RUZI: A Fusion of Art, Success, and Social Well-being

Interview with Isabel Ruiz de Velasco, Visual Artist.

@isabelruizdevelascoartist

Isabelruizdevelasco@hotmail.com

With a distinguished and prolific career, Isabel Ruiz de Velasco has established herself as one of the most influential figures in contemporary Mexican art. Her work has transcended borders and disciplines, representing Mexico on major international stages.

Escaparate Arts Magazine speaks with an artist who doesn’t just paint—she transforms, connects, and inspires.

EAM: Ruzi, you have a career spanning more than 30 years in visual art. How has your artistic language evolved from your early works to the present day?

Ruzi: My artistic language has evolved deeply and organically over more than 30 years of work. In the beginning, I explored techniques and emotions; over time, I developed a personal style—recognizable for its originality, technique, and composition. What has changed most is the intention: my work has shifted from a personal search to a clear message about human diversity, peace, and the conscious use of technology. This transformation has been natural, the result of both artistic and spiritual growth. Today, I work with large formats, mixed media, and an intentional color palette, as seen in my New Civilization series. I no longer paint only for form, but to inspire reflection and real connection. That awareness is, without a doubt, the greatest evolution in my art.

EAM: You’ve worked as a painter, muralist, restorer, and animation producer. How do you manage to balance and connect so many disciplines within your artistic practice?

Ruzi: Balancing so many disciplines has been a journey of dedication, discipline, and passion. As a woman, mother, and wife, I’ve learned to organize my time with commitment while maintaining a 30+ year career as a painter, muralist, restorer, and animation producer.

Each field has enriched me: restoration taught me precision and respect for history; muralism gave me a sense of collective and symbolic consciousness; animation brought visual storytelling and teamwork—collaborating with Pixar and Disney was an incredible experience—and painting, my core, grounded my technique and personal style.

Today, everything is integrated into a single artistic practice. These are not isolated paths, but layers that build a solid and profound vision.

EAM: With more than 200 group exhibitions and 20 solo shows in prestigious museums, was there one that marked a turning point in your career?

Ruzi: Yes, definitely—my solo exhibition at the Museo de la Mujer, inaugurated on International Women’s Day. Over the course of a month, 1,742 people attended. I presented 88 pieces from my New Civilization collection.

EAM: You’ve received over 150 awards, including an honorary doctorate from UNAM. What do these kinds of distinctions mean to you personally and professionally?

Ruzi: It has been a deeply meaningful honor. I don’t create art to win awards—I do it to leave a mark. These recognitions affirm that the journey, with all its light and shadow, has been worthwhile. Personally, I share them with my family and everyone who has believed in me. They remind me that authenticity and perseverance endure. Professionally, they strengthen my commitment to the quality and message of my work: respect for diversity, authentic communication, and art as a tool for transformation. The honorary doctorate from UNAM was especially emotional—a recognition not only of my work, but of my voice as a woman, a Mexican, and a creator. It drives me to keep contributing through beauty, truth, and a desire for a more humane world.

EAM: You are currently presenting your New Civilization collection at the Museo de la Mujer. What message does this new phase of your work aim to convey?

Ruzi: New Civilization is a collection that envisions a more humane and conscious future, where technology, peace, diversity, and life coexist in harmony. Through symbolic figures, animals, and plants, I propose a vision of hope and balance. This phase of my work reflects an evolution toward a cleaner, deeper language.

EAM: You’ve represented Mexico in countries as diverse as Lithuania, India, and the Arab world. How is Mexican art received in such different cultural contexts?

Ruzi: I’ve seen firsthand how Mexican art creates a strong emotional connection, even beyond cultural or language barriers. Our symbolic richness, vibrant colors, and deep roots touch something universal. When I present my work abroad, I feel like I carry a living story of identity and transformation. As a Mexican woman with a distinctive style, the reception has been even more meaningful. My work is not folkloric, but it is deeply expressive of the Mexican spirit: the land, the human, the struggle, and the hope—and that’s appreciated all over the world. These intercultural experiences have also made me more aware of art’s power as a bridge: a space for dialogue, understanding, and peace.

EAM: You are deeply committed to social, educational, and ecological causes. From your perspective, what role does art play in social transformation?

Ruzi: For me, art is not just a form of expression—it’s a powerful tool for social transformation. From the start of my career, I’ve been convinced that art can awaken consciousness, pose difficult questions, and inspire new paths. It’s not only about aesthetics—it’s about message, stance, and action. My commitment to social, educational, and ecological causes comes from a deep need to contribute something that goes beyond the visual. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with communities, youth, and women, and I’ve seen how a piece of art can heal, awaken dignity, create identity, and give voice to the voiceless.

EAM: You were named Ambassador of the Golden Eagle and have worked on endangered species protection. What led you to become involved in environmental causes?

