RODOLFO MANGA GONZÁLES
ARTIST
Born in Cusco Perú, 1970. Sculptor and goldsmith. He holds a degree in Anthropology and Archaeology from the Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco and is a specialist in the restoration of precious metals. He has received numerous awards and distinctions throughout his career and currently resides in Montreal, Canada.
His work merges ancestral Andino knowledge with a contemporary vision. For him, silver and its alloys are not just materials, but carriers of memory and identity. He uses exclusively traditional techniques: lamination, repoussé, forging, and chiseling — never molds, 3D printing, or mechanical reproduction. Every piece is forged sheet by sheet from metal he casts himself.
He has received numerous awards, exhibited in more than twenty countries, and carried out major heritage restoration projects in Peru, defending the value of handcraftsmanship over industrial replication.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
• San Francisco Private School – Primary Education
• Salesian Private School – Secondary Education
• UNSAAC – Bachelor’s Degree in Archaeology
• 1997: Seminar on Heritage Rescue and Preservation – National Institute of Culture (INC), Peru
• 1997: Workshop on Techniques and Procedures in Heritage Restoration – INC
• 1998: Workshop on the Conservation and Restoration of Metals – INC
• 1999: Workshop on Management Models for Heritage Preservation – INC / OAS
• 1999: Workshop on the Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art – UNSAAC
• 2001: Seminar “Museums and the Conservation of Cultural Property” – INC
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
• 1996: Certificate issued by the Inter-American Center for the Restoration of Movable Cultural Property for the restoration of 23 silver liturgical objects, carried out at the CIRBCM laboratory under the supervision of Chemical Engineer Jorge Gamarra Gamio.
• 1998–1999: Instructor of Goldsmithing and Silversmithing at Pukllasunchis Private School, Cusco.
• 2001: Conservation, restoration, and enhancement of the Glyptodon fossil found in Wimpillay – carried out with the National Institute of Culture of Peru and the Center for the Restoration and Conservation of Movable Cultural Property.
• 1999 – Present: Director of a private workshop specializing in sculpture, jewelry, silversmithing, and goldsmithing.
HERITAGE RESTORATION PROJECTS
• Restoration of the platform of the Taytacha de los Temblores – 2011
• Restoration of the platform of the Virgen Purificada de San Pedro, Cusco – 2013
Awards and Distinctions:
• Diploma of Honor, 1st Cusco Crafts Competition – American Institute of Art, 1997
• Diploma, 2nd National Silver Competition of Peru – Patronato de Plata del Perú / Interbank, 1998
• Diploma, 4th National Silver Competition of Peru – 5th Place in Sculpture, 2000
• Diploma, Participation in the 1st Ibero-American Meeting of Silversmiths – Patronato Plata del Perú, 2001
• Diploma, 6th National Silver Competition of Peru – 3rd Place in Sculpture, 2002
• Diploma, 6th Cusco Crafts Competition – 1st Honorable Mention, 2002
• Diploma, 7th National Silver Competition of Peru – 4th Place in Sculpture, 2003
• Diploma, 11th National Silver Competition of Peru – 1st Place in Sculpture, 2007
• Diploma, 12th National Silver Competition of Peru – 2nd Place in Sculpture, 2008
• Diploma, 13th National Silver Competition of Peru – 5th Place in Sculpture, 2009
International Exhibitions & Participation
1999
• “Tradition and Feeling in Peruvian Silverwork” – Caja Sur Exhibition Center, Córdoba, Spain
• “Tradition and Feeling in Peruvian Silverwork” – Museum of Fine Arts, Seville, Spain
• “Tradition and Feeling in Peruvian Silverwork” – Museum of the Americas, Madrid, Spain
• “Peruvian Silver: 2500 Years of Art” – Museum of Brazilian Art, São Paulo, Brazil
2000
• National Silver Competition of Peru – 4th National Meeting of Silversmiths, Historical Museum of the North, Salta, Argentina
2001
• “Silver of Peru: 2000 Years of Art” – Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic
2003
• “Plataperú: Contemporary Sculptures in the World” – 30th Iberjoya Fair, Juan Carlos I Exhibition Center, Madrid, Spain
• Presentation at the Annual Meeting of IDB Governors, Milan, Italy
2004
• “Peruvian Silverwork” – International Tourism Fair ITB, Berlin, Germany
• “Handmade: Silver of Peru in MERCOSUR” – Zorrilla Museum, Montevideo, Uruguay
2005
• “Contemporary Peruvian Silverwork” – 4th International Silver Conference, Lijiang, China
• “Contemporary Peruvian Silverwork” – Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2006
• “Worth a Peru” – Zorrilla Museum, Montevideo, Uruguay
2007
• “Peru: A Jewel” – Zorrilla Museum, Montevideo, Uruguay
• “America: Migration and its Cultures” – Universal Forum of Cultures, Monterrey, Mexico
2008
• “Silver of Peru: 2000 Years of Art” – Sinebrychoff Art Museum, Helsinki, Finland
• “Silver of Peru: 2000 Years of Art” – Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova Museum, Turku, Finland
2009
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – University Gallery, University of Carabobo, Valencia, Venezuela
• “Popular Silversmithing of Peru” – Oratory of San Felipe Neri, Havana, Cuba
• Contemporary Peruvian Silverwork – EXPOPERU 2009, Santiago, Chile
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – 3rd Ibero-American Meeting of Silversmiths, Zacatecas, Mexico
2010
