Gonzalo Díaz Reflects on 1997 Installation "Unidos en la Gloria y en la Muerte" at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Chilean artist Gonzalo Díaz, who lived from 1947 to 2025, had a conversation with Antonio Echeverría at his home in Santiago about his 1997 installation, Unidos en la Gloria y en la Muerte. This artwork was displayed in the Matta Hall at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and included neon text derived from Andrés Bello’s 1855 remarks on Chile's Civil Code. It featured neon designs on the museum's outside and illuminated text on scaffolding inside. Díaz began this project in 1992 with support from Amigos del Museo, led by Maya Castro de Westcott, alongside assistance from his wife, Nury González. He connected this piece to his earlier works, reflecting on the post-dictatorship era. In 2003, he received Chile's National Prize for Plastic Arts. The interview was published in Afterall's Issues 59-60 on January 14, 2026.