Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
Yoryi Morel. Was born in Santiago de los Caballeros in studies academy, becoming at the same time a professor
at the Secondary School and the School of Arts and
1906. Sin his early years showed strong vocation for music Professions. From these institutions, he gives an im-
and painting. At the age of 9, in a hut on his family house pulse to the local artistic pictorial tradition.
backyard he called «The good fortune,» he created a hand
made magazine containing his own little drawings. In «The Sánchez Street Houses,» no date. Small format
1922, he was 16 years old, painted «The Carpenter» one of painting accredited to «The Lion» as the bachelors used
his firsts oil painting. In 1923 starts «Self-portrait» a mixed to call the renowned professor who, at the times, stab-
media drawing completed by 1927, same year of his first lished strong links with Yoryi Morel. Most probably Bau-
«Don Toñe,» a portrait of a well-known homeless person. tista breed into Yoryi the experience of outdoors paint-
It is shown on the First National Fair of Agriculture, Farm- ing. It is accepted that both artists even painted same
ing, Industry and Art, held in Yaque city. Since he refused themes, as in the case os this piece, «The Sánchez Street
to pursue university studies, his mother give him her own Houses,» very similar in composition, colours and lu-
bedchamber, transform in an Atelier, so he can multiply minous palette. In the forefront, the yellowish ground
his pictorial production. In the early 1930’s he is discover street; in the background, the partial representation of
by a journalist from Santo Domingo. By Octuber, 1932, two shacks, zinc pitched roofs, different on angle and
already enjoys his first individual exhibition at «Nosotras size. The biggest one, in masonry and three green doors;
Club,» introduced by the poet Tomás Hernández Franco, Also green is the wooden house with two open doors,
who stated: «Yoryi is not a promise. Yoryi is a painter who con- eaves and air vents. This was the cabin where Yoryi had
firms whatever implies that word of categorical and high». his pictorial atelier.
«Self-portrait» 1923-1927. The charcoal drawing defines Despite the paintings similarities, even if both were
the painter’s outline at his 17 years old. The youthful crowned by tree foliages and is visible the triangle of a
face, looking straightforward to us, still affable. The beret third house roof; both pictures differ on the signature.
defines the the artist’s time, his body tilted, carry in a One is signed by Yoryi with no date of production. The
helmet and sword fashion, a huge palette and a large pen- other one has no signature nor date. Master Gómez, of-
cil. A frame at his back. Lights and shadows in watered ten omitted to sign his pieces.
sepia, seems to justify two different times of realization
as the years mark show, as well as the two different signa- Celeste Woss y Gil. native from the capital city, Santo
tures in italic: J.O. Morel and Yoryi. Morel. «Self-portrait
2,» no date. Oil painting. The painter’s image youthful as Domingo, was born in 1890. She was the daughter of
well, may be in his 20’s. A juicy palette in a wide tonal a cultured man, enthusiastic for the arts and former
range of shades. The artist express what we might call as President of the Republic who, in 1903, leave to the ex-
a reiterative self-perceptive stance. ile in France with his wife and three children. They live
in Paris for nine years. The Woss y Gil family transfer
Juan Bautista Gómez. Was born in Santiago de los to Santiago de Cuba, allowed the two daughters, Ana
María and Celeste, get into the city’s Academy of Paint-
Caballeros in 1870. Drawer, sculptor, photographer ing. Celeste Woss y Gill travels to New York to broaden
and painter; in his youth execute the Evangelist medal- her formation at The National Academy and The Art
lions for his native city Church. Then he left for Puerto Students League in 1922-1924. Then, goes back to her
Rico and later on travels to Paris where he is appointed native city, and opens an Art Atelier. There, she exhibits
as a Consul. Back to Santiago, he establishes an artistic her paintings and starts her work as an art teacher. She
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Danilo De los Santos
was the first woman with an strong pictorial personality 1940 DECADE: NATIVES
and a very influential exercise as a long time educator. SIGNS/FOREIGNERS REFLECTIONS
Her name shines among the greatest Dominican artists.
Since 1939, different waves of European fugitives es-
«Woman Portrait,» 1936. Catalogued under the title caping war and political persecution from the Spaniard
«Woman Portrait,» the author doesn’t focus on her mod- general Francisco Franco and the German fuhrer Adolfo
el’s face. Instead, from the facial features or the bulky hair- Hitler; disembarked on the country.
style and its blond bangs, proposes a composition nearly
dividing the painting into two invisible rectangles. The Educators, writers, foundry workers, journalists, in-
chiaroscuro background exalts the female half-length body, dustrial experts, theatre-workers and visual artists were
exposed in three corporeal zones: head, neck and thorax, taken in with their families as refugees by the Dominican
in which an extended chest spot reveals a smooth, great State and well-known citizens with a benefactor mind-
tonality skin, as luminous as her wardrobe, consisting just set. Around 1939-1940 arrived in Dominican Republic,
in a wide, falling double collar. It is indeed, a portrait of a among many others, the drawer and sculptor Manolo
lyric psychological appeal, a barely allowing the perception Pascual; the painters George Hausdorf, José Gausachs,
of its handling of symmetry and the opposed. José Vela Zanetti and the infant Antonio Prats-Ventós,
who will be artistically educated in Dominican land.
Abelardo Piñeyro. (1862-1957). A self-educated artist
The presence of Spaniard and German Jewish people
and a pharmacist, well-known on his hometown, Santo will socially broaden the various local activities spectrum.
Domingo. His first showing was as part of a 1898 group Native signs blend with the refugees reflections, specially
exhibition, presenting a bust portrait. In 1934 takes part in arts and cultural criticism fields. At that time was also
on the Cultural Association Amantes de la Luz, from San- relevant the presence of Rafael Diaz Niese, a Dominican
tiago de los Caballeros achieving an Honorary Mention. aesthetic craftsman and a polyglot well informed about
His background as a pharmacist allowed him to produce the modern avant-garde European trends.
the colours he will use on his diverse themes paintings,
specially for still lives, landscapes and portraits. Often, In 1939, several immigrant artists have their individ-
he was seen carrying his artistic equipments and paint on ual showings at the capital city. Then, in 1940, a collective
the street sideways and parks. At the opening of the first exhibition at Fine Arts, portraits pieces of 10 European
Modern Art Hall at the National Museum, during the artists and 6 Dominicans. This was the first time a collec-
1930 decade, one of his masterpieces was included. He tive discourse of such a character was brought together
is also part of the main national exhibitions from 1940- to the public attention, including drawings, sculptures
1945. In 1943 he shows a retrospective exhibition at the and paintings. That allowed to see the diverse ways of
Fine Arts National Gallery, as he was considered already looking at reality among the foreigners artistic views and
the dean of all the dominican painters, due to his long the local artists grabber look. The expressive signs of the
and productive history as well as his longevity. natives, versus the reflections expressed by the foreigners,
allows to see the different technical and thematic ways of
«Still life,» oil/cardboard, 31x51 cm., no date. On a doing. In the other hand, the discovering of the quotid-
rectangular table, a great pineapple and seven mangoes ian insularity, both in landscape and racial, pertains to
are shown orderly. The illumination on the table and both groups.
the fruits, creates an interesting contrast with the grey-
ish background. The art pieces owned by the Grupo Popular, dated
from 1940’s decade show coincidences, divergences and
personal perspectives of the following artists: George
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
Hausdorf, José Gausachs, Manolo Pascual, José Vela Za- charcoal, water-colour/paper, n.s, 17x20 cm., Nine captures
netti, Celeste Woss y Gil, Gilberto Hernández Ortega, determine the loose composition of same number of
Yoryi Morel. gentlemen gathered on a hearing. The charcoal defines
the faces and the watercolour underline and dissolve at
George Hausdorf. (Breslau, 1894/Nueva York, 1959) once the physiognomy of the half bodies featured at dif-
ferent scales. It is well-known the artist’s ability to carry
He is an artist of a Jewish origin, already a veteran when out group portraits in private meetings. The nine faces
he arrived as refugee; becoming the pioneer in founding are proof of his outlining skills.
a private artistic academy in Santo Domingo, in 1939.
This very same year had his first individual exhibition José Gausachs. (Sarriá, Barcelona, 1889/Santo Domin-
and became one of the founder professors of the Fine
Arts National School (ENBA). For almost 10 years he go, 1959). He is «the most experienced and educated painter
lived in the country, traveling through it different re- arrived to Dominican Republic among the political exiles that
gions, understanding the vernacular customs, growing as took part on the Spanish civil war,» as María Ugarte wrote.
a drawer, engraving expert, painter and influential mas- He left behind his experience as a Master at Barcelona’s
ter. He had several individual exhibitions, was a relevant Fine Arts, his individual exhibitions, his name listed on
name on various collectives and was awarded several priz- Encyclopaedias and masterpieces hanging on various Eu-
es on Biennials. Among the Banco Popular Dominicano’s ropean museums collections. Also, his Parisian atelier in
art treasures, 4 of his art pieces can be found. Montparnasse, where he hobnobs with Modigliani, Pica-
sso, Chirico, Apolinaire and Bretón, among others. His
«Seascape,» oil/canvas, 8x60 cm., 1940. Nearly square first artistic record in Dominican Republic date back to
shaped, the composition features a coastal landscape with 1941, starting point of a new pictorial militancy with an
a high coconut grove and foliages on a symmetry that influential teaching activity at the Fine Arts Nacional
establishes a three bands cutting off the sea waves. The School since its opening in 1942.
horizon appears extremely blue as a borderline between
the sea water and a wide open sky with moving clouds of «Composition,» n.s., charcoal/pencil and water-colour/
a tonal range that includes a luminous yellow. «Workers paper, 59x39 cm.The artist’s relationship with the Pari-
at the Harbour,» oil/canvas, 59x89.5 cm., 1940. On an asym- sian ismos and his instinct of do not become attached
metric, rectangular or oblong composition, four men ap- to them, allows him to create unique pieces with the
proach from the coastline where a solitary canoe lies. On technique and one or various means. His composition
one side, a group of buildings crowned by the foliage, is straightforward and avant-garde, so are the configur-
underlined by a port trail. On the opposite side, the sea ing transparent elements as the red fabric, the bull-
mix up with a wild open sky and a flock of seagulls. It is a head and a cartoonish human body. The pictorial re-
landscape in which the light reigns, whitish on the space sources are praiseworthy on the mixture and, although
and over the yellowish sandy soil. «The pedlar woman,» en- the piece may be categorized as a drawing, the fact of
graving/paper, 15x13 cm., no date. On an aged yellowish pa- been produced on paper, allows it to be a painting as
per a scene is captured, in which, a woman is portrayed well. «Composition 2,» n.s., charcoal, crayon and pencil/pa-
from the back standing next to a donkey. It is the creole per, 32x25 cm., The artist’s creative imagination allowed
vignette of a pedlar woman in the middle of the street. him to conceive a composition alien to a possible lin-
The backdrop is formed by traditional houses. The paint- guistic description; although some Dada and Surrealis-
ing is boxed by an edge and the artist’s signature. «Faces,» tic signs are still visible, specially on the accomplished
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Danilo De los Santos
lines and forms automatic calligraphy. «Profile,» mixed An sculptor with a great command of every material
media/paper, no date, 27x20 cm. A two planes composition to conceive his artwork, his arrival and residency in San-
shows a mosaic, reproducing a profile of a Greek-Ro- to Domingo allowed him to enrich his tridimensional
man remembrance; informally framed in blue, against a and pictorial work, as he captured mulatto typology and
watered sepia squared background in which some blue the tropical nature.
veins are visible. The drawing is pure and the chromatic
tones, warm. «Nudes of a Woman,» no date, charcoal/paper, «Nude,» oil/papier-mache, 22x28 cm., 1941. A different
76x59 cm. Sketched on steady and fast lines. The author version of this theme is known, executed on gouache and
is sharp and caustic while translating the features of a ink on paper, dated in 1946. The one on the bank col-
marginalized, angry, brown woman; looked at naked, lection captures the olive-skinned woman, also sounding
half-length. «Cottage,» watercolour/paper, 1948, 36x50 cm. out the horizon, sitting near a tableland, part of a grey-
A vision of an undefined habitat on a symmetrical com- ish blue sky. «Couple and a Horse,» water-colour/paper, lack-
position, presented on on scarce watercolour diluted ing measures, 1947. The theme reenact an antiquity idyllic
tones. At the centre, a creole house, side trees and a scene. From top of a huge mythological animal, a woman
fence allowing access to some of them. It is an essen- prone over a hieratic man wearing a long tunic. The man
tial nocturnal landscape. The coloured zones underline from the front, the woman from the back wearing a short
the atmosphere created by the greyish blue sky and the attire; long hair; both form a body in minority compared
brown, overshadowed by diverse stains, familiar to the with the resting beast’s bombast, whose profile is con-
expressionism’ silent fields. nected to four sharp bars. «Athlete,» ink and gouache/paper
12x7 cm., no date. A succinct and precise drawing focused
Manolo Pascual. (Bilbao, 1903/Nueva York, 1983). on a young athlete, on sports clothes showing an strong
physic in a frontal movement showing up his profile. The
Innate sculptor, at 16 years old was awarded the Hon- dark cadmium yellow pigment, gives total unity to the
our Medal from the San Francisco Academy in Madrid, piece. «Nude,» gouache and ink/paper, 21x29 cm., no date. The
where he studied until he received a scholarship to pursue artist was obviously attracted by the female model with
studies in Paris. There he stays for five years (1925.1930). mulatto features as the one portrayed here. Naked, she
Back in Spain, he competes for the Roma’s Great Prize is seated on a white fabric showing up her cinnamon de-
and receive a tuition to continue studies in Italy. There meanour as all her body’s skin. She, at the centre and re-
he has an individual exhibition. A Liberal and Repub- solved with a precise stroke, having as a scenery a daylight
lican, he get involved on the Spanish civil war and as a landscape of land, sea and sky, interpreted with defining
consequence, is forced to go into exile. In 1939 he arrives and sober spectrum.
