Mateo Blanco
{{short description|American artist}}
{{Undisclosed paid|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox artist
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| name = Mateo Blanco
| image = Mateo Blanco in his studio , 2023 (16) (1).jpg
| caption = Mateo Blanco in his studio The United States of America 2023
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|09|10}}
| birth_place = Miami, Florida, U.S.
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| nationality = American
| field = using non-conventional items to create Art
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Mateo Blanco (born 10 September 1981) is an American artist, singer and art collector. Blanco uses non-conventional items to create art.
As an artist, Blanco is also known for his unique renditions of the American flag using uncommon textiles and materials. Many of Mateo's creations are acquired by Ripley's Believe It or Not.{{Citation|title=La gente se comía pedacitos de sus obras: el inconveniente de crear arte comestible - CNN Video|url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/spanish/2017/11/02/cnnee-camilo-intvw-mateo-blanco-arte-chocolate-comestible-museos-ripley.cnn|access-date=2019-04-23}}{{Citation|title=Mateo Blanco {{!}} Season 2015 Episode 170 {{!}} WUCF Artisodes|url=https://www.pbs.org/video/wucf-artisodes-wucf-artisodes-170-mateo-blanco/|language=en|access-date=2019-04-23}} The Boca Raton Museum of Art, The Butler Institute of American Art, The Museum of Art - DeLand and Maja Museum in Jericó, Antioquia, Colombia is home to some of the world's most iconic pieces of art by Mateo Blanco. As an American tenor, he recorded an album titled Mateo Blanco 7:24.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ellatino.com/news/0819/080919-mb-boca.shtml|title=Artist Mateo Blanco honors strong women in Boca Raton gallery debut|website=www.ellatino.com|access-date=2019-09-17}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.aroundosceola.com/lifestyle/local-musician-mateo-blanco-celebrates-year-anniversary-of-debut-album/article_e8c9020a-3f7b-11e9-bf04-bbf29a262402.html|title=Local musician Mateo Blanco celebrates 10 year anniversary of debut album with re-release|first=Jennifer|last=DiDomenico|website=Osceola News-Gazette|language=en|access-date=2019-04-23|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423122523/http://www.aroundosceola.com/lifestyle/local-musician-mateo-blanco-celebrates-year-anniversary-of-debut-album/article_e8c9020a-3f7b-11e9-bf04-bbf29a262402.html|archive-date=2019-04-23}} Currently, he lives in Orlando, Florida.
Early life and education
File:Mateo Blanco y Debora Arango.jpg]]
Although he was born in the United States, his parents moved to Medellín in 1986 where they built the San Mateo house in honor of their son. There, he lived his childhood and youth from the age of five to 19 (2000) in Colombia. In the capital of Antioquia he grew up in an environment surrounded by artists and politicians, which allowed him to strengthen ties of friendship with artists, presidents, intellectuals and musicians who formed and influenced him such as Fernando Botero and his wife Sophia Vari. The latter would show and advise him - in Mateo's words - to be a complete artist with knowledge and discipline.
Mateo Blanco began his formal training under the supervision of Débora Arango in Medellin. He studied with Arturo Estrada Hernández, Jesusita Vallejo de Mora and Lola Vélez. Further, he studied Goldsmithing and Jewelry in Medellin, and, later, commercial music at Florida Atlantic University.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bocaratontribune.com/bocaratonnews/2019/09/artist-mateo-blanco-honors-strong-women-boca-raton-gallery-debut/|title=Artist Mateo Blanco Honors Strong Women in Boca Raton Gallery Debut|website=www.bocaratontribune.com|date=12 September 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-17}} Mateo received a training on classical opera singing, performed in La traviata, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni and Il Trovatore. Blanco was a part of Opera house in Colombia. Blanco has also make presentations accompanied by Aretha Franklin and performed for former president George H. W. Bush at his birthday dinner.{{Cite web|url=https://floridant.com/dfl/mateo-blanco-american-dreamer-turned-successful-american-tenor-floridant-10010532|title=Mateo Blanco: American dreamer turned successful American tenor|website=floridant.com|access-date=2019-09-17}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rosenbaumcontemporary.com/artists/157-mateo-blanco/overview/|title=Mateo Blanco|website=Rosenbaum Contemporary|language=en|access-date=2019-09-17}}
Key Art-Works
File:Native Flag By Mateo Blanco 1.jpg Collection]]
- Credit Flag by Mateo Blanco, 42 credit cards 2024.
- Native Flag by Mateo Blanco, Textile 2023.
- Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice by Mateo Blanco, Textile 2023.
- A 78X55 inches Jennifer Lawrence's portrait with 9,658 Planters peanuts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/jennifer-lawrence-peanuts_n_7079162.html|title=The Nuttiest Jennifer Lawrence Portrait|date=2015-04-16|website=HuffPost India|language=en|access-date=2019-04-23}}
- A portrait of Tennessee native Dolly Parton made of piece of clothes without paint.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ripleyentertainment.com/ripleys-believe-not-aquires-one-kind-dolly-parton-portrait/|title=Ripley's Believe It or Not! Acquires One-of-a-kind Dolly Parton Portrait|last=PR|first=Ripleys|date=2016-06-09|website=Ripley Entertainment Inc|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-23}}
- A series, “Joseph, Coat of Many Colors”, as an honor to Jewish history.{{Cite web|url=https://communitynewspapers.com/coralgables/artist-mateo-blanco-pays-tribute-to-jewish-history-in-his-new-work/|title=Artist Mateo Blanco pays tribute to Jewish history in his new work|last=Sedam|first=Lauren|date=2018-04-30|website=Miami's Community News|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-23}}
- Cheetah sculptures made from Cheetos Puffs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-cheeto-statue-mateo-blanco-20171207-story.html|title=Artist uses thousands of Cheetos to make sculpture|last=O'Brien|first=Kayla|website=OrlandoSentinel.com|date=7 December 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-23}}
- Portraits of singer Madonna, with wooden slits carved over her image for a 2D effect.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fb101.com/2018/08/mateo-blancos-art-is-on-display-at-cinco-tacos-tequila-in-winter-park/|title=Mateo Blanco's art is on display at Cinco Tacos + Tequila in Winter Park|date=2018-08-14|website=Food & Beverage Magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-04-23}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/fl-fea-miami-artist-madonna-portraits-20171121-story.html|title=Miami artist pays homage to Madonna in Coral Gables exhibit|last=Diaz|first=Johnny|website=Sun-Sentinel|date=28 November 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-23}}
- A 3D replica of a FedEx truck with dog hair.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/37625265/artist-creates-fedex-truck-out-of-dog-hair|title=Artist creates FedEx truck out of dog hair|website=WMC Action News 5|date=March 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-23}}
- A 3D sculpture of Sofía Vergara using feathers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elespectador.com/entretenimiento/gente/pulgas-casi-arruinan-escultura-de-sofia-vergara-hecha-en-plumas-articulo-702971|title=Pulgas casi arruinan escultura de Sofía Vergara hecha en plumas|date=2017-07-13|website=ELESPECTADOR.COM|language=ES|access-date=2019-04-23}}
Books Mentioning
2018 "Odd is Art." Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
2019 Meyer, Edward. "Buying the Bizarre: Confessions of a Compulsive Collector".
Films About
2021 "Caged Bird" (film about Mateo Blanco), Fusion Fest; Orlando, Florida