Lucia Laguna, Brazilian painter of verdant and fragmented cityscapes, has died, aged 85
Laguna, who only started painting after retiring from her teaching career, started to achieve success when she was in her 60s
Lucia Laguna, a Brazilian painter known for her vibrant and fragmented cityscapes, has passed away at the age of 85. Born in 1941 in northern Rio de Janeiro, Laguna began teaching literature in the city's public and private schools after retiring from teaching at 53. Her distinctive style emerged in her 1998 solo exhibition, followed by her first gallery show in 2006.
Recognized for her unique approach to painting, Laguna transformed everyday scenes from her North Zone studio window into dense, swirling canvases. She rejected the concept of a personal style, stating that her work was about reproducing what she saw through her window and presenting it from her unique perspective. Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel gallery, which represented Laguna since 2012, emphasized her singular contribution to contemporary painting, highlighting the complexity of her technique and her innovative use of masking tape, layered paint, and rotating canvases.
Laguna's work gained international recognition in 2021, when Sadie Coles HQ in London presented her first solo exhibition, Life Is Only Possible Reinvented.
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