Enrique Grau (December 18, 1920 - April 1, 2004) was born in Panama City, Panama, and raised in Cartagena, Colombia. Renowned for his depictions of Amerindian and Afro-Colombian figures, Grau was a member of the triunvirate of key Colombian artists of the 20th century that also included Fernando Botero and Alejandro Obregón.

A self-made artist, Grau studied at the Art Students League in New York, USA, in the early 1940s. He later toured Italy, where he learned etching and fresco techniques before moving to the city of Cartagena.

His associations of white, black and indigenous figures and objects such as masks, eggs, fruit or cages brought him international fame, with exhibitions at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the Paris Museum of Modern Art. Grau donated 1,300 works of art (including some by other artists) to the city of Cartagena; these will be used to establish a museum, due to open in late 2004.

Enrique Grau died in Bogotá, Colombia, at the age of 83.

External links

• Grau: biography and works (http://www.iadb.org/EXR/cultural/Colombia/engrau.htm)
• Obregón: biography and works (http://www.iadb.org/EXR/cultural/Colombia/enobregon.htm)