Juan Soriano (1920–2006)

• Early Life & Artistic Beginnings: Juan Soriano’s childhood was marked by an eccentric family—his father, Rafael Rodríguez Soriano, fought in the Mexican Revolution, later becoming a minor politician and, eventually, a spiritist. His mother, Amalia Montoya Navarro, who had followed her husband into battle as a “soldadera,” or female soldier, kept the house that included Juan’s thirteen aunts and four sisters. From a young age he demonstrated exceptional talent, entering the circle of the renowned artist Jesús Reyes Ferreira (“Chucho” Reyes), who introduced Soriano to pre-Columbian and colonial Mexican art as well as art from outside his country.
• Formal Training & Influences: At fourteen Soriano participated in his first group exhibition while studying under Francisco Rodríguez “Caracalla” at the Evolución Studio in Guadalajara, alongside Raúl Anguiano and Jesús Guerrero Galván. He was deeply influenced by artists like Alfonso Michel Martínez and Pablo Picasso, absorbing stylistic elements from Expressionism and Neo Baroque painting.
• Mexico City & Literary Circles: In 1935 Soriano moved to Mexico City, motivated by his talent and the incentive of the company of his sister Martha. He joined the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists (LEAR), where he remained only a couple of years, fostering connections with prominent Mexican writers and intellectuals such as Juan Rulfo, Dolores del Río, María Félix, Octavio Paz, Rufino Tamayo, Guadalupe Marín, Xavier Villaurrutia, Elena Garro, Lola Álvarez Bravo, María Asúnsolo, Leonora Carrington, Carlos Pellicer, María Zambrano, Ignacio Retes, Salvador Novo, Frida Kahlo, and Carlos Mérida.
• European Exploration & Artistic Evolution: Soriano’s journey into European art began in 1952, where he immersed himself in the artistic traditions of Rome and Paris, encountering figures like Antonio Saura, Julio Cortázar and Milan Kundera. These experiences profoundly shaped his style, pushing him toward abstractionism and expanding his visual horizons.
• Legacy & Recognition: Soriano’s prolific output earned him numerous accolades—the National Prize of Sciences and Arts in the area of Fine Arts from the government of Mexico in 1987, the Gold Medal from the Palace of Fine Arts of Mexico, the Decoration of the Legion of Honor , in the Official Degree of France, the Honorable Mention at the Cagnes-sur-Mer International Painting Festival in France, the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and the Velázquez Prize for Visual Arts of Spain. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Colima