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BENJAMÍN VILLEGAS JIMÉNEZ, Bogotá, 1948.

Bachelor of Gimnasio Moderno, 1965. Student ambassador of Colombia in the United States by national competition, 1966. Architect of the Universidad de los Andes, 1970, scholarship for academic computation throughout his career. Designer and editor of Lamp Magazine and Presencia Magazine and professor of Layout and Graphic Design at the University of Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano during his time as a university student, 1966-1971. Honorary Degree in Graphic Design from the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University of Bogotá, 1972.

Director of Villegas & Asociados, a creative company in graphic and architectural design, book and magazine publishing, advertising, film and television between 1973 and 1985. During this period he was director of two journalistic programs on television –La Mansarda and Special Edition–, 1979 -1982, producer of two documentaries –El mundo florece en Colombia and Acrobacia China–, 1973 and 1981, and designer and editor of his first 30 large-format illustrated books.

President and editor of Villegas Editores since its foundation in 1986 to date, where he has created, developed, designed and edited around 300 large-format, high-quality illustrated books on different topics of Colombian culture (Art, Archeology, Crafts, Architecture, Design , Photography, Country, Cities, History, Bibliographic heritage, Nature, Cooking, Sports, etc.)

With his daughter María, he has published more than 40 first editions of books for the children and youth sector, and has published more than 100 first editions of books of general interest by mainly young Colombian authors (Essay, Philosophy, History, Biography, Historical Novel, Novel, Story, Poetry, Scientific Dissemination, Economy, Memoirs, Aphorisms, etc.). He has received more than 200 international and more than 20 national awards for the quality of his books.

He has been decorated by President Iván Duque Márquez with the Cross of Boyacá in the rank of knight, for his cultural work with his books about Colombia for 50 years, by the Mayor of Bogotá, Julio César Sánchez for his books about the city, by the Bogotá Improvement and Ornament Society with the Jimenez de Quesada Award for his civic services and books about the city of Bogotá, by the Colombian Book Chamber with the Silver Book for his life and editorial work, by Proyecto Diseño magazine with the Steel Pencil in the Life and Work category, by the Simón Bolívar University of Barranquilla with the Benemérito Businessman recognition, by the National Army of Colombia with the Faith in the Cause medal, by the Colombian Air Force with the Marco Fidel Suárez medal , by the Municipality of Anapoima in recognition of his civic work; among other recognitions.

He has represented Colombia in more than 40 international book fairs and has been a lecturer on design and publishing topics at different universities in Colombia and abroad. Lives and works in Bogotá.