Carmen Herrera was an abstract artist who made her first sale at the age of 89 and went on to great fame in the art world.
- Died: February 12, 2022 (Who else died on February 12?)
- Details of death: Died at her home in New York City at the age of 106.
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A lifetime of art
Herrera was a native of Havana, Cuba, where she initially studied architecture. She turned this talent into one for art after she moved to New York City in the 1930s. She studied painting there, beginning to form the style that would be celebrated many decades later. Herrera’s art focused on bold colors and straight lines, with geometric shapes that harked back to her training as an architect. She continued creating art all her life, but she struggled for recognition, finding herself shut out of large galleries and museums. It wasn’t until 2004, when Herrera was 89 years old, that her show at Manhattan’s Latin Collector Gallery received a favorable review. She made her first sale, and widespread recognition quickly followed. Within ten years, Herrera’s paintings were selling for more than $150,000. Her paintings were exhibited at New York’s Whitney Museum of Art and her large-scale sculptures at City Hall Park in Manhattan. Herrera was profiled in the 2015 documentary “The 100 Years Show.” She continued working well past the age of 100, even after she had to use a wheelchair to get around.
Notable quote
“I hope my art will give some joy or pleasure or spark someone’s imagination. I hope that my so-called ‘discovery’ at 89 will encourage others waiting for the bus.” —from a 2021 interview for Town & Country
Tributes to Carmen Herrera
Full obituary: The New York Times
