Delia Cancela

Early life and education

Delia Cancela was born in 1940 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Cancela exhibited at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and won the Premio de Honor Ver y Estimar One of Cancela's well-known pieces from this time is Broken Heart (1964). The exhibition traveled to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Minneapolis. Their work is non-traditional and cross-disciplinary, incorporating theater and costume design, fine art and fashion. In 1966 Cancela and Mesejean exhibited Nosotros Amamos ('We Love') at the Instituto Torcuato Di Tella, supporting acceptance of gender identity and popular culture.

While in Argentina in 1968, Cancela and Mesejean also held a fashion show Ropa con Riesgo ('Clothing with Risk') at ITDT. and appeared in Harper's Bazaar, and Queen.

In 1975 Cancela and Mesejean returned to Paris, working with Yves Saint Laurent, Kenzo and the group Créateurs. Their shows incorporated elements of parades and performances. French critic Pierre Restany described their style as Pop Lunfardo ('Vernacular Pop').

Major exhibitions New Art of Argentina (1964) Delia Cancela 2000-Retrospectiva, 2000, curated by María José Herrera, Centro Cultural Parque de España in Rosario Delia Cancela: una artista en la moda, el Centro Metropolitano de Diseño, Buenos Aires, 2013. International Pop, Group exhibition, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (April 11, 2015 – September 6, 2015) The EY Exhibition: The World Goes Pop, Group exhibition, Tate Modern (17 September 2015 – 24 January 2016) Special exhibit in her honor at ArteBA, Buenos Aires (June 4–7, 2015)

Awards and nominations 1963: 1964, Ver y Estimar Prize 1966: the Acquisition Prize of the XXV Salón de Arte de Mar del Plata 1966: Di Tella Prize 2001: Premio Directorio a la Trayectoria del Fondo Nacional de las Artes