Artist Puts Re-imagined Spanish Painting on Venezuelan Streets
2024-01-20
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1A collection of modern statues has been placed around Venezuela's capital Caracas in an attempt to increase local interest in art.
2A total of 19 fiberglass pieces - created by Venezuelan artist Antonio Azzato - are sitting in public spaces around the city.
3The statues are modeled after the famous 17th-century painting "Las Meninas" by Spanish artist Diego Velazquez.
4That piece shows a young princess, Margaret Theresa, being assisted by two helpers.
5The painting is displayed in Madrid's Prado museum.
6The larger-than-life statues, or figures, appear in Caracas in modern, colorful designs.
7They show the same rounded dress shape as the princess in the Velazquez painting.
8The tops have a head, but no face.
9The figures are made to look like different people or things.
10One is painted to look like Gleyber Torres, a baseball player with the New York Yankees who comes from Venezuela.
11Another represents singer Oscar D'Leon, while others are painted to look like colorful birds or flowers.
12Azzato told Reuters news agency his street statues are designed to give the public a break from technology and the modern world.
13He hopes the street placements will persuade people to briefly stop and think about art.
14"Lots of people don't know Velazquez and don't know Las Meninas," Azzato said.
15He added he hopes the figures will lead people - particularly younger ones - to be curious about the pieces and "to look closer" at the statues and their meaning.
16Azzato has put statues in other cities in the past.
17In all, he says he has created almost 300. Among them were figures made to represent tennis player Rafael Nadal and other famous individuals.
18I'm Dan Friedell.
1A collection of modern statues has been placed around Venezuela's capital Caracas in an attempt to increase local interest in art. 2A total of 19 fiberglass pieces - created by Venezuelan artist Antonio Azzato - are sitting in public spaces around the city. 3The statues are modeled after the famous 17th-century painting "Las Meninas" by Spanish artist Diego Velazquez. That piece shows a young princess, Margaret Theresa, being assisted by two helpers. The painting is displayed in Madrid's Prado museum. 4The larger-than-life statues, or figures, appear in Caracas in modern, colorful designs. They show the same rounded dress shape as the princess in the Velazquez painting. The tops have a head, but no face. 5The figures are made to look like different people or things. One is painted to look like Gleyber Torres, a baseball player with the New York Yankees who comes from Venezuela. Another represents singer Oscar D'Leon, while others are painted to look like colorful birds or flowers. 6Azzato told Reuters news agency his street statues are designed to give the public a break from technology and the modern world. He hopes the street placements will persuade people to briefly stop and think about art. 7"Lots of people don't know Velazquez and don't know Las Meninas," Azzato said. He added he hopes the figures will lead people - particularly younger ones - to be curious about the pieces and "to look closer" at the statues and their meaning. 8Azzato has put statues in other cities in the past. In all, he says he has created almost 300. Among them were figures made to represent tennis player Rafael Nadal and other famous individuals. 9I'm Dan Friedell. 10Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by Reuters. 11_________________________________________________ 12Words in This Story 13statue - n. a model made to look like a person or animal 14fiberglass - n. a strong, light material made by combining glass or plastic threads 15We want to hear from you. Would you like to see the statues in your city?