Beatriz González at Astrup Fearnley

Based on found images that she has collected throughout her life in Colombia – everything from torn-up reproductions of key paintings from Western art history to newspaper clippings about violent murders, conflicts and losses – González transforms the source material through her works. She playfully addresses the dominant influence of Western iconography, and by confronting socially constructed ideas of taste, countering complex stories of violence, and acknowledging displaced populations, she shows how images reflect the dynamics of power on both a personal and political level. González challenges the typical value hierarchies imposed on different media or cultures.

She experiments with a variety of expressions and media. In addition to painting, drawing, sculpture and graphics, she uses furniture (beds, tables and televisions) as a basis for paintings, paints monumental, scenographic backdrops and creates large-scale installations that fill public spaces. Based on a specific Colombian context, the works address current themes ranging from political violence to the climate crisis and life in diverse indigenous communities. At the same time, they touch on contemporary global politics in a way that speaks to universal human issues.