Alcázar, Juan – Mexico

Juan Alcázar, an Oaxacan Artist Between Tradition and Innovation

Juan Alcázar was born in Guadalupe Etla, a municipality in Oaxaca, in 1956, and he passed away there at the age of 57, after a brilliant career as a visual artist, cultural promoter, and teacher.

From a very young age, he showed a deep vocation for art. At 13, he entered the School of Fine Arts at the Benito Juárez University, where he received several scholarships that allowed him to refine his training. He studied printmaking with Fernando Vilchis and Leticia Rarragó, and also specialized in screen printing in Xalapa.

His artistic passion transcended the personal: Alcázar dedicated much of his life to promoting education and culture in Oaxaca, creating spaces for connection and learning for young artists.

CULTURAL PROMOTER AND TEACHER OF GENERATIONS

A key figure in contemporary Oaxacan art, Juan Alcázar was a founding member of the Rufino Tamayo Workshop of Plastic Arts in 1974, an institution he directed from 1993 to 2004, where he taught printmaking to several generations of creators.

His commitment to teaching led him to found the Taller Libre de Gráfica Oaxaqueña (1983), the Juan Alcázar Printmaking Workshop (1999), and to support community workshops aimed at strengthening local artistic production.

He also participated in the founding of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Oaxaca (MACO), inaugurated in 1992, and in 2004 he created and directed the Museum of Oaxacan Painters (MUPO), consolidating his role as a cultural manager and educational reference.

COLOR, MYTH, AND HUMANISM IN HIS WORK

Heir to the fantastic and mythological tradition of Oaxacan art initiated by Francisco Toledo, Juan Alcázar developed a unique visual language, where vibrant colors, human figures, and pre-Hispanic references intertwine to create magical and symbolic worlds.

His compositions move between the earthly and the imaginary, with a marked humanistic sense that invites reflection on identity, memory, and spirituality.

The Ralli Museum celebrates his legacy as an essential part of Latin American art, recognizing in Alcázar a creator who united technique, imagination, and social commitment in each of his works.