Born in Paris to Venezuelan parents, Marisol Escobar studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Art Students League of New York. She became a prominent figure in the New York City art scene during the 1960s, gaining international recognition for her distinctive sculptural style that challenged the boundaries between painting and sculpture.

Her signature works are characterized by the use of wooden blocks as structural bases, which she adorned with carved facial features, plaster casts, and various found materials such as clothing, glass, and metal. These assemblages often depicted groups of people or iconic cultural figures, rendered with a blend of humor and social commentary.

Following a period of relative obscurity, her legacy was reaffirmed in the 21st century through major institutional retrospectives. Her estate, bequeathed to the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, has served as a primary source for comprehensive exhibitions that have toured across North America, re-evaluating her contribution to mid-century modernism.