Almas Arrázola (1972) is a Colombian interdisciplinary artist based in
Medellín whose work in photography and illustration explores the meaning of
objects. Drawing from her extensive background in design and fashion, Arrázola
creates work that bridges commercial aesthetics with fine art sensibilities,
examining the intersections between industrial design principles and visual
storytelling, where color plays an important role in her work.
Born in Medellín, Colombia, Arrázola studied Industrial Design,
graduating in 1994, before pursuing a Master´s degree in Fashion Product
Management from the prestigious Istituto Marangoni in Milan, Italy (1996). She
also trained as a photographer, establishing the technical foundation that
would later inform her artistic practice. Her early career included co-founding
a clothing brand with her sister, which earned recognition as Best Emerging
Designer, and serving as leader and co-founder of Vía Primavera, a collective of
designers in Medellín that fostered creative collaboration within the city´s
design community.
As a self-taught calligrapher, Arrázola has developed several original
typefaces and completed numerous commissioned works, demonstrating her
versatility across visual mediums. Her two-year tenure managing the museum
store at the Museum of Modern Art of Medellín proved pivotal, deepening her understanding
of museographic practices and contemporary art contexts that would later
influence her transition into fine art.
Arrázola´s artistic practice has garnered significant recognition within
Colombia´s contemporary art scene. She has been selected twice for the Art
Biennial of the Medellín Photographic Club and has received multiple honorable
mentions for her work. Her solo photography exhibition at the Museo El Castillo
in Medellín marked a significant milestone in her artistic career, while her
participation in numerous group exhibitions has showcased both her photographic
and illustrative work to diverse audiences.
Beyond her studio practice, Arrázola is recognized as a thought leader
on creativity and innovation. She delivered a notable TEDx talk titled ¨The
Creativity That Replaced a Depression¨; at TEDxMedellín and has lectured on
creativity and innovation for various Colombian companies. Her expertise earned
her a partial scholarship to participate in the HIVE Global Leaders Program in
Boston, USA, and an invitation to serve as guest editor of Gente magazine (from
El Colombiano newspaper), where she redesigned the editorial aesthetics of an
entire edition.
Arrázola´s unique
trajectory from industrial design through fashion, photography, and fine art
reflects a contemporary practice that refuses traditional boundaries, but
instead embraces the fluid exchange between commercial design and artistic
expression that defines much of today´s visual culture.
