Carmen Herrera

Carmen Herrera was a painter and minimalist pioneer. Born in Havana, Cuba in 1915, she studied architecture at the Universidad de La Habana before moving to New York in the 1930s and later to Paris, where she became involved with the postwar abstraction movement. Herrera developed a distinctive visual language of sharp lines, geometric forms, and bold color contrasts. Although she worked consistently for decades, widespread recognition came late in life, with her first major sale occurring at age 89. Her work gained international acclaim for its precision, clarity, and formal elegance, positioning her as a key figure in the history of geometric abstraction. Herrera continued to create art well past her 100th birthday, remaining active until her death in 2022.