in Santo Domingo as a political refugee. This very same
year he produces and individual drawings and paintings José Vela Zanetti. (Milagros, Burgos, 1913/1999). He
exhibition, having as a home and atelier, the setting of
the San Francisco ruins. Due to his reputation, he takes arrives to Dominican land with so many other exiles, run-
orders, participates on various national exhibitions and ning away from their home country civil war, in 1939. He
organizes several individual exhibitions. In 1942 he was came ready to work on anything. Registered as a painter at
appointed as the Principal of the Fine Arts National the time he opened up his first individual exhibition in the
School, position he kept until 1951, when he and his capital city in 1940. His pictorial knowledge was limited,
family moved to New York. almost like a self-educated painter, but he was embraced
specially by the modern architects, who discovered in him
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
the skills of a muralist they will use to make beautiful their Sellers» and becomes virtually an obligation to include
buildings. In 1941 he started his first mural in the Masonic her paintings on the firsts visual arts national exhibitions
Logia Cuna de America. In 1942 he was appointed profes- held between 1940 and 1942.
sor at the Fine Arts National School, working tireless as a
professor, drawer, mural and easel’s painter with an inter- «Male Nude,» oil/canvas, 112.5x78 cm., 1941. In 1943,
national projection, while holding his Dominican condi- Rafael Díaz Niese, wrote: «Celeste Woss y Gil re-engages in
tion as well as his Spaniard citizenship. He lives in Santo such a commanding way, that it proof to be hard to deny her the
Domingo until beginning of the 1950 decade, when he honour seat she deserves (…). «A magnificent talent, together
leaves to Mexico, travels back and forth to different coun- with her outstanding pictorial temperament and a spirited cour-
tries but returns often to Santo Domingo. In 1981, the age served by an impeccable technic; offers today an authentic
Modern Art Museum holds retrospective exhibition «Vela painting: beautiful nudes and vigorous portraits (…) In short:
Zanetti Dominican art works, 1939-1981,» organized by broad art in which the figures are treated as if they were huge
the José Caro Álvarez Foundation. pictorial blocs (…) it’s been always possible to notice on her works
the lion nail (…) on her canvas, she achieves an expression, a
«Lovers,»oil and ducco/papier-mache, 42x57 cm., 1947. tone, –allow me to shuffle the terms this way– so austere and
The painting focuses on a mulatto couple nested by the vigorous (…) very distinctly, a male nude, carry Renaissance’s
embrace, love and distress. They are seated on the yel- reminiscences of the upmost sober elegance. The modernity on
lowish soil mixed up with the horizon. These are two big the making does not affect at all the precision and juiciness of the
bodies. He is tilted with bare arms and feet costumes, his artwork. It is praiseworthy!».
head leaning. As for the woman, we hardly see her body,
although her face expresses the visibility of a lover who Gilberto Hernández Ortega. (Baní, 1924). He start-
hugs, kisses and gives comfort.
ed his artistic studies at the Celeste Woss y Gil’s Acad-
Celeste Woss y Gil. Around the time thousands of emy, then was transfered, with all his classmates, to the
Fine Arts National School. Graduated in 1945, holds his
Spaniards and Jewish political refugees arrived; the Woss first individual exhibition in 1946, at the time he replac-
y Gil Academy reached its 10 years of a refreshing teach- es the Spaniard surrealist Eugenio Fernandez Granell as
ing activity for the benefit of its young men and women the vignettist in «La Poesía Sorprendida» as well as in the
students. The Academy was enjoying a semi-official sup- identically called movement whose militants follow the
port, therefore was able to celebrate annual exhibitions motto: «Poetry with the Universal Mankind»
showing their students works, sometimes including the
professors’ art pieces. Doña Celeste, as she was called, The first individual showing by this artist from Bani
used to multiply herself as professor, as a declared militant was described by Franklin Mieses Burgo as follows: «At the
of the feminist movement, as a partner in a very singular Fine Arts National Gallery, during the first days of December,
marriage and, specially, as a woman artist immersed on 1946, our vignettist Gilberto Hernández Ortega had his showing.
cozy atelier. To her studio used to go regularly the nudes The critics spoke favorably of his qualities since he revealed, on
and portrait’s models who, at that time already enjoyed the magic sky of his paintings, a poetic reality of creativity and re-
certain stylistic and freed opulence, as well as the quo- fined tenderness, as well as a thorough knowledge and technic com-
tidian themes, exceptional on her productions. In 1939 mand, regarding naturally, the full confidence on his drawing and
she takes part on The Painting World Exhibition in New the rigorous color’s attribute. Gilberto Hernández Ortega is, un-
York, obtaining Honourable Medal for her piece «Plug doubtedly, a milestone among the most recent pictorial promotion
in the Dominican Republic and we foretell on him, for this and
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Danilo De los Santos
other reasons, also because we know him deep down,unsuspected DECADE OF 1950. PARADIGMATIC
conquests on the most mysterious horizons of his skills». AUTHORS AND WORKS
«Lovers,» oil/canvas, 84x69 cm., 1946. Painting exhib- Although it has been promoted as an outcome of the
ited at this artist’s first individual showing. Its theme is Trujillo’s «benefactor» politic, the national arts’ mill is
ann eloquent couple’s love relationship, against an imag- rising and unstoppable when the government actions on
inary landscape marked by certain surreal atmosphere: education, the institutional and promotion took place.
the arcade, the architecture, the cloth hanging and the While this politics are official, the essential causes are
shadows in parallel to the lovers robust bodies. defined by the managerial cultural vocation. In the main
cities, music and visual arts professors have been promot-
Yoryi Morel. With national and international recognition ing academies and orchestral groups; the literary intellec-
tuals have been gathering in clubs, holding conferences,
by the critics, in 1939 his painting «The Market,» acquired Juegos Florales and other types of activities. All this re-
by the Business Corporation from New York; is awarded veals the associative mentality in all aspects of the nation-
with the Bronze Medal at the Art National Exhibition in al life. The «Ateneism» promoted by Manuel de Js. Peña
the mentioned city. This year his painting «Dominican y Reynoso y Virgilio Díaz Ordoñez; the promotor femi-
Landscape» is shown at the Riverside Museum. In 1940 nism of Abigail Mejía Woss y Gil’s, among othe women,
Yoryi receives the Medal to Pro Art Merit from the Ateneo the recreational’s and the ladies’ clubs as it was the «Club
Amantes de la Luz and his paintings are exhibit on every Nosotras…» all these are part of the various undertaking
showing organized by the Dominican State. His Academy that first of all, gives rise to the urban culture since XIX
in Santiago gets official recognition. In 1947 he travels to century until the third, fourth and fifth decade of the
the United States as a State Department guest. In 1948 is XX, when the visual arts flowering expanded due to the
appointed as professor and a year later as deputy director of foreigner and national flow.
the Fine Arts National School, with residence at the capital
city, Santo Domingo, with his wife and children. Until 1950 we can talk of various artistic generations
converging from the precursor tradition to modernity
The Mexican critic, Ulises Monferrer, focus on the and local avant-garde, which, in literature represents the
artist in 1946: «Yoryi Morel is a master who dedicate his «postumistas,» «Los Nuevos,» los «Sorprendidos,» «The
devotion and talent to the task to affix into his canvas the 48’Generation» and the independent voices as autono-
Dominican landscapes light and their prodigious colour range. mous of the political refugees that endorse on a perma-
His people’s traditions find on his brushes an accurate ob- nent or transitional way, the insular realm. All them,
server and their human and political qualities uplifter.» leave an influential stamp on the native character. This
Dominican character can be measure on experienced art-
«Enramada,» oil/cardboard, 59x73 cm., 1948-1949. A ists like Colson, Morel and Suro, as well as the emerging
country scene brings together six peasants on a typical ones, lead by Gilberto Hernández Ortega and Antonio
cane and sticks brush shelter. An architecture and com- Prats-Ventós.
position of peasants and their women, rural accessories
and so on, fill the forefront. The spaced out shadow on An exhaustive look at the Banco Popular’s collec-
the ranch contrasts with the landscape luminosity, that tion, allows us to find paradigmatic works from seven
ranges from the nearest house through out the yellow- outstanding artists: Darío Suro, Jaime Colson, Yoryi
ish farm view until the rest of the dwellings, trees, blue Morel, Guillo Pérez, Gilberto Hernández Ortega, Eligio
mountains and the sky; cutting in as triangle the gabled Pichardo y Antonio Prats-Ventós.
roof where the celebration is a visual song from inland.
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
Darío Suro. (La Vega, 1917-1997). Studied in his native dominicanidad, his educational role at the Fine Arts
National School and the high esteem from art collec-
city with his uncle, the painter Enrique García Godoy. tors and government officials.
In 1936, he joints the literary movement «Los Nuevos».
In 1938 holds his first pictorial exhibition in the capital The master wasn’t able to live far from Yaque city,
city and, with Yoryi Morel, takes part in the showing His- from Sanchez Street and the family house, the neigh-
panic American Arts, at the Riverside Museum in New bourhood; bondages that determined his unconditional
York, 1939. His works are included on the Fine Arts First return, retaking his urban atelier, his academy in Calle
National Exhibition, in 1942, then at the First Biennial del Sol, near the Altagracia Church, across Columbus
in 1942 at the time he shows his second individual ex- Park. The public attention, the social demand for his
hibition. Between 1943-1947 he lives in Mexico where painting and the continued recognition, kept determin-
he strengthen and redirect his painting. Returns back to ing his life as a master being near those he cared for:
his country and shows at the capital city and La Vega. In his beloved Ilonka and their three children, Jorgito, Jano
1947 he is appointed as General Principal at Fine Arts and Ilonkita.
and take parts at the 1948 Biennial with a painting that
shows his approach to the expressionist realism, intuitive In 1950, Yoris’Academy hold its annual exhibition
at first, then marked by the social drama, death and the presided over by the Master Jaime Colson, Fine Arts Gen-
art changing attitude as in life. This is the signature of his eral Director. In 1952, Yoryi’s painting «The Fisher,» won
artistic discourse. the first prize at the VI Visual Arts Biennial Exhibition.
In 1955 he see himself in a position of having to work on
«Caribbean Mourners,» oil/canvas, 70x54.5 cm., 1952. the preparation of The Peace Fair, celebrating the 25TH
Part of a thematic series showed in Spain, it is referred anniversary of Trujillo’s Era. In 1956 he is one of the 14
to by the critic Fernando Gutierrez(1) as follows: «Mi first selected artists for the Fine Arts Palace opening showing.
encounter with Darío Suro’s painting was at the Biennial (…)
in Madrid. His «Piety» and his «Caribbean Mourners»were In 1957 his work is shown at the Aufant Gallery’s
the best contributions from Hispanic America to the Biennial. opening, taking part at Santiago’s Art Festival, official
Today, in Barcelona we have been able to meet the interest event organized for the joint opening of Municipality’s
for a deeper knowledge of his painting. His showing, where the Fine Arts Schools. In his book, «El arte de nuestro ti-
mourners’ theme shows up once again, gives us an accurate empo,» the critic Manuel Valldepérez affirm: «Yoryi Morel
measure of this painting interest so profoundly human and so gets into our landscape soul (…) he shows a positive creative
intensively dramatic. A naked and deep poetry dominates this strength (…) His interpretation of reality embraces both art’s
possessed plastic; possessed by a force almost violent on its dra- poles: humility and magnificence, and his colour is brilliant
ma, expressed in such simple way, nevertheless. It is a painting always entailing a suggestive sincerity where the painter’s objec-
on living flesh in which, colour seems to be dragged and racked tive capability exhausts itself».
in its most profound by a compelling and overwhelming sensibil-
ity». «The Infantona,» from 1952, was reproduced as a «Brunette Woman,» oil/canvas, 57x46 cm., 1959. An ide-
serigraphy many years later. alized vision of a brunette woman from Cibao, represent-
ing not only an ode to the Dominican negritude but a
highly demanded image from the audience.
