Catalina León Buenos Aires, b. 1981

Catalina León is a renowned visual artist and cultural manager from Argentina, born in Buenos Aires in 1981. Throughout her career, she has developed a multifaceted body of work that includes installations, paintings, and embroideries using various materials, such as cotton fabrics, plaster plates, wood, canvases, tree leaves, soil, and plants. Her interest in painting began in her childhood, guided by her nanny who was studying Fine Arts by correspondence and introduced her to her first painting course, laying the foundations for her future artistic endeavors.

 

León began her formal artistic training in 1998, participating in various workshops that allowed her to explore and consolidate her style. 

Her work is characterized by an introspective and spiritual approach, exploring how we relate to death and the desire to create rituals of transition between the physical and spiritual worlds. León composes altars and large-format paintings accompanied by natural elements, inviting reflection on the connection between life, death, and nature. In 2007, her piece "Pintura para piso y plantas" won the arteBA-Petrobras award, standing out for its innovative metaphor about art and the power of life, where nature invades the space and painting emerges under layers of stories accumulated over time.

 

León decontextualizes her work, removing it from the traditional pedestal that supports the canvas. Among paintings, sculptures, poetry, and crafts, she weaves a discourse closely related to the community. Since 2010, she has been part of Vergel, an NGO that seeks to use art for the health and well-being of people. 

 

In her studio, she arranges the selected materials, sometimes for years, allowing them to get dirty and take shape. The production process is long and only interrupted when she has to exhibit; otherwise, the works are there, ready to transform and acquire new meanings. 

 

Catalina León has participated in various biennials and art fairs, and her work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries in Latin America and Europe. Her innovative approach and commitment to art as a tool for social transformation have established her as a prominent figure in the contemporary art scene.