York and Roldanillo. They spent six months in each place.
Their daughter, Sara, was born in 1977. After she was born, Omar and Águeda decided to get married. Sara Rayo is now a successful artist herself.
His Passing
Rayo had his first heart attack in 1998. He had a more serious one in January 2006. He was in a coma for 30 hours but then got better.
On June 7, 2010, Rayo collapsed at his home in Roldanillo. He was taken to a local hospital. Doctors said he had another heart attack. He was brought back to life and moved to a hospital in Cali. But on the way, his condition got worse. He passed away when he arrived at the hospital in Cali.
Tribute
On January 20, 2012, Google honored Omar Rayo. They celebrated his 84th birthday with a special Google Doodle on their website.
See also
In Spanish: Ómar Rayo para niños
