Carlos Mérida (1891–1984) was a Guatemalan-born artist and painter whose work became central to modern Latin American art. He was born in 1891 and later moved to Mexico, where he spent most of his creative life. His art blends European modernism with indigenous Latin American and Mayan influences, resulting in a distinctive visual language marked by geometric abstraction and cultural depth.
Mérida’s early years included exposure to various artistic traditions, and after some time abroad (including in Paris), he settled in Mexico. There he became involved with the muralist movement and produced numerous works that reflect both modern techniques and ancestral motifs. Over decades, he developed a unique style combining abstraction, geometry, and vivid reinterpretations of Latin American heritage.
His artworks are held in major museum collections and continue to be recognized internationally. Mérida died in 1984, leaving behind a legacy that helped shape 20th-century art in Latin America and beyond.
Amazon | Carlos Mérida
The Hungry Moon is a collection of Mexican nursery tales, including two songs and thirteen stories, illustrated by Mérida for American publishers. Though original artworks by Mérida are rare and valuable, his illustrations bring his characteristic style to the realm of children’s literature, merging cultural motifs with modernist aesthetics.
Carlos Mérida was a Guatemalan-born artist who became a major figure in Latin American modernism. He studied at the Instituto de Artes y Artesanías in Guatemala and, in 1910, moved to Paris, where he lived for four years and worked alongside artists such as Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian, and Amedeo […]