Yoryi Morel. The master had troubles to adapt to the Guillo Pérez. He was born in San Victor, Moca
capital city he already conquered with his individual (1926). His parents decided to move to Santiago de los
exhibitions, his innovative paintings fully loaded of Caballeros, where he studies music, craft toys taught
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Danilo De los Santos
by his father, at the same time he attend public school, despite the mentioned links, becomes stylishly unspeak-
intermediate, secondary and handcraft’s. Here he re- able. In 1954 opens his third individual showing at the
ceives instruction from notorious masters as Juan Ba- Fine Arts Gallery critically approached with Jaime Col-
tista Gómez, Federico Izquierdo, Joaquín Priego and son with whom, conform that year the group «Los Cua-
Mario Villanueva. After his time at the Seminar, he tro,» including also José Gausachs and Clara Ledesma.
takes a decision to attend Yoryi’s Academy, getting cer- He achieve Painting First Prize at the 1950’s Biennial and
tificated in 1950. Yoryi’s influence leaves a footprint on Second Prizes at the 1958’s. At this point is a professor
his first paintings, underlined by his work as a professor at the Fine Arts National School and a well-known ex-
on his master’s academy. He is transfer to the capital ponent, nationally and internationally recognized by the
in 1954, to work on the projected Peace Fair. That al- critics. When he opened his exhibition in Caracas, Ven-
lows him to broaden his skills, now as a house painter, ezuela, the press writes about him: «In Gilberto Hernán-
helping the Spaniard poster-designer Luis Chavez, wise dez Ortega all tendencies seem to get mixed. No one, not even
on the tempera’s use, In search of artistic contacts, he he, is able to frame him on any specific school. Enemy of the
meets Eligio Pichardo, a painter who helps Guillo to «schools», he strives to make art of his own». («El Nacional,»
orientate himself on the new expressive search, both October 8th, 1951). The critic José Gómez-Sicre said: «He
linguistic and thematically, like the still life and the becomes an exponent of the Caribbean art; sensual, imagina-
marine landscape. In 1958, his oil painting «Offshore» tive, ferocious at times, always profoundly Baroque, trying to
receives a distinction at the IX National Biennial Exhi- transform an exuberant nature and an indomitable light into a
bition; same year he had his first individual with more plastic language which, in the same way of the accent we speak
simple focal treatments, really apart from his previous in our region, would become the common denominator of our
Santiago’s cycle, although the city’s education allow- geographical origin».
ance marks the emotional tapestry on his speech, now
opened to the future. «Woman on the Balcony,» oil/canvas, 73x57, 1955. The
painting instills a woman’s leisure or idle time. She is
«Santiago’s Main Church,» oil/canvas, 68x78 cm., 1951. depicted in an ambiguous physiognomy, magic, linguis-
Although the painting focus is the nineteenth century tically plural, but of a Caribbean condition, an inhabit-
Main Church credited to the empirical architect Onofre ant of the Antilles from her skin to her mulatto com-
de Lora; the outline of what is today considered a Main plexion, standing on a surreal atmosphere of a balcony,
Cathedral offers a privileged view of Santiago captured curtains and walls, her hands interlaced as a bunch of
from Nibaje site: the Yaque’s fluvial mirror, the urban fruits.
stretch shack and the Ocampo imposing its mountain
greatness before a cloudy sky. The pastel and loose chro- Jaime Colson. (Puerto Plata, 1901/Santo Domingo,
matic palette defines groves and foliages with the half-
tones of a painter that set himself free of all type of real- 1975). Been very young, he traveled to Spain to study
istic descriptions. at Barcelona’s Lonja’s School and the San Fernando
Academy in Madrid. His transfer to Paris was decisive:
Gilberto Hernández Ortega. Preceded by his indi- there he assumed Cubism, Surrealism and rummages
on the Classicist sources, drawing up his new-humanis-
viduals in 1946 and 1949 and his nexus with the Poesía- tic creed. In 1934 he moves to Mexico, at the Muralistic
Sorprendida movement, this drawer and painter grows on movement peak, showing individually in 1936 and ac-
during the 1950 decade as an unmistakable creator who, cepting the responsibility of teaching. Afterwards, he
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
traveled to Cuba, where he also taught and showed his Eligio Pichardo. (Salcedo, 1929/Santo Domingo,
work, then returned to his home country and hold an
individual exhibition in 1938. Disheartened by the me- 1984). He studied at the Fine Arts National School
diocre environment, he decided to returns to France with the founder masters Pascual, Lothar, Gausachs,
where his wife, the Japanese painter Toyo Yutaca Kari- Hausdorf, Woss y Gil y Vela Zanetti, graduating in
monio, lives. The Second World War forces the couple 1948. In 1951 while a drawing professor at the institu-
to transfer to Barcelona, where they work intensively tion, he wins the Nicaragua Prize at the Hispanic Amer-
and exhibit with success. In Barcelona he paints a mu- ican Biennial in Madrid. At this time, the Dominican
ral, a preamble of those he will render at Cala Murtra, State hires him to execute murals on various schools
on Mallorca Island. At the quite and solitary country with national history scenes and Cervante’s Quijote’s
residence property of Ignacio Rotgen, he painted reli- adventures as themes. He did these works from 1951-
gious scenes frescos. 1954. Then he received a scholarship from the Hispanic
Culture Institute, living in Spain until his return to his
Colson developed mural projects that shocked the home country. Then, he reassume his teaching, held in-
puritans. Same happened when he opened individual ex- dividual exhibitions and participate in several Biennial
hibitions in Barcelona. His themes showed a crude and editions, obtaining awards in 1958 and 1960. By this
ferocious sexuality, conditioned by the Freudian doc- time his stature was well known among the «Continen-
trines since 1920’ decade. In 1949 he returns to Paris, tal Masters,» title of a collective showing organized by
where postwar chaos was reigning and takes part on a col- the Puerto Rico’s Medical College. In 1961 he is hired
lective exhibition, at times when abstract art in New York to show his works in New York, attracting the main
was ousting Paris as the arts’ international centre. His New York’s media attention. His works get into vari-
encounter with the intellectual Rafael Diaz Niese encour- ous North American museums. In 1981 he returns to
aged him to return to Dominican soil in 1950, where he his country and celebrate an exhibition entitled «Geo-
is appointed as General Director at Fine Arts. Ideologi- graphical Reencounter.»
cal conflicts, the confrontation with the country’s real-
ity and the refugees artists, could not prevent his return «Marine Landscape Seen from a Cave,» oil/plywood,
to the new-humanistic discourse with an aesthetic cubist 34x62 cm., 1951. In a rectangular format, the painter of-
ground as well as the celebration of his individual exhibi- fers the contrasting vision of a blue marine landscape
tion at the Fine Arts Palace, in 1956. In 1957 he travels to composition seen from the frame of a cave, solved with
Haiti. His stay there for several months encouraged him a sober range of colours palette. «Two figures and jugs,»
to reconsider his known expressive language and to fill it oil/plywood, 64x44 cm., 1951. An expressionist script em-
up with a new-African ethnic content. phasized by the chromatic mass of two fleshy naked bod-
ies, intertwined on a ritual game in which, they raise
«Bon Jour M’sié Colson,» ink/paper, 25.5x64 cm., 1957. the jugs amid a dense atmosphere. «Mural Fragments,»
A drawing, part of the master’s Haitian series in which, oil/plywood, different measures, 1951. Five «fragments» or
cubistic concepts combine on a simultaneity conjugation paintings conceived for a decorative mural focused on
associated to a racial protocol defining the new-human- chromatically reach mythological scenes. Corporal vol-
istic concept. The little black girl pleasant lyricism, slen- umes in movement that, even characterized with cer-
der and carrying a written greeting sign hanging from tain originality interpretative, remain us the European
her raised hands, give dimension to the feminine subject baroque, gallant and courtier style. Also, the nexus with
over the marine landscape. some influential masters from the Fine Arts National
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Danilo De los Santos
School as Colson and Vela Zanetti. The paintings and CONFLUENCES AND SIGNS FROM
fragment titles refer to the thematic descriptions. The FOUR GENERATIONS, 1960-1968
execution corresponds to 1951: «Three figures and an Án-
gel,» three panels ensemble, 64x134 cm. «Ninfa,» fragment There are six painters associated with different gen-
erations: Yoryi Morel, with his first individual exhibition
60x64 cm. «Faunnus,» fragment 69x57 cm. in 1932; Gilberto Hernández Ortega, from the 1940’s
generation; Ada Balcácer, Guillo Pérez, Plutarco Andú-
Antonio Prats-Ventós. (Barcelona, 1925). He arrives jar, y Paul Giudicelli, who emerged during the 1950’s
decade, converged with Cándido Bidó, Leopoldo Pérez
to Dominican Republic with his mother, step father and (Lepe), José Rincón Mora y Ramón Oviedo, representa-
his younger brother, Ramón. After living for a while in tives of the1960’s generation.
Las Vegas en 1941, the family resolves to live in the capi-
tal city, in 1942, same year the Fine Arts National School The 1960’s period constitutes the scene for the dra-
was created. His parents travel to Mexico but he remains matic course of events involving the June 14th, 1959 mili-
here with his brother. He has been trained by his step tary invasion against Trujillo, the revolutionary groups in
father, Shum Vila, and takes part with an oil painting Constanza, Maimón y Estero Hondo; involving people
at the Fine Arts National Gallery Self-portraits Exhibi- who sacrificed their lives in the fighting, and the indis-
tion, in 1943. He was strongly leaning towards sculpture, criminate imprisonments carried out by a tyranny close
so he receive training with the woodworker Pascual Pala- to its end amid an international environment of Carib-
cios, Francisco Dorado and Manolo Pascual. By 1945, he bean tensions provoked by the triumph of the Cuban
carves any material support like stone and wood; achiev- revolution (1959). Its communist leaning harmed the
ing the second prize the following year at the III Visual U.S, geopolitical interests on their strategic zone, the one
Arts Biennial. (1946). that connect the Latin American mainland countries.
From México, passing by the Central American region
A group of 40 sculptures is shown at his first indi- throughout South America; Trujillo’s tentacles conspired
vidual exhibition, in 1947. He was awarded several times with repulsive outcomes like the attempt to kill President
in different National Biennials from 1948 through out Rómulo Betancourt, from Venezuela. This awful ac-
1956, been already a tridimensional art professor at tion provoked international diplomatic sanctions that
theFine Arts National School, institution in which he brought about the blockade of the Dominican economy
worked since 1951 until 1969. «Water Carrier,» relief I/ and the isolation of the country. In this context, dozens
of youngsters organized underground conspiratorial cells
centenarian mahogany 123x42 cm., 1952. «Water Carrier» re- to face the thirty years of authoritarianism, terror and
violence, by a regime that suppressed all would be or ac-
lief II/ centenarian mahogany 123x35 cm., 1952. tual suspect. Their actions, inspired by the patriots who
Both reliefs on carved mahogany are thematically invaded the country in June 14th, 1959, were discovered,
and the prisons were filled up with conspirators. This
connected since they focus into two women carrying men and women in the prime of their young lives were
water jars, semi-naked, with tight-fitting shirttails that cruelly tortured, many of them to the death. Vicious as-
allow to appreciate their toned bodies. Each of them sassinations, like the one of the Mirabal sisters and their
next to a foliage above her hight. Despite the difference: driver Rufino Martínez, increased the social trauma and
one in a walking pose, in a side view, holding the pan inspired, within the government, a group of civilians and
with raised arms: the other one, in a static and frontal
pose, carrying the pan on her shoulder. The similarities
give a character of a sculpture’s diptych made on the
same date.
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
military who planned and executed the tyrant’s assassina- author of paintings, generally showcasing at commercial
tion of May 30th, 1961. galleries. At the time the tyrannicide takes place, in 1961,
he lives in New York City.
After Trujillos death, the killings continued under
his heirs and servile executioners, increasing the impris- «Landscape (waterfall),» oil/canvas 65.5x96 cm., 1962. A
onment, blood and persecution, but also the anti-trujillis- painting produced with academic accuracy, with soft colours
mo social resistance, pouring out into all the main cities’ palette, transcribing a naturalist vision of a grove with a
streets. The familiar elites assumed a historical political creek forming a slight waterfall at a crag and stones barrier.
leadership that forced the change from authoritarianism The light emphasizes the landscape intimate accent.
to a democratic trial. In such circumstances, the artistic
disciplines behaved in diverse ways: Yoryi Morel. With more than three decades confirmed
a. The arts undergo a productive transit in 1960-1961 as a great painter of a national, modern stature; top
in which, well-known and emerging masters, represent of the line on the scholar standard in Santiago de los
the consolidated path of the national visual creation. Caballeros region; the critic Manuel Valldeperes stated
about him in 1963: «To say that Yoryi Morel is a distinct
b. Artists who witness the drama the country’s capital Dominican painter doesn’t disclose anything we haven’t
was going through, transcribed the impact of the events already certainly known; but it is of the upmost impor-
like the April, 24th, 1965 urban war. tance to stress that because the main influence on this
painter’s work has been, and still ins, his homeland.
c. The new chapter of the Dominican expressionism, That’s why our approach to Morel’s work is, first of all,
is present in almost all the painters, especially at the core of an emotional one. His canvas’ scale, composition and ef-
young artists representing in general the 1960s’ decade. fect, along with their colours and forms; are felt more
than thought. Because of this simple but decisive reason,
Juan Plutarco Andújar. (Montecristi, 1931). Being the spectator looking at his work with the intention of
joining the artist’s feelings towards a given theme –the
still an adolescent, he experimented with the paintbrush only way to go in depth on a painting- finds it attractive
while accompanying his father to paint houses and street and suggestive.»
