Diego Barboza

About the Artist

Diego Barboza (1945-2003) was a Venezuelan Neo Figurative Painter and one of the first true pioneers of Conceptual Art in Latin America. Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Barboza opened a new chapter in Latin American art, moving beyond the surreal or magical realism of the Modern Latin American Masters to create a new language of dislocation and transgression.

"His figures twisted and contorted without losing their presence or their pull. Extremities, muscles, and bones burst into an explosive compound of divergent and convergent lines. Through eruptive brushstrokes and fractured outlines, Barboza created a world of illusions."

His groundbreaking conceptual works, including the iconic "30 Girls with Nets" (1970) performed in London, challenged conventional boundaries between art and life. In 1997, Barboza received Venezuela's National Prize for Plastic Arts, the country's highest artistic honor. His work is held in major museum collections across Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, and the United Kingdom.