Gladys Afamado

Gladys Afamado (24 May 1925 – 29 December 2024) was a Uruguayan visual artist, engraver, and poet. A member of the Montevideo Engraving Club since 1954, she has contributed to many of its monthly editions and almanacs. She later ventured into different plastic artforms, and in recent years has been recognized for her work in digital art.

Life and career Gladys Afamado was born in Montevideo on 24 May 1925.

From 1945 to 1950 she studied violin with Beatriz Tusset, and in 1951 and 1952 she participated in the "Anfión" chamber orchestra directed by Tusset.

The 1974 almanac of the Montevideo Engraving Club, titled Canción con todos, with Gladys Afamado's cover, was censored and removed from circulation by the de facto government.

In 1984, she traveled to Spain on a competitive scholarship, where she attended a paper craft course in Capellades, with Laurence Barker and Frederic Amat, material that she would later use in her works.

In 1986, she took a postgraduate course in metal engraving at the National Museum of Visual Arts, taught by David Finkbeiner of the State University of New York at Purchase.

Afamado's work is known for female figures with large eyes that look directly at the viewer, characteristic of the stage of the editions of the Montevideo Engraving Club.

In 2016, the National Museum of Visual Arts organized an anthological exhibition of her work, curated by María Eugenia Grau.

Afamado died on 29 December 2024, at the age of 99.

Awards First Prize for Engraving, National Salon of Fine Arts, Uruguay, 1966 First Prize, Salon of the Montevideo Engraving Club, 1966 2nd Prize, Concurso Almanaque FUNSA, Uruguay, 1969 Salon of Illustrated Poems Award, Montevideo, 1969 National Graphic Arts Competition Award, Montevideo, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 Honorable Mention, 5th National Graphic Arts Competition, 1978 5th Prize for Drawing, BROU Salon, Montevideo, 1980 Award for Engraving, Salon of San José, Uruguay, 1980 AFE Award, Salon of San José, Uruguay, 1981 Award for Engraving, Biennial of Salto, Uruguay, 1981 Biennial Award for Hispanoamerican Engraving, MAC, Montevideo, 1983 Honorable Mention, BID, Punta del Este, Uruguay, 1985 4th Prize, BROU Painting Salon, Montevideo, 1984 First Prize (6 equal) Almanaque INCA, Montevideo, 1986 Honorable Mention, Municipal Salon, Montevideo, 1986 Award, Fray Bentos Drawing and Engraving Salon, Uruguay, 1986 Award for Engraving, 2nd Plastic Arts Salon of Soriano, Uruguay, 1988 Acquisition Award, Mini-Print of Cadaqués, Spain, 1989 2nd Prize, BROU Engraving and Watercolor Salon, Montevideo, 1989 Miró Award, for yearlong artistic work, Maldonado, Uruguay, 1991 Mention, BROU Plastic Arts Salon, Montevideo, 1998 Morosoli Award for Engraving, Minas, Uruguay, 2000 Diploma of Honor: "Ateneo del Grabado" Award, 2004 Second Prize "Mosto & Rojas" Digital Art International, Argentina, 2005 Figari Award in recognition of her career, 2008 Honoree at the 60th National Prize for Visual Arts, which will take place at the Contemporary Art Space (EAC) in December 2022.

Poetic work Casa de las Américas Prize Mention, Havana, Cuba, 1968 2nd Poetry Prize, Casa del Poeta Latinoamericano, Montevideo, 1979 First Prize, Unpublished Poetry, Club Banco de Seguros, for the book El perejil y sus adyacencias, 1983 First Prize, International Biennial of Short Poetry, Valparaíso, Chile, 1983 Special Mention, unpublished book of poetry, No espero respuesta, Casa de Cultura del PCU, Montevideo, 1987 Mention, Annual Municipal Art Competition of Montevideo, for published book of poetry No espero respuesta, 1989 First Prize, published book of poetry No espero respuesta, Ministry of Education and Culture, 1989 First Prize, unpublished book of poetry En la casa de la espera, Ministry of Education and Culture, 1995 Mention, published book of poetry En la casa de la Espera, Ministry of Education and Culture, 1998