Ana Isabel
Marten

ANA ISABEL MARTÉN was born on July 17th, 1961 in San José, Costa Rica, where she currently lives and works.In 1979 she enrolled to study painting in the Universidad Autónoma de Centroamérica, and in 1980she also enrolled in the School of Fine Arts of the Universidad de Costa Rica. She graduated from thelatter institution in 1985, and obtained her Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts, with an emphasis on painting.In 1988 she became a founding member of GRUPO BOCARACÁ, an important group of young CostaRican artists who influenced significantly the country’s artistic context, during the last two decades of theXX Century.During 2008 and 2010, she participated in different workshops in the Costa Rican Center forCinematographic Production. (Centro Costarricense de Producción Cinematográfica)In 1987 she had her first individual exhibits in the most important cultural centers of the time, such asLa Alianza Francesa, Instituto Anglo Costarricense (“Corcovado”) in 1989, and Centro CulturalCostarricense Norteamericano (“Hombre Naturaleza”) in 1991.She also exhibited her work individually in different galleries and museums, in Costa Rica and abroad:1991 - Galería Kandinsky (San Jose, Costa Rica)1993 - Galería Leo Blasini (Caracas, Venezuela)1999 - “Uno y el Universo” GANAC Museo de Arte Costarricense (San Jose, Costa Rica)2001 - “En proceso” Galería Nacional (San José, Costa Rica)2006 - “Video creaciones 2003 – 2005” Galería Nacional (San José, Costa Rica)2016 - “Geometrías – Colección de seis videoartes” Galería Nacional (San José, Costa Rica)2016 - “Juego entre la forma y la materia” Casa del Artista (San José, Costa Rica)Furthermore, she has been part of numerous group exhibitions in prestigious venues: Museo de ArteModerno Carlos Mérida (Guatemala); Museo de la Aduana (Costa Rica); Museo de Arte y DiseñoContemporáneo (Costa Rica); Museo de Arte Costarricense (Costa Rica); Museo de la Carta (Fabriano,Italy); Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Puerto Rico); Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Panama); Museo delas Américas (Madrid, Spain); Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Santiago, Chile); and also, “Muestra deCine y Video Costarricense” in Centro de Cine (Costa Rica); Centro de Arte y Naturaleza (Huesca, Spain);“Loop” (Barcelona, Spain), “Invideo” (Milan, Italy); Museo de la Estampa (Mexico City); and in Seoul ArtsCenter (South Korea).In 2003, parallel to her paintings, she began to develop her video arts, and her work in both of thesemediums has received prices and recognitions throughout the last thirty years.FINE ARTS - AWARDS AND HONORS1995“Contemporary Art Special Distinction”Contemporary Art and Design Museum MADC.San José, Costa Rica.1992“National Painting Prize” (Bocaracá)San José, Costa Rica.1992“Áncora Prize” (Bocaracá)San José, Costa Rica.1992“Honor for the Conservation of Natural Resources and Environment”Costa Rican Federation of Professional and Entrepreneur Women of Costa Rica.San José, Costa Rica.1990“First Prize”Central American Painting Biennial, ICHI.Tegucigalpa, Honduras.1989“Mention of Honor National Hall of Drawing”Costa Rican Museum of Art.San José, Costa Rica.1989“Mention of Honor” First Biennial Francisco Amighetti.National Gallery, Costa Rican Center of Culture and Science.San José, Costa Rica.1989“III Bicentennial Award of the French Revolution”France Embassy. Jade Museum.San José, Costa Rica.1984“Mention of Honor”60th Aniversary National Insurance Institute, Jade Museum.San José, Costa Rica.VIDEO ART - AWARDS AND HONORS2016Award-Winning Work"GEOMETRÍA SAGRADA"XVIII International Art Festival in May.Guatemala.2015Selected Work Between Centuries“OCEAN VIEW”Museum of Modern Art Carlos Merida.Rozas-Botrán Foundation.Guatemala, Guatemala.2011“Destaparte, 125 years of Inspiration”Costa Rican Art Museum.San José, Costa Rica.2008Prize “Inquieta Imagen”“OCEAN VIEW”Contemporary Art and Design Museum MADC.San José, Costa Rica.2008Selected Video for Invideo Exhibition“EMERGENCIA”Milan, Italy.2008Selected Video for Exhibition in Seoul Arts Center“EMERGENCIA”Seoul, South Korea.2007Prize Best Video-Creation“PLANETA”XI Costa Rican Cinema and Video Exhibition.San José, Costa Rica.2007First Prize Landscape Instants“CHANGO”Art and Nature Center, CDAN.Huesca, Spain.2006Selected Video Art in 60 x 80 Formats“COCODRILOS”Contemporary Art and Design Museum MADC.San José, Costa Rica.2005Prize Best Visual Proposal“DESDE AQUI”II Exhibition Young Creators in Video.San José, Costa Rica.