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Costa Rican artist Jorge Jiménez Deredia has made history as one of the first Latin American sculptors to find great success in Italy and the Vatican.
When It All BeganJorge Jiménez Martínez - known by his pseudonym Deredia - was born in Heredia, Costa Rica, on October 4, 1954. He first began sculpting at the age of 13, when he participated in a workshop at the Liceo de Heredia. Over the next several years, he began to develop his own unique sculptural style, which draws inspiration from organic shapes, gravity, pre-Columbian art and the idea of growth.
MarbleDeredia continued studying sculpture at the School of Fine Arts at the University of Costa Rica. In 1976, however, he was awarded a special scholarship that allowed him to learn about sculpting marble in the city of Carrara, Italy. Once he arrived in Europe, he was able to see the work of Italian masters like Michelangelo, Bernini, Brunelleschi and more. Following the expiration of his grant, Deredia decided to stay in Carrara, where he enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts to study marble and bronze sculpture. Between 1980 and 1986, he attended Florence University, where he took classes from the Faculty of Architecture.
His RootsDuring his time in Italy, Deredia underwent a profound change in his approach to art. His exposure to the work of historical greats deepened both his interest in the Renaissance period as well as his commitment to his Costa Rican origins. It was during this time that he created his pseudonym - a contraction of "de Heredia", referring to his roots in his hometown.
Over the course of the next several years, Deredia participated in several major exhibitions in Italy. One of his most prominent sculptures, Geneses, was created in 1985. This piece was the first in a series designed to reflect the changing nature of matter over time, and it ultimately played a large role in his artistic growth during the next several decades.
Unique SculptorIn 1999, Deredia was asked to create a statue of San Marcellino Champagnat to be placed in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, making him the first Latin American sculptor to have his work displayed in the iconic structure. Additionally, in 2009, he became the first contemporary artist to have his work displayed in the Roman Forum, a historical square that formed the center of the ancient Roman Empire. | |
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