Born 1957 in Guaimaro, Cuba—died 1996 in Miami, USA. Gonzalez-Torres moved to New York City in 1979 where he attended the Whitney Independent Study Program in 1981 and 1983, and received his Masters in Fine Art from the International Center of Photography and New York University in 1987. Although his career as an artist was short-lived until his death from AIDS-related causes in 1996, he has been highly regarded by his contemporaries even after his death, including being chosen to represent the United States posthumously at the Venice Biennale in 2007. Separate from his own activities as an artist, he was an active member of the collective Group Material from 1987–1994.