Mariaelena Roqué

Birthplace

Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain

Biography

Catalan-Venezuelan performer, filmmaker, fashion designer. When she was one year old, she emigrated from Tarragona to Caracas with her parents. She grew up in Venezuela, spending several periods in Tarragona to meet her family and become familiar with the Catalan language and culture. She studied dance and psychology at the Andrés Bello Catholic University. Later, she lived for a few years in the Philippines, where she had family roots. She has worked in performance art, dance, photography, and experimental film. Around 1982 she settled in Catalonia and came into contact with Catalan conceptual artists such as the members of Grup de Treball. In 1995 she co-founded the Carles Santos Company, where she created set designs and costumes. She was the musician's partner, collaborator, and companion for over twenty years, working on the visual aspects of operas and shows, with performance art and joint actions.