• “Contemporary Peruvian Silverwork – Bicentennial Tribute” – José Hernández Museum of Popular Art, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – Pumapungo Museum, Cuenca, Ecuador
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – Metropolitan Cultural Center, Quito, Ecuador
2011
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – Cultural Institute of Providencia, Santiago, Chile
• “Peruvian Silver Salon – Independence Anniversary” – Simón Bolívar Cultural Center, Guayaquil, Ecuador
• “From Traditional to Contemporary: Peruvian and Bolivian Silverwork” – CAF Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela
2012
• “Peru Shines in El Salvador” – National Museum of Anthropology, San Salvador, El Salvador
• “Luminiscence: The Silver of Peru” – Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
2013
• “Luminiscence: The Silver of Peru” – Art Centre, University of Toronto, Canada
• PDAC International Convention – Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Canada
• “A Traditional Peruvian Expression in El Salvador” – National Museum of Anthropology, San Salvador, El Salvador
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – 5th Ibero-American Meeting of Silversmiths, Rancagua, Chile
2014
• “Metals of the Pacific Alliance” – IX Pacific Alliance Summit, Punta Mita, Mexico
• “Peru: A Jewel” – National Museum of Anthropology, San Salvador, El Salvador
2015
• Anato 2015 Tourism Fair – CORFERIAS, Bogotá, Colombia
2016
• Embassy of Peru – Washington D.C., USA
• “From Peru and Ibero-America to Havana” – National Museum of Decorative Arts, Havana, Cuba
National Exhibitions & Participation – Peru
2000
• “Silver and Silversmiths” – APEC Forum, Lima
• 4th National Silver Competition – Joaquín López Antay Museum, Ayacucho
• Award-winning works – Museum of the Nation, Lima
• “Silversmiths of Cusco” – Museum of the Nation, Lima
2001
• Award-winning works – Museum of the Nation, Lima
• “Contemporary Peruvian Silverwork” – BBVA Exhibition Hall, Lima
2002
• “Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork” – Museum of the Nation, Lima
• “Cusco: Clay, Fire and Silver” – PUCP Cultural Center, Lima
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Casona del Mariscal de Orbegoso, Trujillo
• 6th National Silver Competition – Trujillo
• “Ideas and Designs in Silver” – Interbank Gallery, Lima
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Former Municipal Palace, Tacna
• Contisuyo Museum, Moquegua
• “Plataperú in the World” – Museum of the Nation, Lima
2003
• Award-winning works – Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima
• “Ibero-American Silverwork” – Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima
• “Silver Sculptures” – Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Museum of the Nation, Lima
• 7th National Silver Competition – University of the Pacific, Lima
• “Ideas and Designs in Silver” – Interbank Gallery, Lima
• “Peruvian Silver & Silversmiths” – Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima
• “Silver and Silversmiths of Peru” – 1st South American Tourism Meeting, Lima
2004
• “2000 Years of Peruvian Silverwork” – Club de Regatas, Lima
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Interbank Gallery, Cajamarca
2005
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Ex Hotel Junín, La Oroya
• “Silver Sculptures” – Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima
• “Contemporary Peruvian Silverwork” – Casa Tristán del Pozo, Arequipa
2006
• “Author Sculptures” – Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima
2007
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Launch of 11th National Competition, Interbank Gallery, Lima
• 11th National Silver Competition – Sicán Museum, Lambayeque
• Award-winning works – Chapel of Jesús Nazareno Cautivo, Monsefú
• “Peru Handmade” – Saga Falabella, Lima
• Award-winning works – Interbank Gallery, Lima
• 2nd Ibero-American Meeting of Silversmiths – Numismatic Museum, Lima
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – Numismatic Museum, Lima
• Peruvian Silver Salon – FERIADEX, Lima
2008
• 12th National Silver Competition – Cultural Center, San Cristóbal de Huamanga University, Ayacucho
• Award-winning works – Interbank Gallery, Lima
• Peruvian Silver Salon – FERIADEX, Lima
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – Ccori Wasi Cultural Center, Lima
• Retrospective: 12 National Silver Competitions – Promperú Office, Lima
• Contemporary Peruvian Silverwork – Parque de la Amistad Cultural Center, Lima
2009
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Casa del Moral, Arequipa
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – Parque de la Amistad Cultural Center, Lima
• 13th National Silver Competition – Casa del Moral, Arequipa
• Award-winning works – Interbank Gallery, Lima
2010
• Peruvian Silver Salon – 9th International Gold Symposium, Lima
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Interbank Gallery, Cajamarca
2011
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – Belén Monumental Complex, Cajamarca
2012
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Miguel Grau House Museum, Piura
• Peruvian Silver Salon – 10th International Gold Symposium, Lima
2013
• World Travel Awards Exhibition – Huaca Pucllana, Lima
• Peruvian Silver Salon – Mariscal de Orbegoso House Museum, Trujillo
2015
• World Bank & IMF Annual Meeting – Museum of the Nation, Lima
• Contemporary Ibero-American Silverwork – Universidad Católica San Pablo Gallery, Arequipa
