Berta Taracena (1925 - 9 January 2021) was a Mexican historian, cultural researcher and art critic. Taracena was born in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

in 1925, to a family which was interested in culture. Her father was a Mexican senator and friend of Carlos Chávez, the director of the

Palacio de Bellas Artes The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is a prominent cultural center in Mexico City. It has hosted notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature in Mexico and has held important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and p ...

. This allowed her to earn a quality education, receiving a bachelor's and master's degree in Mexican history from the Universidad Nacional de México. Her master's thesis was done on the work of Jesús Reyes Ferreira, whom she knew personally. She also studied and worked under academics such as Francisco de la Maza and

Justino Fernández Justino Fernández García (September 28, 1904 – December 12, 1972) was a researcher, historian and art critic who is particularly known for his work documenting and critiquing Mexican art of the 20th century. Fernandez studied and developed his ...

. She began her writing career young, publishing about two articles a week, generally reviewing current trends in art, along with art news. She also began doing research work, writing and editing books, along with museum curating. She has worked with other notables in Mexico’s art world such as

Fernando Gamboa Fernando Andrés Gamboa (born 28 October 1970 in Marcos Juárez, Córdoba) is an Argentine football manager and former player who played as a defender. Playing career Gamboa started his playing career in 1988 with Newell's Old Boys where h ...

. Her specialty is Mexican visual art, having written hundreds of essays, articles and books as well as appearing at conferences. She focuses on the continuity of Mexican art from its pre-Hispanic roots to the present. She has published notable books on artists such as Diego Rivera,

Manuel Rodríguez Lozano Manuel Rodríguez Lozano (December 4, 1896 – March 27, 1971) was a List of Mexican artists, Mexican painter, known for his “melancholy” depiction of Mexico rather than the more dominant political or festive one of the Mexican muralism movem ...

Vladimir Cora Vladimir Cora (born 1951, Acaponeta, Nayarit) is a Mexican painter and sculptor based in the state of Nayarit, whose work has been recognized by various awards and membership in the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana. He discovered art at age fift ...

Leopoldo Flores Leopoldo Flores (1934 – April 3, 2016) was a Mexican artist mostly known for his murals and other monumental works which are concentrated in the city of Toluca, State of Mexico. He was born into a poor family in rural State of Mexico, but his ...

and Antonio Ramírez, as well as ''Estética del arte mexicano en el tiempo'' in 2006. She has stated that Mexican art “constitutes a singular and unique phenomenon, owing to a mixture of traces and elements that bring together an idea of an original cohesion, created by the qualities of monument, and rich imagination. Form, line, color, fantasy and meaning are woven to define an idea of art with particular traits.” In 2009, the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México held a tribute to her life's work.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taracena, Berta 1925 births 2021 deaths Mexican art critics National Autonomous University of Mexico alumni People from Mexico City