Award-Winning Artist, Culture Promoter Dies

Costa Rican art curator, critic and culture promoter Virginia Pérez-Ratton died Oct. 6 at her home after a three-year battle with cancer.

Pérez was awarded the prestigious Magón Prize in January as a lifetime achievement award for her work promoting Costa Rican culture (TT, Jan. 22). She received the recognition for her contributions to the promotion of Costa Rican and Central American contemporary art and her important work as a curator in international art events.

Pérez was the founding director of the San José-based Ars TEOR/éTica arts institution and one of the founders of the Papaya Music label, which promotes Costa Rican and Central American music. She also was the first director of the Contemporary Art and Design Museum in San José (TT, April 25, 2008). She was born in 1950.