Carmen Avalos – Visual Artist and Sculptor

Carmen Avalos – Visual Artist and Sculptor

Carmen Avalos, Visual Artist and Sculptor

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Carmen studied sculpture at the “Escuela de Artes de la Universidad de Guadalajara with Professor Rafael Zamarripa among the others.  Her curiosity for art continued on into the world of painting with Professors Alfonso de Lara Hallardo and Jorge Mertinez.

While living in Switzerland for twenty years she presented her work at Olympic Museum in Lausanne and Espace d’Art of United Nations in Geneva. Her artistic accomplishments in Mexico include over a hundred solo and collective exhibitions. Some of her work is also displayed in Jadite Gallery in New York.

 

“Her work is the language of her hands”

 

In 2013 Carmen Avalos was commissioned by Billingham Festival to create a bronze statue “World United by Dance” for Billingham Town Centre to commemorate 50^th Anniversary of the Festival. 

In 2016 Carmen collaborated with Billingham Festival on ‘Netotilaz’ project, screen-dance-art installation a collaboration between Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, Jessica Smith, international choreographer and videographer, Teesside University and Carmen Avalos, Produced by Olga Maloney

‘Netotiloz’ – the Nahuati (Aztec) language word meaning ‘There will be dance!’.

The project was based on seven contemporary paintings by Mexican artist Carmen Avalos, specially created for Billingham Festival’s 50th Anniversary, and involved contemporary dance interpretations of the paintings by Teesside University BA(Hons) dance students.

“Netotiloz” was presented at Billingham Festival 2015, followed by a tour of Mexico, where the installation was presented in museums in Colima, Autlan and Tequila. Each presentation was followed by dance interpretations from local contemporary dance companies.