ALVARO ASTURIAS

Artist Alvaro Asturias descends from a prominant family of Antigua, Guatemala.  Antigua is famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches.  With this rich visual education, Alvaro came to the United States in 1976 and earned a fine arts degree from the Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design.

Alvaro’s artwork has earned him a fellowship from the J. Paul Getty Trust Fund for the Visual Arts and exhibitions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Children’s Museum, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibition, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery , Hippodrome and Sonrisa among other galleries.  His work has also been presented several times in Antigua , Guatemala at the Galeria El Sitio.  As a result of these exhibitions and commissions, Alvaro’s work is held by private collectors in Northern and Southern California and in his native Guatemala .  Writing about Alvaro’s work includes reviews by Ted Twine and Marga Vijvoet in Artweek, publications by the Getty, cultural organization of Guatemala and Los Angeles newspapers.

Alvaro is also gifted arts educator and creating workshops and classes in collaboration with the educational divisions of the Music Center of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Los Angeles Unified School district . He was also tapped to be an artist in residence at the Children’s Museum developing programs and workshops, designing installations and training incoming staff.

Alvaro’s work encompasses acrylic on canvas and board, installations (many including the traditional Antiguan medium of sawdust) and theatrical set design.  In 1992 his talent was tapped to design a float for the annual Pasadena Rose Parade.  At present, Alvaro is working on the “Antigua Paintings” a series of works inspired by the people, visual heritage and legends of Antigua.