Many people consider visiting Costa Rica because of its widely recognized natural beauty and opportunities for ecotourism. Less well known, however, is that the country is also home to a rich tradition of Costa Rica Arts. It has much to offer to those who enjoy soaking up the culture of the place they visit. If you want to experience the culture in Costa Rica, you should take a look at its diverse arts. With a varied art history, the nation’s many styles reflect the different origins of its people and home to many respected artistic traditions – one of which has even been recognized by UNESCO. In recent decades, several contemporary Costa Rican artists have gained international fame, and their contributions to the artistic world extended far beyond the country’s borders.
Costa Rica’s other internationally known artist comes from the world of sculpture. Francisco Zuniga has won several awards (given out by institutions everywhere from Mexico to Japan. His work’s seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Statue Garden of Washington D.C. among other places. He was born on the field, having a sculptor for a father. Francisco started producing his work at the age of fifteen. Later he moved to Mexico, noticed by the wider artistic community. Then began teaching at one of the country’s most prestigious creative colleges. His work is noted for its abstract representations of the human form, and also for its incorporation of indigenous styles.
Today, Costa Rica is home to many budding artists who aspire to take over the legacy of last century’s masters. One of the most prominent of these is Priscilla Monge, whose art includes everything from painting and sculpture to videos – with many pieces being multimedia. She’s known for her willingness to experiment. One of her pieces is a life-size statue of the Virgin Mary made of soap, for example. As well as winning several awards; she has had work exhibited in galleries as prestigious as the Tate in London.
Besides the traditional and historic art forms we see in Costa Rica, we also see a lot of it on the streets. Just walking around downtown San Jose, you will see a lot of different graffiti full of expressive colors. Other forms of art you see on the street include the street performers from fire jugglers to face painters and human statues. You will be amazed at how Costa Rica Arts protrude into the daily lives.
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