signs, especially in Manzanillo’s area. In 1945, at age 14,
he was taken to the capital city and recruited, due to his «Flamboyan Tree,» oil/canvas, 75x 59 cm., 1966. A land-
talent, to continue scholar instruction. He assumed vari- scape defined by a lateral tree grove, with a princely flam-
ous trades until Angelita Trujillo Martínez turns him into boyan tree, as it is also called the branched trunk, and
one of her closers aid and managed to get him a designa- plenty of very attractive bright red color flowers. The tree
tion at the Dominican Institute of Cartography. There, tilts its foliage on all the composition’s pictorial exten-
he showed his drawing skills while undertaking, in the sion. There is a fence at the forefront, divided from the
1950s decade, Architecture and Medicine studies. In second plane by a narrow, long river, including mounds,
1953 he enrols at the National School of Fine Arts. His trees, mountain and a white clouds sky. Yellows colours
main masters will be Yoryi Morel, José Gausachs y José light up the surroundings, creating contrasts with the
Vela Zanetti. From 1953-1958 he paints decorative murals green, especially with the reds and the mountainous
in several Santo Domingo’s homes and takes part in two indigo. «Landscape,» oil/canvas, 24x30 cm., 1961. A tree on
relevant showings: the Fine Arts Palace opening exhibi- a hump is the centre stage on a landscape including a
tion in 1956; and the VIII National Biennial in 1958. group of houses and palm trees, near and far away on
On the National Gallery of Fine Arts catalogue, ed-
ited in 1963, his biographic information shows him as an
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Danilo De los Santos
opposite hillsides. The view includes the Yaque River is not imitative nor limitative on her original referential
and a background of mountains and a cloudy sky. A red and pictorial findings. In the critic Manuel Valldeperes
dressed character is visible. «Laundry Women,» oil/canvas, words: «Ada Balcácer’s painting not only reveals the human
25x18 cm., 1961. A painting with three composition planes being on its essence. It is the outcome of a new search on this es-
in unity: the first one, defined by three laundry women sentiality. The subject on her paintings -and this is constant on
and two large earthenware jars. She washes clothe in the her- is not corrupted or degraded. Hers, are shaken, throbbing,
river that forms the second and main plane extending canvas (…) those art soft chromatic fluid forms (…) trying to
to a distant view of a river band; defined by foliage, huts penetrate the being essentiality, after having penetrated the na-
and ranchos on the hillside and the sky. This is the third ture’s.» (El Caribe, September 28, 1968) In the balcacian
composition’s plane. «Trunks,» oil/canvas, 24x32 cm., 1962. piece «The Television,» penetrated nature combines on a
Landscape defined by high and huge trunks of a pine framed face the ritual of a spiritual subject, which displays
tree wood. In the middle, a farmer transport a beast of its essence in a duplicated retro vision of a single eye.
burden. As a supplementary scene, plains, a hamlet, foli-
age and a mountain chain adjoining a lighted up sky. Paul Giudicelli. (San Pedro de Macorís, 1921/Santo
«Vignette,» gouache/paper, 13x18 cm., 1966. The Yoryian
production was always accessible to the audience wishing Domingo, 1965). His parents, from Corsica, became
one of his pieces, without social class distinction or price French settlers at the Porvenir Sugar Factory. Paul was
bargaining. The master created many Vignettes like this one of seven siblings, some of them raised up at Boca
one of a peasant woman with a lighted silhouette, whose Chica’s Sugar Factory vicinity. In 1928, the family trav-
brownish skin tone shines with the contrasting colors of els to France and remains there until the return back to
her clothes and the atmosphere’s. There, the artist adds Dominican Republic, at the beginning of the 1930s. A
his signature and the piece date in orange-colored italics. vehement drawer since his childhood, he completes his
basic school in the country, finishing later on his high-
Ada Balcácer. (Santo Domingo, 1930). She studied at the school and commercial studies. Married very young and
father of two, he works unsuccessfully as a salesman in
Fine Arts National School (1946-1951) and took supple- various locations. He decided to study Philosophy at the
mentary courses at the Puerto Rico’s University free work- University of Santo Domingo (1948), where he is encour-
shop (1952-1955). Ada immigrated to New York where aged to join the Fine Arts National School. Graduated
she worked as the Ebony Magazine and industrial fabric in 1951, takes part at Sao Paulo Biennial in 1952, and
designer. There, her conscience as a militant and commit- held his first individual showing in 1953, composed of a
ted woman, grew up. At the beginning of the 1960’s she group of 70 pieces (oil, gouache, watercolor, drawings…)
returns back to the country, strengthening her creations at the National Gallery.
with popular references, projecting herself from that mo-
ment as a multifaceted woman artist (drawer, engraver, The critic Horia Tanasescu wrote about the showing:
painter, revolutionary) reaching the status of a master. In «Apart from showing an uncommon talent, the first individual
1966 she won the León Jimenes Drawing Competition’s exhibition of Paul Giudicelli points at the appearance of a new
First Prize and co-founded Grupo Proyecta (1968-1970) energy on the national visual arts field, a substantial energy full
of fertile seeds that places this painter in his full right among those
«The Television,» acrylic/canvas, 109x74 cm., 1969. artists for whom, art is not a hobby, nor a routine, much less an
Considered the only woman of the 1950s’ generation exercise, but an unchangeable way of life impossible to stop from
with an artistic seat of honor, her discourse in general manifesting». (El Caribe, Dec., 20th, 1953).
363
Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
«Woman Farming the Land,» mix/canvas, 100x80 cm., dramatic spiritual convulsion, underlined by the nation’s
1961. In his third individual exhibition, registered in colours: blue, red and white. This painting’s date coin-
1959, the artist reaffirms his option of a solitary path cide with the capital city’s revolutionary upraising on
within the group of modern painters, defined by his mul- April 24th, 1965. «Landscape,» 30x40 cm., oil/canvas, 1966.
tiple synthesis of discourses: abstraction, expressionism With an abstractionist concept and a composition based
and geometry, but he also confesses about his resources: on geometric solutions; the rectangular square format
«I use the common pigments on a mix of powder and and an oval shape spanning almost all over the space, the
sand, special varnishes, wax and water, to create what I painter represents the landscape with black foliage draw-
call oil-temper-plastic. I started this experiment in 1955 ing a dividing line between upper and lower space; this
and have been improving it day by day until I got the one presented as a water mirror where the vegetation is
texture and contexture that characterize my work.» In reflected. The effective contrasts of the triangles’ white,
«Woman Farming the Land» both the discourse and ma- cut into the marble white of the receptacle ovum and the
terial qualities are present. Paul Giudicelli sets an avant- succinct view of nature.
garde and abstract vision about the farmers on the image
of a woman. It is a material and monochromatic piece Leopoldo Pérez/Lepe. (Santo Domingo, 1937). He
with a wide tonal range. «Composition,» painting/ceramic,
studied at the Fine Arts National School. In 1959 obtains
24x24 in. «Ant au Caribbean,» oil/ceramic, 40x30 cm., 1962. the Trujillo’s Great Painting Prize, and the Second Prize
On his first individual exhibition (1953), Giudicelli in Sculpture. He also held his first individual exhibition
showed drawings on mosaic that resulted in an original that very same year. In 1960 he participates and wins the
approach to the visual discourse conceptions and the use only special prize awarded by the Jury at the X Nation-
of ceramic as compositional support for zoological repre- al Biennial. He travels, lives and shows in the United
sentations (roosters, cats, ants…) and for folklore (masks States. A scholarship in Spain allows him to broaden his
and rituals). Since 1961, his sounded creations reveal the studies in ceramic at the Marques de Urquijo School, as
culmination of a process. The compositions in ceramic well as in drawing, at Madrid Fine Arts circle. There, he
speak for themselves about such a maturity; as also do had his second individual showing in 1964; exhibition
the paintings awarded at the X and XI National Biennials that reveals a particular humanistic sense among the so-
in 1960 and 1963, as well as at the First Art Competition cial marginalized he embraces by signing with the a.k.a.:
E. León Jimenes in 1964. Lepe, using his name and surname vowels.
Guillo Pérez. A painter whose development generated «The Musicians,» mix/canvas, 91x69 cm., 1964. A paint-
ing exhibited at the Hispanic Culture Institute where he
cycles of an inner search and findings. He was the Director held an individual show that, according to the Spanish
at La Vega Fine Arts School during the 1960’s first five critic González Robles, «Reveals the existence of a true
years. In that period, he produced five individual exhi- artist,» and follows «one of the most singular cases on the
bitions while traveling to Europe and North America. current Dominican painting field,» and Darío Suro, adds:
He also obtained the Second Prize at the Arts Annual «On his first paintings the dramatization of an aborigine
Contest E. León Jimenes, 1964, with a painting that as- world… is absorbed by a tragic sense on the majority of
sociates him to the abstract art. his compositions». In this sense, it reveals the musicians’
drama and social desolation on this painting. «Agony,»
«Abstract,» mix/canvas, 41x71 cm., 1965. The prickly, ex- oil/canvas, 81x122 cm., 1966. The artist had obtained the
pansive, in motion forms density, creates the sense of a
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Danilo De los Santos
painting award at the E. León Jimenes Contest (1964) shaggy hair people depicted in an expressionist style by
when he organized his showing in 1965, the year of the schematic black lines adding drama to the scenes. Two
capital city revolution that started on April 24th, focused characters show the insatiable hunger while the third, a
on the Colonial Zone. Lepe witnessed the military event female, shows her need for food in a silent way. The com-
and painted «To the humanity in pain,» of which, the position is prominent, especially on its range of colours:
critic Valldeperes writes, and adds: «Without deliberately the bright red, shaded on the table cloth where three fruit
making social painting -in the exact meaning of the term- one slides rest, the eroded blue and the white that strengthen
can see on his figurations a long and sharp stroke, resembling the general trio’s symmetry, and the green at the centre,
the humanity in pain (…) A composition, moderately thick, the same as the entire watermelon in the shadow, under
that proclaims his dedication to the material’s plasticity, not the table, that ends up creating a square on a symmetric
with morbidity, but with love and balanced emotion instead.» composition with conceptual asymmetries.
On the visual discourse «Agony,» the painter is a settled
expressionist, apart from expressing the constructionist José Rincón Mora. (Cotuí, 1937). His family moved
synthesis on his energetic, dramatic and dynamic com-
position. to Neyba, a town of the southwestern and barren land-
scape where he received basic education with Francis-
Cándido Bidó. (Bonao, 1936-2011). Of a humble so- can priests, and where, from 8 to 15 years old, he was
influenced by Catholicism, sacred images and readings
cial and provincial origin, he moves to the capital city to of great authors of the Spanish Renaissance. These ex-
work at the Serafín de Asís College. The nuns supported periences led him to enter the seminary where he spent
his studies at the Fine Arts National School, where he a year, but later on realized that being a priest was not
graduated in 1962. Very soon he has individual showings, his vocation. In 1957 he entered the University of Santo
form the group «The Three» in 1963 with Elsa Núñez y Domingo where he studied architecture, and also be-
Lepe, takes part on national events and collective exhibi- came part of the National School of Fine Arts, where
tions attracting the critics attention due to his discourse his teachers were Jaime Colson, Gilberto Hernández Or-
novelty, his technic of solid and texturized colours and tega, Marianela Jiménez and Eligio Pichardo. In 1962 he
his primitivist expressionism. He studied with Gilberto holds his first solo exhibition, featuring landscapes and
Hernández Ortega, José Gausachs, Clara Ledesma and portraits that include the topic of altar boys, which turn
Jaime Colson. With the later, he works as assistant in- out to be portraits of himself, or self-portraits. A scholar-
structor of mural painting. ship for further and new studies in Germany, granted in
1964, allows him to move to Munich, where he gradu-
1965 was a vital year for him, when he obtained ates with an art degree.
the First Prize at the Young Artists ESSO Salon, held
in Washington with the presence of Latin American art- «Portrait of Ann,» oil/canvas, 68x38 cm., 1963. The no-
ists under 40 years old. The Dominican representation ticeable lengthening of the portrait allows us to appreci-
included Gilberto Hernández Ortega (Painting Award), ate a connection with El Greco and the Spanish Baroque,
Domingo Liz (Sculpture Award) and Cándido Bidó, in this case defined with a modern vision under the in-
who submitted two works: «Student prisoners» and «Late fluence of his master Hernández Ortega, among others.
lunch,» the winner piece. The refined chromatic mannerism and the expressionist
distillation, reveal a temperamental artist, with a master-
«Eating Watermelons,» oil/canvas, 100x80 cm., 1965. This ship and a juvenile or early pictorial development.
painting is part of a series in which the human beings are
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
Ramón Oviedo. (Barahona, 1927). He was 10 years displaying three of his pieces at the Grand Palais Autumn
Salon, in Paris.
old at the time he started at the photoengraving atelier
with Manuel Pelegrín, in Santo Domingo. Later on, he «War Birds,» mix/paper, 139x99 cm., 1969. The master
reunited with his father who, in 1950, connects him was a leading figure during the arm struggle of April,
with the Dominican Institute of Cartography. There, he 1965, stationed within the siege imposed by American
trained and afterwards graduated as a draftsman from soldiers during their second intervention to the coun-
the Panama’s North American School, in 1953. Back in try. His brushes served the constitutional clamor and the
his country, he works in publicity and get acquaintance struggle for the Dominican sovereignty. He took part at
with the painters José Ramírez Conde, Rafael Olivo and the Aufant Gallery great collective exhibition, alongside
José Cestero. Beginning the 1960s, Oviedo devotes him- with Jaime Colson, Ada Balcácer, Soucy de Pellerano
self fully to the pictorial job, having his first collective and Silvano Lora, among others. He also executed a dec-
exhibition in 1964, at Baquero’s Building basement, and orative theatre backdrop and produced a documentary
taking part at the same year’s E. León Jimenes Contest. film about the war. In «War birds» he offers a drawing
His name became known as an active poster artist and a in which he recalls the drama, combining «gesture and
constitutionalist painter during the 24th of April. A huge fatality with lyric edging.» Riotous flapping, sharp beaks,
painting on canvas showing the historical date, allows eyes and blood mix up on an explosion that envisage the
him to be considered «the painter of the revolution.» inexorable death in a visualized instant.
