Cuenca Says Goodbye to Víctor Manuel Arévalo — Artist, Teacher, Legend at 103

If you've ever admired the murals around Cuenca, or watched the elaborate mask-work during Inocentes or New Year's Eve celebrations, you've seen the influence of Víctor Manuel Arévalo Vázquez — even if you didn't know his name.

Arévalo passed away on May 4, 2026, at the age of 103. His family announced his death over the weekend.

A Life in Art

Arévalo spent 37 years teaching at the University of Cuenca, serving as a professor at what was then the School of Fine Arts (now the Faculty of Visual Arts). His work spanned painting, sculpture, and graphic art, with numerous solo and group exhibitions over the decades.

But his impact went beyond gallery walls. He was deeply connected to Cuenca's popular culture, creating masks and character designs for traditional festivities like New Year's Eve (Año Viejo) and the Día de los Inocentes celebrations — the kind of street-level art that defines this city's personality.

He also offered private drawing and painting lessons throughout his career, touching students far beyond the university.

Recognition

• November 3, 2013: Cuenca's city council awarded him the "Fray Vicente Solano" insignia for his cultural contributions
• March 2026: The University of Cuenca's Faculty of Arts honored his academic trajectory during the faculty's 25-year anniversary — just weeks before his passing

A Family's Tribute

His daughter, Jacqueline Arévalo Peña, shared a tribute that captures what he meant to the city:

"He, who made landscape a constant prayer, today merges with ochre tones and brightness of Cuenca's sunsets."

A religious ceremony was held today (May 6) at 10:00 AM at the La Paz chapel in Camposanto Santa Ana.

Cuenca is a city that takes its art seriously. Arévalo helped make it that way.

Source: El Mercurio