Silvia Araya | |
|---|---|
 circa 1973 | |
| Born | Silvia Victoria Araya González 6 May 1930 |
| Died | 18 August 2021 (aged 91) |
| Other names | Silvia Araya González |
| Occupation(s) | painter, art instructor, politician |
Silvia Araya OQ (6 May 1930 – 18 August 2021) was a Chilean-born Canadian painter and art instructor. After founding the Chilean-Indian Institute of Culture, she joined the "Grupo Ancoa" and was a co-founder of the Museum of Art and Artisans of Linares, where she has sculptures and paintings in the permanent collection. In the 1970s, she became involved in politics and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1973, representing the then Province of Coquimbo. After the coup d'état, she was imprisoned in the infamous Valparaíso prison, before being exiled to Canada in 1977. Locating in Quebec City, Araya established the Académie des beaux-arts Silvia Araya and taught for twenty-five years. She was honored as a knight of the National Order of Quebec in 2008 for her cultural contributions to the province.