Rafael BARRIOS

Born in 1947 in Bâton-Rouge, USA
Lives and works in France, USA and Venezuela

Rafael Barrios took drawing and painting classes at the Museum of Fine Arts in Caracas, Venezuela. He won an award the same year as his graduation, in 1963. He decided to continue his design studies, first in Canada and then in New York. His eventful career led him to hold a variety of positions, serving in turn as Artistic Director at UNESCO, consultant on the film Latin Touch, designer for Vogue and Esquire in New York, professor at the Neumann Foundation’s Institute of design in Caracas, and designer for the performance of Dance Tonight at the Seville Expo in Spain, and then for Hervé Léger at the Carrousel du Louvre. Since 1971, the artist has presented his work in both solo and group shows. His pieces can be seen in the urban spaces that are home to his trompe l’oeil sculptures, primarily in Venezuela and the United States. His work has been recognized by a multitude of awards and is regularly exhibited around the world.