Rediscovering Liliana Maresca: Argentine Artist of Alchemy and Activism

Liliana Maresca (Buenos Aires, 1951–1994) emerged as a key figure in Argentina's art scene after the end of the dictatorship. Following Raúl Alfonsín's election, she created a community of artists in San Telmo. From 1983, inspired by Emilio Renart, she made sculptures from discarded materials with alchemical themes. With photographer Marcos López, she staged photographic series in her home and public buildings like Casa Rosada, referencing Francesca Woodman and Cindy Sherman. Her 1989 solo show "No todo lo que brilla es oro" at Galleria Adriana Indik featured works like E.T.A. (1988) with casuarina branches, and a box with bronze elements recalling James Lee Byars. Later works (1991–1994) shifted to found objects evoking childhood, such as Ciclope (1991) and Autito (1994). Her installation "Imagen pública-Altas Esferas" (1993) showed her nude among portraits of dictators and celebrities. Maresca died of AIDS while preparing the show "Frenesí" at Centro Cultural Recoleta. Her revolutionary reputation delayed recognition in Argentina, but a major retrospective "Liliana Maresca. Transmutaciones" curated by Adriana Lauria was held at Centro Recoleta in 2008. In Europe, her work appeared at Spazio Nuovo in Rome (2012), Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid (2014), and the 15th Istanbul Biennial (2017).