Zipacna de Leon

Sergio Zipacná de León Rodríguez (Guatemala City, July 25, 1948 - Ibídem, January 21, 2002) was a painter, draftsman, engraver and cultural promoter. and Guatemalan ceramist.

Trajectory

He was born in Guatemala City on July 25, 1948 and died in the same city on January 21, 2002. The son of the sculptor Adalberto de León Soto and the plastic artist and activist Fantina Rodríguez Padilla, Zipacná was born in the bosom of a family with a long artistic tradition, including his brother Iván de León Rodríguez and his uncle Jacobo Rodríguez Padilla. He was a very important and influential figure in the cultural sphere of that country, not only as a painter and potter, but also as a personality, researcher, and patron.

Having begun his primary studies in Paris, he completed his academic studies in Guatemala. Although self-taught in painting, he also undertook formal studies. He specialized in engraving with Lola Cueto and Carlos Jurado in Mexico (1968-1971), and with Carlos Colombino at the University of Costa Rica (1978). He studied Modern Art and Museography at the Center Georges Pompidou (Paris, France) in 1979.

Zipacná had an outstanding participation in the activities of the Casa de la Estampa Max Vollemberg and the Trinovación group. Co-founder of various cultural institutions, his work as coordinator of the Paiz Permanent Art Program (1978-1989) and the start-up of the Regional Art Schools (1989) (Ministry of Culture and Sports) and the Museum of Fine Arts stand out. Western Arts Adalberto de León Soto. On the other hand, he was also a professor at the National School of Plastic Arts "Rafael Rodríguez Padilla" (1977-1996). In September 2000, he was conferred the title of Distinguished Citizen of Quetzaltenango.

To his credit he has more than forty personal and multiple collective exhibitions inside and outside Guatemala. His publications include studies on Guatemalan plastic arts and presentations by national and foreign artists.

A tireless traveler, he also investigated art and culture around the world on multiple study trips (Egypt, Taiwan, Greece, Switzerland, Costa Rica, etc.), which continually enriched his vision of art and its role in modern society.

Died on January 21, 2002 in Guatemala City. The artist Erwin Guillermo was designated heir to his artistic work.

Works

• Portrait of my friend a while ago. Acrylic on fabric. 1979.
• Pueblecito. Acrylic on cloth. 1984. Fundación Paz Collection.
• Canto Eslavo. Acrylic on fabric. 1984. Private collection.
• Profiles. Lie it on canvas. Year 2001. Private collection.
• The Sphinx. Acrylic on fabric. Year 1998. Private collection. *VARIOUS STUDIES: Rural landscape. Acrylic on fabric. 1984. Fundación Paz Collection.
• Vegetable elements. Acrylic on wood. 1993. Private collection.

Biography

• Móbil, José Antonio (2002). History of Guatemalan Art. Guatemala. Editorial Serviprensa Centroamericana. ISBN 978-99922-917-8
• Haeussler Yela, Carlos (1983). General Dictionary of Guatemala. Guatemala. No publisher.
• Díaz Castillo, Roberto (2010). Plastic Arts in Guatemala: a soliloquium. Guatemala. Editorial Serviprensa Centroamericana. ISBN 978-9929-554-45-0