Tamayo Ospina Hector Jairo

Hector Jairo Tamayo was born in Medellin on September 24, 1960. He has suffered from tetraplegia since 1978. Following an accident, his 5th cervical vertebra was dislocated, and he is paralysed on arms and legs. He attended primary school for 5 years and secondary school for 3 years. In 1982, 4 years after his accident, he taught himself to draw with his mouth. Between 1983 and 1985, he took a weekly art lesson with the Association of the friends of the physically handicapped for a period of 10 months. The artist, who names chess when asked about his favourite pastime, participated in exhibitions in Medellin in 1983 and 1985.