«Composition,» mix/canvas, 89x80 cm., 1962. With a dis- New, Recognized and Veterans.
course of abstract blocks and fragmented figurations blend- 1970 Decade
ed among them, the theme allows us to appreciate heartbro-
ken, eerie people, superimposed in a social new-expressionist History’s lineal vision, understood as an optimistic
vision in correspondence with a turbulent period in which and progressive march, according to modern theorists of
the most consequent art offers a lyric of upheaval. The hu- historiography; is one that leads to opposite approaches.
man perception of cartoonish deformations, alongside the The diachronic and the synchronic one. The first, refers
full spectrum, the stains and lines bring about, as a result, to the evolution of phenomena happening throughout
the sense of a diverse stylistic composition. time. The second one, takes into consideration circum-
stances of the same historical time, coincident phenom-
Gilberto Hernández Ortega. When Darío Suro ena or facts.
publishes in 1969 the monograph «Dominican Art,» he Once we applied both concepts to the analysis of the
describes the painter as dazed and convulsive, while rec- Dominican society, we understand the impulsive evolu-
ognizing that he has placed himself as one of the Domini- tion processes conforming our ethos since the Amerin-
can painting genuine values. His 1960s exhibitions are dian or pre-Hispanic times all the way to our national
plenty: five individual exhibitions, including a retrospec- contemporaneity. It is a process of interrupted centuries
tive at the Alliance Francaise (1964), and showings at all in which socio-cultural features are verified as a result of
the important exhibitions and pictorial awards obtained conjugated concurrencies. The Dominican nation of-
at the First E. León Jimenes Contest (Santiago, 1964), and fers a singular history full of adverse episodes and in-
the ESSO Hall for Young Artists (Santo Domingo, 1965). escapable ethno-syncretic marks, and, as in the Antilles
In 1969, the Grupo Friordiano organizes an individual
exhibition at the Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra,
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Danilo De los Santos
unique case, shares the same territory with another na- School. Names associated to the 1960’s decade: Cándido
tion, differentiated and sister at the same time. Bidó, Alberto Bass, León Bosch, Adolfo Piantini, Vicente
Pimentel, Roberto Flores, Julia de Guerra, Virgilio Méndez,
On the Dominican socio-geographical body, art history Orlando Menicucci, Ramón Oviedo, José Ramírez Conde,
is a concrete and spiritual manifestation expanding in vari- Nancy Rosado, Geo Ripley and Justo Susana. Novísimos
ous cycles from past to present; period this later in which, from 1970: Alonso Cuevas, Melchor Terrero, Alberto
the artists and their creative work draw up the diachronic Ulloa, Fernando Ureña Rib and Carlos Hidalgo.
and the synchrony. The later results been multiple whenever
confluent generations and their diverse linguistic, thematic Yoryi Morel. The master. Was 64 years old by 1974
and visual discourses, meet. The aesthetic breezes transfuse
the modern creations without diminishing this art authen- when he created the piece «Market.» At that time he
ticity nor its identity. It remains an irrefutable, mysterious resided at a large wooden house with hipped roofs, the
and transcendental treasure of the Dominican being. same one where he was born in 1906. There he had his
atelier redesigned several times. Among them «Good
There is not a cultural manifestation more liberat- fortune,» the latrine transformed into a refuge for his
ing than art. By it, every human being inspired by his her juvenile productions, like «Wagner,» the pale colors il-
power of invention, resembles the Creator Father. By di- lustrated fanzine. 50 years have passed since the edition,
vine delegation, the artist creates and recreates life, in a published in 1924, preserved as a memorable work. In
monologue with his-her inner cognitive and imagination’s the Fall of his life, father of five, three of them born to
powers as well as in a dialogue with his-her fellow artist. his beloved Ilonka Szaba, the painter use to incessantly
The dialogue between diverse artists allows us to get into conjugate ranges of colors with his palette and brushes,
the 1970’s decade, a period when many representatives of interrupted from time to time by different afflictions:
various generations coincide, so we can talk about brand the cigar puff, the rum sip, his violin, the visitors siege
new, young recognized names and well known veterans. and the necessity to cover the family expenses with art
All of then keeping distance from the rest as individuali- pieces for the best buyer of his imaginary, mainly «local-
ties, while at the same time, synchronizing their experience colour» themes he used to sign on cardboard, canvas and
as part of the same arts local history. paper. The billow affecting his pupils finally made him
half blind, but Yoryi Morel was a conscious artist with an
Within the treasure that represents the Banco Popu- unstoppable instinct. Only death would stop him.
lar’s art collection, the inter-generations encounter al-
lows us to enlist the representations according to the «Market,» gouache/paper, 90x115.5 cm., 1974. The theme’s
emerging dates: visual discourse expands from the fruits merchant’s sym-
metric focuses and the merchant woman’s flowers basket;
1920-1930 stage: Yoryi Morel, a veteran master, six both equidistant in the forefront; until the focal diffusion
decades of pictorial activism until his death in 1979. on the second plane. The capture of the crowd, buying
1940’s Generation: Antonio Prats-Ventós, Spaniard refu- and selling on a fruits market, is depicted as an impres-
gee since his adolescence, remains in the country acquir- sionist style. The chromatic range outline the forms with
ing artistic formation. He creates a Dominican family lyric dazzle. The master, with his singular ability to in-
and stands out as a plural artist and a professor. Militants terpret the instant with precise and agile brush-stroke,
since 1950: Aquiles Azar García, Plutarco Andújar, Ada emblazon the creole market scene. The excitement of the
Balcácer, Guillo Pérez and Hilario Rodríguez, graduated everyday work time is felt.
and renowned artists, two of them linked to Yoryi’s Acad-
emy and almost all of them to the Fine Arts National
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Twice a master; as an artist and a professor at the Contest. Since the 1970s, he became an active exhibi-
academy he established in his home city, Santiago, as well tor of different themes, namely market’s and typical
as at the Fine Arts National School and his home atelier, mulatto farmers’ scenes.
Yoryi Morel was a modern painter. He gave thematic
and stylistic foundations to Santiago’s regional school. «Two Women,» acrylic/canvas, 70x96 cm., 1977. The
Hilario Rodríguez, Plutarco Andújar and Carlos Hidalgo painting is a landscape, defined by various planes. The
were among the painters who received his influence and side one or the first, shows on its extreme, a foliage
expressed it in different ways. mound associated to various leaning trees, truncated by
the composition’s treatment. Then, the yellowish path
Juan Plutarco Andújar and Hilario, part of the where two women walk carrying baskets and clothes bun-
1950’s generation, upon graduation, they started exhibit- dles on their respective heads. An ochre land edge form
ing their works during that period. They also travel inter- a sideline elevation towards a green savannah with trees
nationally, mainly to the United States. Both, returned and diverse elements completed by a lineal forest, like
back to Dominican Republic, subscribed to different the blue mountainous group in contrast with the cloudy
contests and hold individual exhibitions. sky pale tone. «Girl with Roses,» pastel/paper, no date, 25x19
cm. During his years in New York, Hilario worked until
Juan Plutarco Andújar. Had an individual showing he became a skilled pastel technic portraits painter. The
theme of the mulatto girl’s profile with hat and yellow
at Nader Gallery (Santo Domingo, 1974), while Hilario dress entranced by the roses she holds in her hands, is a
Rodríguez registered various individuals at Casa de Teatro stamp of effective contrast between typological figuration
(1975) and Auffant Gallery (1977). and abstractionist background.
«Atarazana,» mix/canvas, no date, 50x34 cm. Spiritually, as Carlos Hidalgo. (Santiago Rodríguez, 1948). Trained
a Santo Domingo’s resident, the painter is stricken by his
native Northwest Atlantic and the Southern Caribbean lit- at the Fine Arts National School. Since 1969 takes part
toral’s luminosity. His masters José Gausachs, Yoryi Morel in different students exhibitions and after 1970, contin-
and Hans Paap, had an influence on his landscape treatise ues to show his work as a professor. In 1975, he paints
(rural, local, maritime, villager and urban) as it is seen on various murals at the History Museum and at Gallery 7,
the commendable painting «Atarazana» which focus on an at a time he establishes an artistic relationship with Yoryi
architectonic group related to the colonial habitat, apart Morel, visiting often his atelier in Santiago.
from revealing a personal style’ faultless palette.
«Market,» oil/canvas, 8x10 cm., 1977. The picturesque
Hilario Rodríguez. (Santiago, 1936). He started his scene full of colour and merchant’s customs is repre-
sentative of the painter’s discourse conscious turn after
pictorial instruction at the Yoryi Academy, receiving guid- receiving academic instruction. This turn shows –if not
ance from Félix Negro Disla. As a scholarship holder from his adhesion to Yoryi’s scholar mode– his discovering of
the Dominican government, he studied at the Fine Arts the creole and vernacular essences as well as himself and
National School with masters Gausachs, Yoryi Morel, his northeastern, national discourse. The farmers and
Gilberto Hernández Ortega and Vela Zanetti. In 1962 merchants theme that defines the works of Yoryi Morel,
he traveled to New York and participated in collec- Carlos Hidalgo and Hilario Rodríguez, connects with the
tive showings. Back to the country in 1966, he works visions of artists like Cándido Bidó, Justo Susana, León
in publicity, painting only occasionally. In 1969, his Bosch and Miguel de Moya…
painting «Cibao» is awarded at the IV León Jimenes
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Danilo De los Santos
Cándido Bidó. Awarded twice at the León Jimenes Justo Susana. (Jamao, La Vega, 1918). He was 14 years
Art Contest (1972 and 1974), his ascending path added old when he began to represent his surrounding native
numerous individual showings. His work is noticeable rural landscape. He got settled at the capital city as a bak-
by his peculiar figurative and his (sort of) naive style, as er. He was discovered in his sixties as a self-made naive or
well as by his personalized handling of the blue and yel- ingenuous artist. It is in the 1960s when he becomes an
low colours. «The artist confessed he never used models for his artist promoted by art connoisseurs. One of his paintings
paintings. His impressions remain stamped in his memory. The depicted the April, 1965 armed clashes, at that time he
imagination take charge until the end of the process». (María held his first individual exhibition, followed by another
Ugarte, El Caribe, November, 1970). one in 1969.
«Girl with Vase,» acrylic/canvas, 35x28 cm., 1971 v «I «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 84x120 cm., 1977. The paint-
ing is an imaginative view of a rural zone. On the Fore-
Sale Leaves for Infusion,» mix and collage/canvas, 103x77 cm., front, there is a row of cows being spurred by a peasant on
horseback. The path defines the rural landscape with high
v 1973. «Motherhood,» acrylic/canvas, 101x81 cm., 1975 v trees and bushes, huts, and different animals. In the back-
ground, the plots and the horizon with morning tones.
«Still Life,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 cm., 1978.
The four pieces are related since all of them come León Bosch. (Santo Domingo, 1936). As a 13 years old,
from a pictorial impulse that handles reduced color he featured his first painting. With his father, the writer
ranges and its figurative imaginary is clear to perception. Juan Bosch, goes to exile, starting his artistic studies at the
The woman is approached in three different composi- San Alejandro Academy, in La Habana, Cuba. The family
tions and the fourth is a still life. On «Girl with Vase,» exile takes him to South America and Europe, attending
light blue color defines three elements: the hat, the dress the Fine Arts Circle in Madrid. In the old continent, he
and the zone on a context divided into strips. Blue and frequents the museums, studying and copying the great
orange on the skin produce an effective contrast. «I Sale masters, mainly Diego Velázquez. He returns to his coun-
Leaves for Infusion» is characterized by a composition try at the beginning of the 1960s, exhibiting in a collective
of geometrical variables, the collage dominant resource, and achieving an award at the E. León Jimenes Contest
which fills with effects the almond-eyed round face; a in 1969. During the 1970s, he showcased five individu-
face with a mantle resembling a curtain that crowns the al showings in different galleries, as the Aufant (1972),
merchant’s basket full of leaves. The «Motherhood,» is whose catalogue included «The Last (Holy) Supper.»
an icon transmitting tenderness: a woman carrying a
child, on a chromatic environment of serenity in various «The Last (Holy) Supper,» oil/papier-mache, 120x158 cm.,
blue tonalities: small village and the sky, with a yellow- 1972. A painter from the sixties, who reenacted the bibli-
ish astral sign and a whitish light next to the yellowish cal passage of «The Last Supper,» as painted by the Renais-
plantation soil strengthening the forefront where the sance great artist Leonardo Da Vinci and some others.
mother stands. She, dressed in patterned white with a León Bosch made a theme’s reinterpretation, bringing
grey shading that rises up the touching composition. If it to the Dominican reality, with a modern vision and
the human theme defines the mentioned pieces; the still rupture. On a countryside sheltered terrace, fourteen
life is represented with a big orange-coloured fruit and a creole men gather informally around three tables, most
branch of leaves on a container. The blue tonalities wrap, of them seated, some standing near the central character
like an atmosphere, the «Still Life,» expanding from the who bless the ceremonial encounter. The representation
dark tone to a pale strains range; the symbolic Bidó’s star,
orange-coloured as well, accentuates the light blue sky.
