Carmen Herrera, A painter Ahead of All Times
Can you wait until you are 89 years old to sell your first painting? And to gain recognition until you are 101? Carmen Herrera not only waited that long but when asked who her all-time favorite artist is, she pondered on the question and proudly answered: “Carmen Herrera. Yes, Carmen Herrera is my favorite”. Courage and self-confidence are evident in [...]
Henry Taylor, A Real Moment
Art should not be racist, classist, transient. That’s what I thought when I looked at the paintings of the American artist Henry Taylor. Some people say that black art is having its moment, finally; others insist that the rising presence of black artists began a decade ago. Whatever the case, artists should have their moments and we, as the viewer, [...]
Balance in Times of Crisis
His work clearly calls attention, but more so it creates tension. Colombian artist Jose Olano uses everyday life spaces in the way a painter uses their canvas to make art with whatever objects he finds. He either sings to equilibrium or screams to instability. By Jairo Dueñas “Balance in Times of Crisis”. Video performance of the artist siting on an [...]
The Art of Memory
Memories are fleeting, they change over time. Sometimes they are unreliable, often they form part of what we call history. The notion of memory as something ephemeral which can be constantly influenced, reshaped and redefined by circumstances is the subject of Nigerian artist Victor Ekpuk’s artwork titled “Meditation on Memory”. Born a few years before the civil war between [...]
Cities or puffs of smoke
Just by looking at her paintings, you’d know who Ana Maria Velasquez is… A woman who cannot help being sensitive and meticulous. According to her, three words define her: paper, scissors and receipts. Her hands work with the same materials that she uses and discards in her travels and at home in Colombia. By Jairo Dueñas Those big birds on [...]
Don’t Ever Give Up Beauty
“History Keeps Me Awake at Night”, David Wojnarowicz’s large and impressive retrospective exhibition evokes strong feelings of injustice, rage and beauty. It also brings sadness, for it reminds us of a desperate time in American history when AIDS took the lives of friends, lovers, strangers. Wojnarowicz lived a short life. He had a difficult childhood in New Jersey that included [...]