Gracia Barrios

Gracia Barrios Rivadeneira (27 June 1927 – 28 May 2020) was a Chilean painter and the winner of the 2011 National Prize for Plastic Arts.

Biography The daughter of writer Eduardo Barrios (winner of the 1946 National Prize for Literature) and pianist Carmen Rivadeneira, Gracia Barrios was interested in art from an early age. She took classes with the painter Carlos Isamitt and later, while still in school, attended evening classes at the School of Fine Arts of the University of Chile. After high school, she continued her higher education at the aforementioned university from 1944 to 1949. There she had as teachers Augusto Eguiluz, Carlos Pedraza, and Pablo Burchard, the latter having the greatest influence on her style. In 1962 the group held exhibitions in Spain and France.

After the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, the artist went into exile in France along with her husband and daughter; they remained out of Chile for approximately ten years.

Upon returning, Barrios worked as a visiting professor at the Catholic University from 1983 to 1986, and beginning in 1994 was a professor at Finis Terrae University.

Work

The work of Gracia Barrios focuses on "human activity in everyday life." Although she initially opted for figurative painting, towards the 1960s she changed to a more informal style, called "informal realism" by the artist herself. With this, Barrios alluded to the man "by means of the monumentality of torsos, heads, and maternities, expressing also the direct approach with the American continent and its people." Some of the themes she tackled in her paintings were war, indigence, and exile.

Her paintings have been exhibited in countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, and Japan,

Awards and recognitions

1957 – First Prize for Drawing, 68th Official Salon, Santiago 1958 – Second Prize for Painting, 69th Official Salon, Santiago 1959 – Second Prize, 70th Official Salon, Santiago 1964 – Second Prize, Esso Salon, Museum of Contemporary Art, University of Chile, Santiago 1965 – First CRAV Prize for Painting, Santiago 1965 – Second Prize, Painting, Esso Salon for Young Artists, Pan American Union, Washington, United States 1966 – First Prize for Painting, 76th Official Salon, Santiago 1968 – Second Prize, American Biennial of Quito, Ecuador 1971 – Prize of Honor of the 15th Ñuñoa Salon, Santiago 1988 – Achievement Award, Mural of the Worker's Hospital, Santiago 1996 – Municipal Art Prize, Municipality of Santiago 2011 – National Prize for Plastic Arts