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of two women becomes a rupture on a theme recreated influenced the «condecito» artistic production (as his
in all details, including a mountainous landscape view friends used to call him), alongside Jaime Colson. He is
with a shining celestial body on the horizon. imprisoned for taking part in the conspiracy against Tru-
jillo. He militates in political parties close to Communist
Miguel De Moya. (La Vega, 1904). Self-educated since tendencies, in the Art and Liberation Group, traveling
to the Communist China, then returning back to join
his early years, his artistic vocation grows up as an adult the urban struggle in 1965. This fact associates him to
person. He follows formal studies at a New York acad- «The Fist,» a group that postulate a national and engaged
emy, while working as the Dominican consulate in 1928. art. In 1967 he has an individual exhibition which con-
The diplomatic career took him to diverse European cit- secrated him as a painter associated to impressionism.
ies: Florence, London, Paris, Madrid and communities Later on, while painting murals with Colson from 1969-
from Andalucia, Spain, developing pictorial endeavour 1975, he makes a discourse and thematic turn into this
with the encouragement of his frequent visits to the mu- master’s new-humanistic concepts.
seums where he finds the Western art academic sources.
Once back in his country for good, he becomes master of «Study no 1, Electra,» charcoal/paper, 78x45 cm., 1975.
himself, broadening his artistic production, normally re- According to Colson’s new-humanistic approach, and
served for the private art collections circles, until he held the academic representation of a Classic or Greek refer-
various individual showings. In the 1970s, there are sev- ence, the painter conceives Electra in a mannered pose.
eral individual exhibition on record, including the Nader The cape does not hide the naked, toned, vibrating body
Gallery in 1973, the Aufant Gallery in 1975 and 1976, as forms. She is a unique subject in a context of revival
well as the one at Alfonso Decoraciones in 1979. metaphysical architectural space.
«Peasant woman,» oil/canvas, 75x60 cm., 1973 v «Un- Virgilio Méndez. (Santo Domingo, 1941). Recorded his
titled,» oil/canvas, 70x55 cm., 1974 v «Farmer,» oil/canvas,
90x60 cm., 1974. Well-known for his pastel colours handling first individual showing at The Commercial Hotel Bar, just
in allegoric works and portraits; his work is defined by upon graduating from the Fine Arts National School, in
the anecdotic realism, regional, fruity and scenic themes. 1962. Assumes an art teaching position in San Francisco
On the approach to native characters, adult or elderly de Macorís (1963). He gets a scholarship to continue his
farmers, he shows great command of their physiognomy, training in Madrid, Spain, getting back in 1968, to have
the corporality and spiritual inner self; and their social his second individual at the Dominican-American Insti-
condition. «In Miguel de Moya, there is a reflected truth on tute, showing in his paintings an expressionist affiliation.
each millimetre of his paintings: sincerity and then Dominican During the 1970s, as an assistant professor at Colson’s
nature. Sincerity, because he wouldn’t paint what he doesn’t academy, his nexus with the master became closer.
fill; Dominican nature, because in all his paintings, no matters
the theme, arises the strength of the national spirit…». (Enrique «Social Gathering,» water-colour, ink/paper, 31x24 cm.,
De Marchena, Listín Diario, March 16th, 1973). 1976. Some of the women poses and mannerisms in this
social gathering, remind us of Colson’s school, despite
José Ramírez Conde. (Partido, Dajabón municipality, the fact that they are in a neighborhood context. They
are black women dressed in short and patterned clothes,
1940/Santo Domingo 1986). He joined the Fine Arts with buns, scarfs and umbrellas. Three of them walking,
National School in 1957. In overtime, he got trained the other one seated over a stone bordered by little flow-
at Paul Giudicelli’s atelier, one of the two masters who ers, with a greengrocer’s basket on her lap.
370
Danilo De los Santos
Teté Marella. (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1943). With a Alberto Ulloa. (Altamira, Puerto Plata, 1950). Like Fer-
rich training in diverse fields, mainly in arts activism, she nando Ureña Rib, he is linked to the 1970’s generation
arrives in Dominican Republic in 1973, undertaking dif- of artists. He studies at the Fine Arts National School
ferent jobs in publicity and the press. Her first individual and joints the Group of Six, taking part of collective ex-
exhibition as a caricaturist of noble Santo Domingo’s hibitions before he leave for Spain pursuing to broad his
characters, opened up at Casa de Teatro in 1974. In the training. He graduates from the Real Academia de San
1970s, her colour pencils and water-colours typified her Fernando, Madrid (1975-1977).
drawing of a strong conceptuality and structure; with
poetic plump women and daydream atmospheres that «Pink Couple in a Hamlet,» mix/canvas, 62x48 cm., 1974.
broaden her personal universe. Her individual and col- The painting focus into a couple of naked lovers, sur-
lective exhibiting records are thick. She enjoys the esteem rounded by a white halo, at the forefront. The couple
of various national art collectors. emerges from the bushes, at the opposite side of a red-
dish, purple and white tones hamlet that climbs up to a
«Girl with Flowers,» watercolor, ink/paper, 5x6 inch., yellowish sky on the horizon. The thematic message is a
1978. A drawing of a sweet rounded smiling head, car- symbolic one.
rying a basket full of red roses and thick green leaves.
From the basket down to the neck, a head of hair, or Alonso Cuevas. (El Limón, Jimaní, 1953). As in the
an undulating calico creates a halo over the infant girl’s
innocence. case of Alberto Ulloa, he graduates from the Fine Arts
National School. He forms part of the Six Group; take
Fernando Ureña Rib. (La Romana, 1954). Awarded part in collective exhibitions, then travels to Europe.
There, he complete graduate studies in Madrid and Mar-
as a painter in students competitions organized by the seilles and establishes his residence. His juvenile pro-
Friordano Group in 1970 and 1971. He graduated as a duction allows him to win the prize at The Royal Bank
drawing professor from the Fine Arts National School, Students Contest. At that time he tends toward the big
recording his first individual in 1973, presented by his format, the domestic themes, the still lives and the well-
master Jaime Colson. Then, he travels to Spain, setting crafted, refined chromatic farms.
off his objective figurations to open reflections as part of
his professional growing as the oneiric drafter, grotesque «Still Life,» mix/canvas, 91x120 cm., 1974 v «The Table,»
painter and the organic sculptor he is. These are the defi- acrylic/canvas, 154x178 cm., 1974. A style defined by the
nitions applied to his eleventh individual exhibition at Geometry and the use of a few chromatic ranges con-
Caferelli Gallery (Santo Domingo, 1979). nect both pieces although their compositions differ. The
«Still Life» conjugates on a disperse an distorted linearity
«Soroche (Mountain Sickness),» acrylic/canvas, 115x97 in which three ranges alternate in the representation of
cm., 1978. In this expressionist portrait, humor, drawing a table with fruits, jars, glasses and a blue cloth; ranges
and color combine with no difference, showing the fo- that are repeated in the architectural context. The red-
cused subject with an almost grotesque disproportion- dish ochre table color is repeated as well in almost all the
ate humor. The dressed in green man adipose volumes, mentioned elements, all of them partially illuminated
stooped, grey hair profile, big intertwined hands and red- in orange-colored yellow. The still life’s sharp drawing
dish skin, fill up the frame format in a composition that strengthen the composition increasing the contrast be-
hardly leaves a dark context. A short white neck and a tween the forms and the informal and soft gridded back-
cloth suggests the man is a bartender or a waiter. ground. «The Table» is a conjugated composition with
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an aerial view from the top. The geometric making de- and thorough, tangled spelling, defines the expressionist
fine the axis furniture’s jamb and a couple of chairs’ backs language in both pieces.
different in size and location. The relation between the
broad semicircular table and the small designs resembling Vicente Pimentel. (Santo Domingo, 1942). He gradu-
a checkerboard is completed with two vertical and hori-
zontal rectangular strips defining the floor. Pale yellow, the ates from the National School of Fine Arts (1968), stand-
various blue and the red, are his essential colour ranges ing out as a draftsman who obtained four awards at the E.
defining an eloquent new-plasticism from the Antilles. León Jimenes Art Contest from 1966-1970. He worked as
a teacher of drawing at the same institution from which
Ada Balcácer. In the 1970s, his drawing and picto- he graduated, and was awarded first prized at the XII Na-
tional Biennial (1972). After receiving a scholarship from
rial work is diverse and growing, synchronized with the France in 1973, he enrols in Marseille in a course about
guiding thread represented by the Antilles’ nature in its plastic expression. A second scholarship allows him to re-
features: geography, flora, water, light, sky, woman and main in Paris, where he studies museography, while dedi-
mythology. Her repertory is wide open, always marked by cating himself to his studies and research. He resided in
an exceptional or unique identification. Paris, reaching a meaningful transcendence as a painter.
Aquiles Azar García. (Santo Domingo, 1932). He re- «The Lovers,» ink/paper, 72x49 cm., 1972. Pimentel
shows a sharp drawing and agility in the entities and
ceived his firsts artistic guidance from Gilberto Fernan- spelling solutions; conceiving shape, movement and rep-
dez Diez (Colegio de La Salle) and at George Hausdorf resentations of a love scene. This drawing transmits an
Academy (1945-1946), culminating his instruction at the expressionist vigour that gets bigger with the paper vin-
Fine Arts National School (1946-1950). Then, he opted tage sepia, to showcase the lovers couple.
for the Odontology career at the Santo Domingo Univer-
sity, completing his graduate studies in Argentina. In the Ramón Oviedo. He goes through the 1960s as a mili-
1950s he holds his first individual and takes part at dif-
ferent collectives and competitions. In 1963 he obtains tant artist recognized successively at 1969 and 1970 León
an Honorary Mention at the Alianza Francesa’s Contest. Jimenes Contests. In 1974, at the XII National Biennial
He was also awarded in various editions of León Jimenes he is awarded the Great Honor Prize. From that year on,
Contest, namely in 1968, 1969 and 1971. He won also an his pictorial work experiences a turn in his individual ex-
award at the 1974 National Biennial. hibitions; namely at Casa de Teatro (1974), the Modern
Art Gallery, the Cándido Bidó’s Gallery and the Retro-
«Composition,» acrylic and ink/paper, 30x30 inch., 1975 spective; all of them in 1979. Around that time, one of
v «Jug and Casseroles,» charcoal, acrylic/canvas, 80x126 cm., his pieces entered the OAS Contemporary Arts Museum,
1975. Both paintings offer different format approaches, in Washington, DC.
although not in the themes about pots-and-pans, and
utilitarian utensils. The «Composition» on a square for- «Where Do We Come From?» mix/canvas, 140x181 cm.,
mat shows a concentration of various objects, dipped in 1975. Big format painting, among those showed at Casa
different tones, among them, yellow, blue and brown. In de Teatro, «expressive, anguished thematic (…) like screams of
«Jug and Casseroles» the composition’s solution is hori- a drama true testimony,» Jeannette Miller states, adding: The
zontal and rhythmic from the high bottles to the four themes: Where do we come from? What do we are? And where
small tureens. The discourse, underlined by black lines are we going? are the human being classic questions in facing
the existence (…) Red, and mammee colors, acrylic, oil, scrapped
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Danilo De los Santos
canvas, ointments and glue applying, hair treatment (…) Great 26x36 inch., 1974 v «Composition,» oil/canvas, 24x20 inch.,
treatment, great drawing, better composition and excellent ex-
pression (…) put us face to face to the men loneliness and the 1975 v «Wagon, Sugarcane Time,» oil/canvas, 35x25 inch.,
death». (El Caribe, Sept. 13th, 1975). «Cloistered» mix/
canvas, 20.5x20.5 inch., 1976. Related to anguish and lone- 1976 v «My Land’s Sun,» acrylic/canvas, 35x47 inch., 1977 v
liness, the focus reveals a man’s face behind thick bars «Rooster,» oil/canvas, 30x20 inch., 1979. The painting «Ca-
on an extension and spatial movement. Distressed bars, ribbean Sea,» (1969) has a connection with other semia-
full of nails contrasting with an immense background bstract pieces or those using geometric planes from the
in red, conforming a cage that represents the confine- 1960s. The seascape view is a composition of horizontal
ment in himself. «Composition,» mix/canvas, 50x60 inch., stripes: the short white, and the upper plane in red, de-
1979. In a blue and informal tone space, a body mass fining the twilight, with vague pinks. The blue stripes
squirms, may be representing a lost astronaut or an an- delimit the seascape space, with tones denoting the train
guished sidereal phantom. The diverse tonality ranging of close-faraway waves, and a white sparkle expressing a
from yellow, mammee, black and red: tones as fragments marolilla. Breaking the sea abstract landscape, the artist
with spelling, proposes an expressionist abstraction, lyric tackles a view of «Colonial Houses» in 1970, contrast-
and fantastic at once. «Simulation,» oil/paper, 112x125 cm., ing an architecture produced in brown and black tones
1975-1980. On a vertical composition, from a dark block with a sky with plenty of bluish and white firmness mix
emerge two hands holding a photography. In these ele- with yellow. There is a relational composition between
ments transparent the human representations, same way the geometric conjugation of colonial urban space and
as in the red context surrounding the said block. «Ramón the representation of «Time Course» (1971) of a vernacu-
Oviedo offers an introspective and autobiographical view cor- lar and smallholder approach to human subjects repre-
responding to his so call red stage. It is a work of innumer- sented in two different compositional planes. Back from
able possible readings and disconcerting contents, expressed by a trip as an official guest in Israel, the painter produced
the artist using graphology, patina and transparency». (Myrna a series expressing The Crying Wall dividing Jerusalem.
