Zilia Sánchez, a groundbreaking artist celebrated for her shaped canvases that bridged the gap between painting and sculpture, passed away at 98. The Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico announced her death on Thursday but did not disclose the cause.

Sánchez’s work, characterized by its abstraction of the female form, redefined the boundaries of visual art. Using muted tones of gray and blue, she stretched canvases over wooden frameworks, creating three-dimensional surfaces that bulged outward. Her style, rooted in sensuality and geometry, often referenced Greek mythology, as seen in her Troyanas series, where nipple-like protrusions evoked both vulnerability and strength, simultaneously resembling spears.

Born in Havana in 1926 to a Spanish father and a Cuban mother, Sánchez’s artistic journey began early. Living above painter Victor Manuel inspired her pursuit of art, leading to her graduation from the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes de San Alejandro in 1947. Although she initially aimed to become an architect, Sánchez shifted focus, citing a dislike for the precision required in the field and the socio-political upheaval of the Cuban Revolution.

Her transition to shaped paintings came in 1955, inspired by the sight of her father’s deathbed sheet blowing in the wind. This moment of epiphany led her to experiment with form, pushing the boundaries of traditional painting. For much of the 1950s, Sánchez’s work aligned with the gestural aesthetics of Abstract Expressionism, but her move to New York in the early 1960s marked a dramatic shift. She adopted smoother canvases, lighter palettes, and minimalist tendencies, reflecting her exposure to the city’s vibrant artistic scene.

In New York, Sánchez studied printmaking at the Pratt Institute and supported herself as an illustrator. However, Harlem’s bustling environment eventually wore on her, prompting her relocation to Puerto Rico in 1971. There, her art expanded in scale and ambition. Despite the devastation of her studio by Hurricane Maria in 2017, which destroyed much of her work, Sánchez persevered, rebuilding her creative space and continuing her practice.

Recognition of Sánchez’s contributions came late but was significant. Her work gained international acclaim after a 2013 exhibition at Artists Space in New York. She was featured in the 2017 Venice Biennale, and institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art acquired her paintings. Retrospectives of her work appeared at El Museo del Barrio and the Phillips Collection, cementing her legacy as a key figure in Latin American art.

Reflecting on her career in 2019, Sánchez told T: The New York Times Style Magazine that the recognition of her work had moved her to tears. Her passing leaves a profound void in the art world, but her innovative approach and resilience ensure her influence will endure.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com