Ruzi: Being named Ambassador of the Golden Eagle was a profound honor, because it goes beyond a national symbol—it represents the sacred, the ancestral, and the living. For years, I’ve felt a strong connection to nature and a responsibility to act in the face of its deterioration. Art opened my eyes to the value of life and gave me a voice to raise awareness. My environmental involvement comes from love and urgency. Seeing species like the Golden Eagle at risk, I realized I had to use my platform to provoke reflection and action. The Golden Eagle, with its strength and symbolism, reminds us of what we can become if we reconnect with what truly matters. Protecting it also means protecting our humanity.

EAM: Your work appeared in the Netflix series Made in Mexico and you’ve collaborated with major brands like Kellogg, Bimbo, and Procter & Gamble. What are the challenges and rewards of linking art with industry?

Ruzi: One of the biggest challenges has been maintaining the integrity of my artistic language without giving in to commercial pressures. For me, it’s essential that each collaboration respects my style and vision. It’s not about adapting art to a brand, but about building a bridge where both sides grow authentically. The greatest reward is seeing how art can live beyond traditional spaces like museums or galleries. When it appears in an international series or on everyday products, it allows the message to go further, to reach people who may never have encountered contemporary art before.

EAM: You’ve worked with the UN, NASA, and UNESCO, and participated in global campaigns. What have these international collaborations taught you?

Ruzi: They’ve been deeply enriching. These experiences have allowed me to connect art with science, education, and human rights—showing that art is a universal language capable of raising awareness and connecting cultures. With the UN, I’ve participated in peace and sustainable development campaigns; with NASA, in projects that translate cosmic wonder into inspiring images; and with UNESCO, in initiatives that promote cultural diversity and access to art.

Ruzi’s work is a testament to sensitivity, strength, and commitment. Her ability to build bridges between art and social action has positioned her as a vital and necessary voice in today’s cultural landscape. In a world that demands empathy and transformation, artists like Isabel Ruiz de Velasco remind us that art is not only expression—it is also a tool, a memory, and a source of hope. From her New Civilization collection to her role as an ambassador for global causes, Ruzi continues to build a legacy that extends far beyond the canvas.

The New  CIvilization  / Copyright Isabel Ruiz de Velasco.

"Art is my visual voice, through which I contribute to social causes and the protection of endangered species."

Isabel Ruiz de Velasco

Geometry of the Collective Soul

In her most recent series titled “The New Civilization”, Mexican artist Isabel Ruiz de Velasco presents a profoundly original visual proposal that stands as a plastic testimony to contemporary times. Through stylized figures, faceless forms, and compositions dominated by warm, contrasting geometric patterns, Ruiz de Velasco reinterprets the concept of civilization from a symbolic, introspective, and universal perspective.

Ruiz de Velasco’s work is distinguished by its unique visual language, where the human dissolves into the abstract without losing its spiritual essence. The silhouettes that populate her compositions do not represent individuals, but rather collective entities that embody a plural, timeless identity. Instead of focusing on traditional portraiture or linear narratives, the artist proposes a new iconography: faceless beings dressed in textures that evoke culture, history, and transformation.

This approach is strikingly original, moving away from literal representation and leading us to a more symbolic plane—where each figure could be anyone, or everyone, at once.

Visually, the series captivates with its refined technical execution. Isabel Ruiz de Velasco masterfully combines acrylics with visual patterns that resemble carved wood or ancient textiles. The color palette—rich in deep blacks, golden ochres, and luminous whites—gives each piece an atmosphere of depth and serenity.

Her ability to integrate the geometric with the organic reveals meticulous craftsmanship, where each shape seems to flow in a silent dance. The textures evoke both the handmade and the digital, creating a bridge between past and future.

“The New Civilization” is more than a collection of works; it is a hopeful and critical reflection on collective destiny. In a world shaped by individualism and fragmentation, the artist proposes a new vision: a society that is connected, diverse, and spiritually united. The absence of faces is not an omission—it is an invitation to look beyond appearances, toward a more essential humanity.

The work also suggests the idea of rebirth: a civilization that, from abstraction, is refounded with new values, where the sacred resides not in the figure, but in the bond.

The viewer is confronted with a hypnotic visual language. The figures seem to emerge from the canvas like silent presences that, without speaking a word, say everything. There is a contained tension between the static and the dynamic that creates an immersive, almost ritualistic experience. Ruiz de Velasco achieves what few contemporary artists can: creating images that imprint themselves on emotional memory. Her work is not only to be observed—it is to be felt.

With “The New Civilization,” Isabel Ruiz de Velasco invites us to imagine a new world through art, form, and collective spirit. Her work is, without a doubt, a valuable contribution to the Latin American contemporary art scene and a powerful call to reconnect with what truly matters.