Guerrero, «Connected Scopes,» 2011). He typifies as well the «Israelites» on a composition more
defined by human groups in closer or more distant
Guillo Pérez. Already a consecrated painter awarded planes. The geometric planimetry keeps inspiring the art-
ist in two themes with differentiated colour range and
and consummated exhibitor of the color and experience figurative constructions. Soon, the palette and the theme
of native and faraway lands, he featured seven solo exhi- change in «Banana Leaves» (1994) and «Port Seascape»
bitions, during the 1970s, increasing his presence in our (1974) where the tropic is shown with a colour range with
collective showings, among then Festival Cagnes-ser-mer, a nuance of light and brightness. That insular tropic is
France (1970), the XIII National Biennial (1975), and the retaken in «Composition» (1973) in planimetric stripes
contest Premio Independencia Casa de España (1976), where he alludes to the sugar factory and other planta-
getting awards in all the three events. tion symbols, and the thematically view goes deeper, as in
the second painting: «Wagon, Sugarcane Time» (1976), a
«Caribbean Sea,» oil/canvas 31x36 inch., 1969 v «Colonial bit narrative in its representation that includes rails, loco-
motives and sugarcane laborers, in a conceptual vision in
Zone,» oil/canvas, 43x51 inch., 1970 v «Time Course,» oil/can- red color, certainly representative of the exploitation at
the sugarcane factory. Two more pieces: «My Land’s Sun»
vas, 26x36 inch., 1971 v «Cry,» acrylic/canvas, 32x51 inch., 1973 and «Rooster» explain the variety of a repertoire full of
v «Israelites,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., 1973 v «Seascape,
Port,» oil/canvas, 35x51 cm., 1974 v «Banana leaf,» oil/canvas,
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compositional similarities and differences, in the first one and graduated as professor of Visual Arts at the Universi-
solved with three horizontal planes where the burning sun dad Autonóma de Santo Domingo and follows graduate
as a central element makes the sky look yellowish, burns studies at Roma’s Fine Arts Academy (1972-1974).
the brownish soil and conforms a reflection of yellows and
mammees in what seems to be a path and a water mirror. «Sign,» mix/canvas, 48x69 cm., 1973. A supportive of
With «Rooster,» he bursts with a theme reiterating, in short conceptualism as the artistic action register, he believes
and long terms, a quality of color command that made him that the art work never stop been a concept, an idea or a
a master, a differentiated heir of the Yoryi’s school. symbol, represented as an aerial form in blue over a red
background, projecting a perceptible pulsation.
Julia Sánchez de Guerra. (Puerto Rico, 1914/Santo
Orlando Menicucci. (Santiago, 1949). He was taking
Domingo, 2011). In her native island she started art
«Social Work» studies at the Universidad Católica Madre y studies. After marrying a Dominican man she settled in
Maestra when a student’s exhibition celebrating the open- Santo Domingo, forms a family and continued studies at
ing of the institution campus, brought him in contact with the Fine Arts National School. Private painting professor
five university colleagues, all of them founders of the Fri- since 1966, she gets involved in the creation of APEC’s
ordano Group, in 1967. The nucleus attracts the critics’ Art School, becoming its principal until 1975. During
attention, institutional support and national projection. her tenure, she created the Infantile Painting National
Orlando obtains the Second Painting Award at the IV Festival. In 1977 she held an exhibition showing paint-
Biennial in Ibiza, Spain, 1970, at the time his discourse ings and a recreation of religious icons. Three of her
already was showing the compositional, extra-pictorial and pieces focuses on urban spaces:
chromatic characteristics of a personal abstractionism.
«Yellow Facade,» acrylic/canvas, 59x78, 1978 v «Colonial
«Abstraction,» mix/canvas, 96.5x75 cm., 1970. In a rect- Zone,» water-colour/paper, 14x22 inch., 1978 v «(Untitled),» wa-
angular format, the geometric figures in different scales ter-colour, paper. 1978. Her gaze captures three spaces of the
and limpid forms, precise and with sober chromatic Dominican capital ancient colonial houses. One of them,
range; define a dominant structure of a black mass with is the two floors facade with two brown closed door balco-
triangles, circles and little metallic squares, resembling nies and two bushes on plant pots. One of them crowns a
an sculptural conceptual plane on a space of not less roof fragment and the first level lateral doorway. A fourth
chromatic light greys. On the opposite extreme, slender and broad greenish door with relief is half-opened. The
figures in an expansion in red with solutions in yellow. yellow colour coating the architecture is more enraged
than in the other themes about buildings, captured in a
Geo Ripley. (Caracas, 1950). The family’s exile was the two alleys corner, and an interior yard with facade, road,
stairs, street-light, gardening and a vestibule communicat-
reason he was born in Venezuela, growing up and getting ing with a higher area, letting to perceive a bi-level con-
his education in Santo Domingo; becoming known as a ju- struction. The paleness or absence of human beings in the
venile artist in 1967. That year his piece, «inspiration,» was three views, creates certain romantic nostalgia.
awarded by the León Jimenes Contest. Associated to some
other young artists, exhibit in different collectives during Nancy Rosado. (Licey, Santiago, 1940). Graduated
1969-1970. That later year he takes part at the IV Biennial
in Ibiza, Spain. In 1972 he is chosen for the «Expo New Im- from the Visual Arts National School and related to
age, 10 avant-garde artists» held at the Universidad Católica the 1960’s generation, she conduct specialized studies
Madre y Maestra campus. In that period, he attends classes
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Danilo De los Santos
in lithography, murals and material’s typology, while but from the point of view of the instinctive spirituality.
teaching at La Vega’s Fine Arts School, at the Univer- In this sense, he starts to become the biographer recreat-
sidad Central del Este ‘Art School and the National ing the Obando’s era city.
School from which she graduated. In the 1970’s decade
she exhibit in collectives and held, later on, an individ- Alberto Bass. (Santo Domingo, 1949). He started
ual. In 1975 she is one of the exhibitors at «Dominican
Art and Woman Today - An Homage to Celeste Woss y studies at The Fine Arts National School, and contin-
Gil,» showing and seminar. ued at the Art Students League de Nueva York, where
he resides since 1967 through 1971. In that city he regis-
«The Cord’s House,» acrylic/canvas, 36x60 inch., 1978. ters his first individual showing. Back to his hometown
The painting focus is the facade’s recreation in yellow he holds other exhibitions in solitary, and created the
vintage tones, framed by San Francisco’s cord, composed «Grupo Atlante,» been its leader and theoretician. With
by a lowered arch, festooned with the characteristic changing realistic discourses, his path from objectivity
pearls from the «Catholic Monarchs» period. The draw- to the social content leads him to the hyper-realism,
ing steadily precise the broad horizontal cord with knots been its national main exponent with followers of di-
and vertical drapes over two helmets, the arcade and the verse degrees of influence.
door slightly defining the bricks pave.
«Little House,» mix/canvas, 70x75 cm., 1978. With his
José Cestero. (Santo Domingo, 1937). He had pictorial hyper-realistic language, the painter shows a neighbour-
hood house facade, with vertical and horizontals, lights
notions when his father took him to see Yoryi Morel, then and shadows balanced composition. Painted with a viv-
the Principal at the Fine Arts National School, in 1950. id chromatic tone, characteristic of a local house made
There he studies until 1954. Afterwards he travels to the of wood, zinc, showing a cement gallery with decora-
United States, working at a New York’s public library and tive blocks. A spontaneous garden completes the urban
attending for a summer the «Mill Cooper School.» His popular stamp and its socioeconomic conditions.
relationship with painters influences his creative adven-
ture, marked beforehand by José Gausachs, Eligio Pichar- Yoryi Morel.
do, José Fulop and Gilberto Hernández Ortega. Middle Anthology of the Dominican
of the 1960s he is back in the Dominican capital and Being: Yoryi Morel. 1969-1979
hold his first individual showing in 1966. His discourse
is active, dynamic, fluctuating, with certain expressionist In «El Caribe» newspaper (March 1st, 1969) the critic
narrative, according to the critic Manuel Valldeperes (El Manuel Valldeperes escribió: «To say that Yoryi Morel is,
Caribe, March 26, 1966). Then, he returns to the U.S. strictly, a Dominican painter, is to stop short into the superfi-
and afterwards lives in Mexico. In his record, the awards cial or anecdotal. He is an artist who has never fooled himself,
obtained at the Eduardo León Jimenez 1964 and 1968 who has painted whatever he wants, however he pleases, ac-
editions. Once again, he returns back to his native city in cording to his sensibility and his soul nakedness. His work in,
the second half of the 1970s. Raised in Santo Domingo’s general, deals with themes in line, due to his appeal, his special
ancient city quarter and port, the painter knows by mem- sensibility like, for instance, the Cibao’s characters and land-
ory its streets, buildings and squares related to the colo- scapes he paints with strength and furthermore, with loyalty. In
nial centuries. But he doesn’t copy with a realistic view this paintings there is not the picturesque but the pictorial. A
the surroundings of his ancient and singular spatiality
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
temperamental painter, it is in this matters where he likes to em- good to remind, one of the most sincere artists, not just because
phasize his elements’ forms, holding them to make even clearer he has never fooled himself, but because he has always been
his phrasing. His shadows underlines the color transparency (…) loyal to the spirit that cheer up his life as a creator. In short:
for him, the relationship of the theme with nature-been-figure Yoryi Morel is a Dominican affirmation in the national paint-
or landscape is fundamental in this paintings, but this is not ing of our time.»
a direct relationship. Is true that the artist is attached to the
theme, not because of a mental approach but because of an At the beginning of the 1970’ s the master of colour
emotional one». and light was still active. He was 64 years old and painted
even while dreaming. Often he had to leave his bedroom
Valldeperes underlines Yoryi’s work: «it is a product of and go to his small domestic atelier. He then take his pal-
an emotional artist who has never fooled himself. What might ette and his brushes, and stood still in front of his easel.
seem as typical or folkloric in it, is essentially his life: lived and «When he didn’t paint –Papito Rivera writes– he stretched his
felt existence. That is why, not to stop short in the superficial… tiny figure to grab the sharp notes he tears from his violin (…)
we need to understand his work is an echo of the national on Six of the greatest Yoryi admirers acquired the last pieces he
today’s traditional painting. While other artists dig into the na- painted almost blind, and anxiously they wait for the first paint-
tional essences through alien voices and expressions, Yoryi Morel ings he would create when the light comes back to his pupils…»
arrives to the Dominican painting to stays on it sensing the (Listín Diario, November 17, 1975).
path. His morphology is only tide to the emotional demands.
Nevertheless, in his global painting we can observe, besides the The sight impediment never defeated the obsessive
nature nakedness, the joy of living effects. There is then, the painter he was. In such a situation, he used to fill up
essential Dominican being in his works, as we already recog- the canvases with multicolour stains, producing an ab-
nized. We understand as Dominican being, whatever it is in stractionist stage on his work, not disassociated from his
the Dominican people mind and heart, what trembles through chromatic style.
their spirit, and the supreme manifestation of being. Then, the
Dominican being is essential to those born in this land and been In 1971, Yoryi Morel «was victim of a stroke (…) los-
essential is transcendental. This is what Yoryi Morel reflex in ing his right eye vision. Years later he fall totally blind
his painting –man and nature– making use, first of all, of the for a week as a consequence of cataract on his left eye.
emotional factors». Despite the difficulties, he had an operation (…) recov-
ering the vision the artist has declared that, the day he
«His main concern has always been not to fall apart from stops painting «March 30th would wait for me,» referring
reality. That might be the reason for his excellent light’s com- to the area where Santiago’s cemetery is placed». (Emely
mand in each one of his paintings, as well as the astonishing Tueni. Listín Diario. September 7th, 1976).
colouring. If colour is handled by him accordingly with de paint-
ing vital demands, light satisfy-always with accuracy- the emo- On November 26 th, 1972, the government award-
tional claims, closer to his plastic concern. (…) there is plenty of ed him with the Condecoración de la Order de Duarte
reminiscent in Yoryi Morel (…). en el Grado de Caballero. In his native home, Sánchez
Street no 53, a Santiago’s writer Miguel Ángel Jiménez,
«The evocative on his painting derives, not so much from on behalf of the then President, Dr. Joaquín Balaguer,
the way he treats the issue, but from the balance between reality imposed the award to the artist. In the presence of
and the atmosphere surrounding it, the artist’s creative capac- local authorities, friends and artists, the Presidential
ity who understand beyond the purely emotional, the receptive Special Aide delivered a speech saying: «Your paintings,
power. In Yoryi Morel the Dominican Republic has, what is Yoryi, will be exquisite presents for the soul, in the family
room or at the nation even the world’s art gallery. That’s
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Danilo De los Santos
what justifies the present award by which, the President has oil/canvas, 13x16 inch., no date. The scene is a typical vision
distinguished you». Then, Yoryi said: «From the deepest of of an impoverished house’ inhabitants. Landscape, water-
my soul, happiness made of ringing, roses, chiaroscuros and colour/paper, 15x19 inch., no date. The fast stroke domi-
my homeland shades, come to tell me, almost at the end of nates a rural view composition. The chromatic contrasts
my journey but with glorious elemental strength, that each create an emotional and impressionist atmosphere.
day and every effort, each smile and each tear in my life,
have been recognized and awarded with the magnificent hon- Languages’ New-Behavior
our you all leave in my chest» (Junior Lora, El Caribe.
