Artist Statement
My life experiences make me very aware of what trauma does to people.
As a Mexican American, I have experienced discrimination and prejudice from childhood to the present day. I have great empathy for others in similar situations. Thus, my current art interests lead me to focus on exhibitions in countries that are experiencing trauma in the present or recent past.
Theoretically, my artmaking is highly influenced by the theories of Joseph Beuys. I am especially attracted to his ideas on spirituality and his views on the artist as a “shaman” who seeks to heal society. Moreover, his idea of “social sculptures” resonates with my perspective that we must strive to transform society to build a better world.
Roles
Professor Emeritus
Department of Art & Art History
University of Colorado, Boulder, U.S.A.
Founder & Exhibition Co-Curator
Artnauts Collective, Denver — est. 1996
Celebrating 30 years in 2026
Biography
Dr. George Rivera is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Art & Art History at the University of Colorado at Boulder (USA). He has published articles in national and international journals and has had exhibitions in Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Korea, Mexico, Palestine, Peru, Rwanda, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Uganda and throughout the United States.
Dr. Rivera founded the ARTNAUTS Collective, which is still exhibiting in international venues and celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2026. In addition to being an artist, he is a curator, art essayist, children’s book author, and poet.
Archive of Life Work
Dr. Rivera’s life work is permanently preserved in the George Rivera Papers at the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, part of The University of Texas Libraries in Austin. Founded in 1921, the Benson is the premier Latin American research library in the United States and one of the most comprehensive in the world, holding over one million volumes along with miles of archival materials spanning manuscripts, maps, photographs, and rare documents. Having his papers and artworks entrusted to this institution is a significant recognition — placing his artistic and scholarly contributions alongside major voices in Latin American art, culture, and history, and ensuring they remain accessible to future researchers, curators, and students for generations to come.
George Rivera Papers, Archives, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection
The University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
Recent Exhibitions
Education
- Ph.D. Sociology — Sociology of Art State University of New York
Roles & Affiliations
- Founder & Co-Curator, 1996 – Artnauts Collective, Denver, Colorado
- Professor Emeritus Dept. of Art & Art History, University of Colorado Boulder
- Archive George Rivera Papers, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, University of Texas at Austin
Awards & Recognition
- Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts State of Colorado
- Fulbright Scholar