De Pont Museum Acquires Two Iconic Works by Beatriz González

De Pont Museum has acquired two works from the iconic Las Delicias series (1996–1998) by Colombian artist Beatriz González: Las Delicias 12 and Las Delicias 13. Both paintings are on view through March 9 in Tilburg as part of the exhibition Beatriz González – War and Peace, a major retrospective of this influential Latin American artist.

The Las Delicias series was inspired by the tragic events of August 30, 1996, when 60 young soldiers were kidnapped by the guerrilla group FARC at the Las Delicias military base in southern Colombia. During the attack, several soldiers were killed, and the survivors were held hostage for 288 days. The event left a deep scar on Colombian society and prompted González to create this moving series of small-scale paintings.

Now 92 years old, González highlights the universal gesture of grief in these works: women hiding their tears with their hands. Speaking about Las Delicias, she said:
"I wanted to create an image that embodies pain—a symbol that reflects both individual sorrow and collective suffering. The simple gesture of covering one's face with the hands is a universal sign of loss and mourning."

With these new acquisitions, De Pont has further enriched its collection of works by Beatriz González. This not only reflects the museum’s international outlook but also its commitment to making the work of this influential Latin American artist more widely accessible. Like Tate Modern, Reina Sofia, and MoMA, De Pont is now among the select group of Western museums that collect her work.