Illustration by Maria Manhattan
Marisol Escobar was born on May 22, 1930 to Venezuelan parents in Paris, France. She spent her childhood in Europe, Venezuela, and the United States--obtaining American citizenship in 1963. In her teens, with her father’s encouragement, she studied art--initially focusing on painting. Marisol’s unique vision, awareness of the mystical, and of the tension between opposing forces in nature--combined with interest in Pre-Columbian artifacts--led her to sculpture. She is known for creating witty, life-sized figures in painted terracotta and wood. Her work has evolved into mixed-media assemblages incorporating everything from painting and drawing to found objects.
