Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt Explained

Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt (23 October 1919 – 14 May 1995^[1]) was a Colombian sculptor. At the time of his death in 1995 he was recognized as one of the most important sculptors in Colombia and Latin America.^[1] Most of the major cities in Colombia have statues sculpted by Arenas Betancourt.

Arenas Betancourt died on 14 May 1995 in the municipality of Caldas, located in the southern end of the Valley of Aburrá and part of the Medellín Metropolitan Area.^[1]

His bronze statues are characterized by their enormous proportions and dramatic expression.^[1]

Examples of his artwork are:

• • Naked Bolívar in Pereira Monumento a la Raza, bronze and concrete, 38 m height, located in La Alpujarra Administrative Center in Medellín
• Sculptural Complex Vargas Swamp Lancers near Paipa is the largest sculpture in Colombia.
• Monument to Effort in Armenia
• Monument to the Marching Revolution in Valledupar
• Monument to the founders in Bogotá (installed 1965)^[2]
• Statue of Simón Bolívar in Bogotá (installed 1963)

Additionally to sculpture, Arenas Betancourt worked in printmaking and book illustration.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Book: "Estoy cargado de tigre", frases de Álvaro Uribe. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Juan Fernando Tabares. 2006. Intermedio Editores . El maestro Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt. 151–152.
2. Book: Jacobs, Daniel . The rough guide to Colombia . 2018 . Stephen Keeling . 978-0-241-31170-7 . 2nd . London . 1064634629.
3. Web site: Collections Online British Museum . 2023-01-11 . www.britishmuseum.org.