Mexican painter displays at institute

The works of Mexican painter Antonieta Figueroa are being featured in an exhibition at the Mexico/Belize Institute of Cooperation and Culture. Besides the show, which opens to the public on Monday, May 17th, Figueroa held a workshop this week with Belizean artists at the institute. News Five spoke with the artist through the aid of a translator about her work and her conversations with painters here in Belize.

Antonieta Figueroa, Artist

“This exhibit is based on the impressions that I got on my last trip to Petra, Jordan. I saw that rock city. I have to tell you I didn’t do a sketch of it or anything; I was busy looking at it, recording in my heart and in my mind what I was seeing. When I came back I wanted to recreate what I saw to express what I felt when I was there. I am working with the same materials that I have always worked but for this exhibit I incorporated sandpaper because I was looking for something that gave the impression that it was not soft, but hard as stone.

They have been very interested and I have been able to share with them my impressions and some of my techniques and how I do things.”

Antonieta Figueroa is married to cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa whose work has also been shown at the institute. There is a reception tonight to open Antonieta Figueroa’s exhibition which is also a farewell for the Director of the Institute of Cooperation and Culture, Paz Cervantes who is ending her term in Belize this month.