Maria Bethania López
- Jan 26
- 3 min read
Maria Bethania López is a Venezuelan visual artist based in Mexico City who works with photography and print. She begins with images of buildings and reduces them to a few clear shapes and lines. Colour is an important part of how she works, and she spends time trying out different combinations before settling on the final image. The finished pieces are produced as numbered prints, presenting architecture in a clean, graphic form.
Q: You start each piece with a photograph of a building. What draws you to a particular structure before you begin working?
A: I have always been drawn to architecture. When I look at a building, I don’t just see its structure; I think about all the stories that happen inside it. What inspires me to create a piece is the beauty of the architecture itself. In classical buildings, I find fascination in their history, the years they have witnessed and endured. And in modern architecture, what captivates me is the technology and the innovation behind the process of actually bringing these designs to life.
Q: Your process turns architecture into graphic forms. How do you decide which details stay and which ones disappear?
A: Architecture is very interesting to me because it is where artistic vision and scientific precision coexist. This fusion often results in unique details that give each building its own personality. In my work, I aim to highlight those elements that often go unnoticed in the rush of everyday life — I believe these details deserve to be seen.
Q: What do you look for when reinterpreting a building into a two-dimensional composition?
A: I am a graphic designer, and my work is rooted in translating ideas into two-dimensional forms. Through my pieces, I want to offer a new perspective on structures we see in our day-to-day lives. Architecture already demands an immense amount of creativity to exist, and in my work I enjoy reimagining the possibilities within each structure. By doing so, I hope to invite viewers to see the creativity embedded in what often feels familiar or overlooked.
Q: You move between photography, digital editing, and printmaking. How do these steps influence each other while you work?
A: Each step in my process is closely interconnected, as all of them are essential for the final piece to come together. It begins with an in-person experience of the building — observing its structure, understanding the space, and capturing it through photography. The work then moves into the digital space, where retouching begins and each image presents its own challenges: refining details, aligning elements such as windows, and removing visual distractions. Once these adjustments are resolved, the process shifts to selecting the colors that will bring life and character to each piece. Together, these steps and decisions shape the final printed work.
Q: Your prints offer an abstracted view of familiar places. What part of that transformation feels the most unpredictable for you?
A: What may feel most unpredictable in my work is the use of color. Reimagining the color palette of a building invites the possibility of seeing it as something entirely new. Exploring different orientations adds another layer of surprise — one of the things I enjoy most about working in 2D is how easily it lets me visualize ideas that would be difficult, or even impossible, to create in reality.
Q: Living and working in Mexico City, how does the urban environment shape what you choose to photograph and develop into new pieces?
A: Certainly, Mexico City is a constant source of inspiration. Color lives in every corner, and unexpected moments happen every minute. Its streets bring together many different architectural styles, all coexisting side by side, creating a scene that naturally fuels any creative mind. I believe every city has its own defining color palette, and Mexico City’s is especially rich.
