Marija Ujević-Galetović was born on October 20, 1933 in Zagreb, where she completed her elementary and secondary education. In 1953 she enrolled at the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts – Department of Sculpture; where she graduated in 1958 in the class of Professor Fran Kršinić. After her studies she specialized at the Central School of Art in London and on several occasions she went on educational trips (Italy, England, France).
She has been working at the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts since 1987, progressing from an assistant professor to the status of full professor in 1995. Since 1998 she has been a full member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts where she was an associate member from 1990.
She started her exhibitions in 1960 and has since presented her works at numerous solo and group performances. She was especially noted for her sculptural works in open space – city streets and squares (monuments to August Šenoa in Zagreb, Miroslav Krleža in Osijek, Jakov Gotovac in Osor, Frano Petrić in Cres, Petar Krešimir in Šibenik, Ivan Pavao II in Dubrovnik), parks and yards (sculptures Runner on the Sava embankment in Zagreb, Cat-woman along the Lauba Gallery, monument to Juraj Križanić at Kaptol in Zagreb) – and within architectural units – in the churches (the patron of St. Paul’s Church in Zagreb, sculpture of the Ascension in St. Nicholas church in Rijeka) and passages (monument to Vlaho Paljetko).
She has received many awards for her monumental work and significant national and international awards, among which are: 1st prize at the International Telecommunication Monument Competition in Geneva 1965, 1st award at the August Cesarac Memorial Monument in Zagreb 1973, 1st prize for the monument to Jovan Steria Popović in Novi Sad in 1981, Performance Award for the monument to Miroslav Krleža at the Zagreb Salon 1982, Award at the Triennial of Croatian Sculpture in Zagreb 1986, Award for the monument to August Šenoa in Zagreb 1987, Award of the City of Zagreb 1989, Award of the Zagreb Salon 1990.

Her works can be found in the collections of Zagreb’s institutions: the Modern Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Lauba – House for People and Art; also in Alfred Brogyany’s private collections in Vienna and Ned Young in New York. As part of the recent and current production of Marija Ujević-Galetović, the placement of a monument to Juraj Križanić in Moscow and the realization of bronze doors at the Cathedral in Požega are expected to be realized soon.