20 Facts About Antonio Caro

Antonio Jose Caro Lopera was a Colombian conceptual artist who created works since the late 1960s.

Antonio Caro typically used non-traditional forms to create politically and socially charged critiques of Colombian issues.

Antonio Caro died in Bogota on 29 March 2021, aged 70.

Since 1970, Caro built a career that, according to the categorizations of history and criticism, denotes an authentic example of conceptual art in Colombia.

Antonio Caro achieved his results through the implementation of informal procedures in traditional artistic practice, including photocopying, public installations, lectures, posters, and materials related to indigenous cultural practices, such as salt or achiote.

Antonio Caro was a strong advocate against traditional art forms and, throughout his career, found ways to stray from the typical.

Antonio Caro had a passion for creating art with a social or political message.

Antonio Caro first became interested in art at the age of 16, while still in high school.

Antonio Caro attributed his early interest in art to two specific pieces the Tributo de los Artistas Colombians a Dante and Espacios Ambientales.

Antonio Caro decided to enroll in the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogota as a Fine Art student shortly after completing high school.

The criticism brought on Antonio Caro and Salcedo in the early 1970s inspired them to produce more idea based works rooted in Colombian social issues.

Antonio Caro's work captures a representation of one of the early presidents of the group, Carlos Lleras Restrepo.

Furthermore, the water poured into the venue according to Antonio Caro established the ever-present waters of history which were to eventually dissolve the tyrannical hierarchy of oppression and along with it the cultural backbone of Colombia.

Antonio Caro is attempting to use the power of written words to bring attention to political injustice.

Carvahlo's death is described by Antonio Caro to be an antecedent for the massacre of students after an organized insurrection during Borrero's term as president.

Additionally, on each side of the banner Antonio Caro placed a total of twelve silhouette tigers to effectively use environmental spaces at the exhibit.

In 1973, Antonio Caro began the Marlboro project aimed at criticizing growing consumerism in Colombia.

Underneath the piece hung a series of flags with the Marlboro design as well as Antonio Caro's name put in place of the word Marlboro.

Later that same year Antonio Caro recreated the artwork and presented it to the XXVI Salon Nacional de Artistas.

Antonio Caro wanted to highlight the growing consumerism in Colombia that he felt was bringing forth capitalist and imperialist pressures on Colombian identity.