As a visual artist, it is very difficult for me to express myself other than through painting. After almost 50 years of painting I arrived at the conclusion that the creative process of painting is more important to me than any other aspect of my work.
Urban Wall # 15. Kuculcan. 2003. Acrylic and paper on canvas.32x40"
Hector Marin-Arias. New York.
Art has been with me all my life. I first came in contact with my artistic enthusiasm when I was 8 years old; around 1957 in Managua, Nicaragua where I grew up. I began my artistic education by creating drawings from nature. Soon I would become an apprentice to the sculptor Mercedes Gutierrez Sandino. Ms. Sandino would be my first art teacher. Ms. Sandino would teach me private art lessons in exchange for my help in making saints out of plaster, which she made and sold by the hundreds. After sometime of working hard on my painting skills, I was accepted and received a grant to study painting and fine art at the
Escuela de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts School) In Managua, Nicaragua under the direction of Master Rodrigo Peñalba.
In 1967 I traveled to Costa Rica to participate in different art exhibits at the "Galeria Forma" (Form Gallery). Soon after, in 1970, I traveled to Panama City to exhibit my paintings at "La Casa de la Escultura" (The House of Sculpture Gallery) and from there I traveled to Barcelona Spain. Living, studying, visiting museums and art galleries, and occasionally working as an assistant for other artists. I also lived in Madrid and Paris. Altogether, I lived for at least 14 years in Europe.
In 1984, I started traveling back to Costa Rica (my country of birth) and lived there from 1985 to 1989 taking part in art contests, cultural activities, and art exhibitions. It would not be until 1988 that it would become possible for me to visit the USA, having received first prize in a painting contest organized by the ICT "Instituto Costarricense de Turismo" (Ministry of Tourism); first prize was a trip to Miami. In 1989 I came to New York City, where I have been painting and living ever since. I have earned a BA from Queens College, and a Master Degree from Brooklyn College.
In my paintings I incorporate myths, the Mayan Language, and my own graffiti. I could say that my inspiration is based upon a mix of ancient cultures in Central America, as well as the social and environmental reality of this planet.
In spite of my humble origin and lack of resources, of being homeless in Panama City and in Paris (during wintertime as many artists were, which is known as "la misère joyeuse", the joyful misery, also called "la boheme", the bohemia) I was fortunate and able to follow my bliss, travel to Europe and learn from different masters and in time developing my own artistic style. Throughout my life Art has been and is my guide..
Se me hace muy dificil expresarme si no es pintando, la pintura es mi medio de expresion. Despues de casi medio siglo de estar pintando he llegado a la conclusion de que en mi trabajo lo mas importante para mi es el proceso creativo.
Painting is my life. When I was a child I was painting. My first contac with the art world was as an apprentice of an sculptor. Her name was Mercedes Gutierrez Sandino, and at the time we were making small saints in plaster. She helped me to get in the fine arts school were I met master Penalba. Next I was an art student. It was 1960, and I was in Managua, Nicaragua. In 1967 I moved to my country, were I was born; Costa Rica. In 1970 I traveled to Spain, and to France, and spent about 15 years in Europe. For a while I went back to San Jose, Costa Rica. In 1988 I first came to Miami, and in 1989 to New York, were I live ever since. New York has served me as a source of inspiration and learning the past 25 years. Somehow I feel that New York reinforces my roots. It evokes a nostalgia for the ancient cultures of the Olmec, Maya, Chibcha, and Inca, cultures which strongly influenced Central America and specifically Costa Rica, were I was born. I have a BA from Queens College, and a MFA from Brooklyn College.
Kuculcan is a priest, and also a god from the Maya mythology in Central America. In this painting he is depicted in the streets of New York City, and he is selling some of his sacred symbols, in order to survive, it seems to me that he is an illegal immigrant.
The background relates to the Maya culture ( hieroglyphs), and the posters and graffiti relate to the arrival of the Spaniards to America, and to the legend of Kuculcan, also known as Quetzalcoatle.
This painting was part of the exhibit "Liberty Enlightening the World" that was held at the Water Front Museum in New York City. A juried art exhibit. Mr. Petere M. Waldman, was the Firsrt Mate Curator.
Hector Marin-Arias, Bio
American, born in Costa Rica on 1949.
These are some of the exhibitions in which I have participated:
Open Spaces/ Open Studios at The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center. Lower East Side, New York, 2023
Queens Houses of Worship. Flushing Library.
New York, 2004
The Brooklyn War Memorial. Brooklyn College MFA Thesis Art Exhibit
Maria Catalano Rand, Curator. New York, 2002
The Hudson Waterfront Museum "Liberty Enlightening the World", A juried Art Exhibit. Peter M. Waldman, First Mate Curator.
New York 1998.
The Anthropology Museum of the City of New York.
A juried Art Exhibit. Nancy Bareis,
Exhibit Curator. New York, 1997
Art Gallery Jose Figueres, San Jose, Costa Rica, 1986.
Orfila Art Gallery Madrid, 1982.
Cite Internationale Des Arts,
"Latin American Artists" Paris, France 1974.
XIVe SALON INTERNATIONAL PARIS -SUD
Juvisy-sur-Orge, France 1973
Sala Gaudi, First Congress of Latin American Artists.
