Soriano, Juan (1920-2006) - 1954 The Calaca (Private Collection) by RasMarley

Watercolor on paper; 29.5 x 39 cm. Soriano, son of Rafael Rodríguez Soriano and Amalia Montoya Navarro, was born in Guadalajara and displayed his first painting at age 14. He moved to Mexico City in 1935, where after a difficult start he was accepted into the local art scene. He became a member of the Mexican School cultural movement also featuring Frida Kahlo and poet Octavio Paz. He also joined the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios. Soriano experimented with abstract work as well as portraits and self portraits. He also became a sculptor in terracotta, ceramics and later bronze. In 1957, he was awarded the José Clemente Orozco prize by the government of Jalisco. In 1985, Bellas Artes staged an exhibition in honor of his fifty years in the art world. In 1987, he was awarded the National Art Prize by the Mexican government. The Spanish Government awarded Soriano its Valazquez Plastic Arts Prize. La Paloma (The dove) in Monterrey During his career, his works featured in 130 exhibitions held in Mexico, the US, China, France and Poland. Soriano has works on display in public places in Mexico such as a large dove outside the Museum of Contemporary Art in Monterrey. He died in February 2006 in Mexico City. He was 85 years old.