November 27, 1972). Great and experienced Dominican teachers of mo-
dernity died in the seventh decade of the twentieth
«Yoryi considers himself a brush poet,» is the title of an century, leaving trace of a transcended legacy: the avant-
interview from 1977, subscribed by Rafael Pérez, in which the garde artist Jaime Colson, in 1974, the delusional Yoryi
modern precursor who «got to the golden wedding with paint- Morel, in 1979, and the hallucinated Gilberto Hernández
ing,» does not feel his decline. «On the contrary, after a visual Ortega, in 1979. Around the 80s, dies at age 95 the great
illness already surpassed, he keeps painting with great energy precursor Celeste Woss y Gil (Santo Domingo from 1890
and dedication,» declaring Ï feel the painting in all my being» to 1985), while Darío Suro recalls in the city of Wash-
(…) After all, I have had great vitality (…) I have been working ington DC a cycle of Dominican landscapes and forests
with a none tropical intensity I love to paint spontaneously (…) in ceramics, sculptures and paintings in acrylic almost
I always try to be as sincere as possible in my life, to do what parallel to his erotic period.
I really feel, even if I’ll have to suffer damage for it» (Rafael
Pérez, La Noticia, July 24th, 1977). Darío Suro combines aspects of landscape and hu-
man corporeality in the remarkable work «Storm,» oil/
Yoryi Morel fell ill and was interned at the Coromi- canvas 48x36 cm., 1987; provides the visualization of an
nas Clinic. Knowing he would never combine chromatic emerging leg until its foot, with storming waters mov-
ranges again, not to smoke a cigar or get back to the family ing. Painting of dramatic lyricism where figuration and
home; he asked to be accompanied by his kids. Jaime Mo- geometric focus, define onslaught and death. It is an
rel (Jano) flew home from Argentina where he was doing eloquent representation of our painting trajectory, in
career as a musician. The dying father asked him to play which Suro is a linchpin because of his constant and vital
with the violin the song «Spring Breeze». «After listening to transgressions, or self ruptures justified when he claimed
it, Yoryi said good bye, and entered the final sleep…» (Domingo that to keep the same style and discourse-linguistic and
Saint-Hilaire Junior, Listín Diario, Abril 16th, 1979). thematic-is very boring.
«Marine,» oil/canvas, 24x30 inch., 1964. The theme was If some general features can be seen in our modern
not a usual one in master Yoryi Morel; always imbued and contemporary visual arts, one is its timelessness in
by the Cibao’s and his native Santiago landscapes. Nev- the Western context from which its nourishment emerg-
ertheless, his work as a professor at the National School es. Another one is the variety of its linguistic conjuga-
of Fine Arts pushed him to listen to the Caribbean Sea tions, and the third, the sense of belonging expressed by
swell; to interpret it with his palette light. «Quartet (Farm- the artistic sector to interpret national trends to a greater
ers Celebration),» oil/canvas, 13x15 inch., no date.»The tittle extent. In the 1980s, the new Dominican configuration
subjects it is about a traditional «perico ripiao» livening can be determined; the simultaneous realism as the aca-
up a farmers celebration with dancers, waiting for a bar- demic and naturalist hyper-realism and magical realism.
becued pork on a brush shelter. «Elder Woman with Girl,»
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
Also the conceptual new-abstraction and new-expression- monuments, roosters, a retrospective of drawings that
ism, the geometric configuration, the new-surrealism, express the addressing of his topics, series «Force and
the spectral new-humanism and landscaping from the Motion and Force of my Land» (1988) and «Homage to
80s with which identify known, new and expert paint- Santiago» (1989), resulting in a solo presentation that
ers. The generation of the eighties, in its representation makes him worthy of many awards including the medal
expresses the spirit of adaptation to certain historical pat- «Pro-national» art, awarded by the Ateneo Amantes de
terns of Dominican painting, but the spirit of freedom in la Luz.
each artist tends to individualize as creator.
«The Sky of my Land,» oil/canvas, 38x78 inch., 1983 v
NEW FIGURATION «Red Wood,» oil/canvas, no date v «Sugar Factory,» oil/can-
It’s a trend linked to realism that when excluding vas, 60x76 cm., no date v «Colonial Zone,» oil/canvas, 78x93
inch., 1986-1988 v «Oxen, Wagons and Carts,» oil/canvas,
dramatic expressionism, mollifies reality with a serene, 75x100 cm., 1987 v «Sugar Cane and Oxen,» screen/paper,
simple and subjective interpretation. It is taken up by 60x85 cm., 1985 v «Marina,» oil/canvas, 83x103 cm., 1987 v
some teachers: Fernando Peña Defilló, who abandons «Port,» oil/canvas, 60x75c cm., no date v «Carts and Oxen,»
abstraction; with Guillo Pérez and his new approach oil/canvas, 150x190 cm., 1983.
towards local visions full of chromatic ranges, and even
Darío Suro and his return to the landscape inspired Cándido Bidó. In 1980 the artist has fifteen solo ex-
by the island’s geography in a move from abstractions
and eclipses to the native soil, the forest, the mountain, hibition, seven awards in national art competitions and
the nocturnal and even the human body as shown in an unmistakable presence whose style gives primacy to
«Storm,» from the bank collection. As sculptural works primary colors. In 1980, at the Museum of Modern
bound to the new figurative tendency, we have already Art, he helds his sixteenth personal exhibition entitled
alluded to «Ladies» and «Meninas» by the maestro Prats- «Bidó» with the caption, «I paint the things and people
Ventós, author even of landscaping and a paraphrase of in my village,» referring to his native Bonao, town that
related figures and faces. marks his poetic essence: affable, dazzling, imaginative,
simple. His round face characters with almond shape
Dominican Figuration has nothing to do with the eyes offer a hieratic serenity, leading a «Blue Paradise»
European tendency, especially French, although is related of landscapes, houses, flowers, birds and distinctive
to the Antilles, Caribbean and Latin American interpreta- sunshine… The romance, the magic or surrealism con-
tions. The Dominican trend has the following characteris- solidate in his personal universe.
tics: serene speech, revisited Creoleness, placid imaginary
beauty of the surroundings, non complex composition, «Birdcage,» acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1980 v «The
direct conjugation, regularly planimetric, chromatic com- Tree and Birds,» acrylic/canvas, 102x 102 cm., 1981 v «Wom-
position without affectation, self-indulgent, beautiful, bu- an with Bird,» acrylic/canvas, 100x65 cm., 1984 v «Women
colic, charming, humanistic, creative, bright… in Profile,» acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., 1984 v «Maternity,»
acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1984 v «Maternity,» oil/canvas,
Guillo Pérez. With paintings dating from 1946-1951, 100x75 cm., 1985 v «Village Girl,» screen/paper, 84x58 cm.,
1985 v «Adam and Eve,» acrylic/canvas, 151x127 cm., 1986
and an ascending career from the previously men- v «Woman with Bird Toy,» acrylic/canvas, 1987 v «Head,»
tioned year, holds numerous solo exhibitions between acrylic/canvas, 45x55 cm., 1988 v «Untitled,» 2 watercol-
1969-1989, on topics about landscape, floral, colonial ors/paper, 32x26 cm.,and 78x26 cm., 1978-1982.
378
Danilo De los Santos
Francisco Santos. (Santo Domingo, 1949). Disciple in- his most renowned work recreates naïve images in plane
compositions with great chromatic neatness. It’s a paint-
fluenced by Norberto Santana at the National School of ing stripped of drama, amiable, of serene beauty, intimate
Fine Arts, obtains an award with his drawing «Peasant» in and with a somewhat timeless atmosphere. Its architec-
the XIII Biennial held in 1974, offering a personal figura- tural themes are: streets with native houses, states with
tion that reconfirms with the first solo exhibition here- furniture, fruits, gardens and hardly human presence; all
after. His compositions are simple, solid and with warm are just symbolic and inanimate. Although he deviated
colours, addresses still lives, landscapes and full lips brown with other productions, his affable work adheres to the
women. His still lives offer simplicity in relation to pop new local figuration, holding exhibitions with paintings
art. According to Marianne De Tolentino, (Listín Diario, following this trend for years.
Sept. 18, 1974), The landscapes transmit, with his handling of
lines, well-defined volumes and vibrant ink, the burning tropical «From the Window, Garden and Houses,» acrylic/canvas,
sun, an atmosphere with some dramatic character.
400 cm., no date v «Chairs, Flowers and Oranges,» acrylic/
The painter has recorded seven solo exhibitions from
1974-1987, and has won national and international recog- canvas, 152x101 cm., no date v «Plaza,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40
nition. In his sample from the gallery «The Magual,» he
incorporates pigeons to his series, remembering that as a inch., n.d v «Child with Balloon Against Three Houses,» acryl-
child he used to raise them in his house backyard. Fran-
cisco Santos will maintain consistency of new figuration to ic/canvas, 40x30 inch., 1989.
its «Experiences of the Barrio,» series showing in 1997.
Daniel Henríquez. (Santiago de los Caballeros,
«Brown Woman and Flowers,» acrylic/canvas, 24x30 inch.,
n.d v «Oranges and Doves,» acrylic/canvas, 27x32 inch., 1983 1946/1996). He studied Law and Industrial Engineering
v «Morena with Pamela,» acrylic/canvas 24x20 inch., 1983 v at the Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, in his na-
«Sea Birds and Fishers,» acrylic/canvas, 40x60 inch., 1986 v tive city, where he is co-founder of the Group Friordano
«Seascape,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., 1988 v «Landscape,» with samples exhibitions from 1968-1972. In the latter
acrylic/canvas, 40x36 in v «Two Houses Landscape with Several year he is selected for the Expo-New Image: 10 Avant-
Trees,» acrylic/canvas, 40x60 inch., 1988 v «Dove with Coffee garde’s Artists,» obtaining a painting award in the Casa
Plantation Bouquets,» acrylic/canvas, 40x60 inch., 1988 v de España Competition, 1976. At the time, he lived in
«Girl with Pamela and Dove,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., 1989 Santo Domingo, where he was working as an engineer,
v «Mulatto Woman,» acrylic/canvas, 50x59 inch., 1989. career that he leaves to become an art gallery owner or
dealer and to pursue his painting. His growing projection
Shum Prats. (Santo Domingo, 1952). He graduated is supported by countless individual exhibitions, his pres-
ence in domestic and international exhibitions.
from the School of Design and Decoration from the Uni-
versidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña, his work is In the Friordano exhibitions, he showcases paint-
influenced by his relatives Antonio Prats-Ventós (father) ings of housings in small formats and simple designs. He
and Ramón Prats-Ventós (uncle), though he establishes broadens his themes in 1976, influenced by Cuban Emil-
distance and differentiate from them. With prize won in io Sánchez and Fernando Peña Defilló; influences that he
the Competition Casa de España (1976), he holds six sin- personalizes with the single theme of their Republican,
gles between 1975 and 1980. He is considered a «Special Victorian and native homes, holding exhibitions with
case» in the artistic generation to which he is associated, real references, using methods such as the use of mask-
ing tape, of templates and collage. Henríquez becomes a
pictorial builder of Dominican houses and villages with
planimetric compositions, neat colours, submerged in
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Art and History
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the desert landscape and an atmosphere of lunar magic, Adolfo Piantini. (Santo Domingo, 1946). He was ini-
sunny and an explosive sky full of flowers, resulting in a
great promoter of the new figuration. tially trained at the ENBA and the Academy of Gilberto
Hernández Ortega, later studied in New York at various
«Little Dominican House,» acrylic/canvas, 105x50 cm., art schools, establishing residence in the United States.
1980 v «Little Dominican House,» acrylic/canvas, 104x41 cm., Jeannette Miller states: «He begins exhibiting in 1966 and his
1981 v «Little Dominican House,» screen/paper, 83x60 cm., 1985 expressive language is channeled through shadowy images that
v «Little Dominican House,» screen/paper, 85x62 cm., 1985 v relate to his learning experience with Hernández Ortega and Elsa
«Little Dominican House,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1989. Núñez. Piantini himself recognizes that his pictorial work was
primarily impacted by a Renaissance influence, followed by a pe-
Amaya Salazar. (Santo Domingo, 1951). She starts riod of attraction for the Gothic to get to expressionism, and the
product of his encounter with Rowalt, to a new-fauvism. Then, he
her training at the Academy of Painter Julia de Guerra was impressed by the work of Fernando Peña Defilló, and started
(1979), continuing in the School of the Museum of Fine incorporating the characteristics of what is called new Dominican
Arts, Boston (1979-1980). She holds five solo exhibi- figuration (…). In his last solo in 1977, Piantini continues work-
tions from 1981-1985, showcasing four additional ones ing the Dominican image through a kind of monumental compo-
between 1987-1990, in Madrid, Bilbao, Milan and Santo sition reminiscent of Cándido Bidó’s proportions. (JM, History
Domingo. Her first exhibition established a highly per- of the Dominican Painting, 1979, pp.77-78).
sonal visual voice. The moderation of her various themes
offer a thinner chromatic composition, a conjugation be- Jorge Severino. (Puerto Plata, 1935). He received draw-
tween sfumato-light of daily eloquence and new figura-
tion. Critics appreciate a «beautiful style (…) a subjective ing training form maestro Arzeno Rafael at a school in
intimate universe» (Satur Abon), «reality becomes fantasy, his hometown, continuing his pictorial creation on his
perhaps articulating a better world» (Cesar Iván Feris). own, holding first solo exhibition in 1966. He gets paint-
ing awards in the IV León Jimenes Art Contest (1968)
«Untitled,» oil/canvas, 95x49 cm., 1982 v «Two Women,» and the XIII Biennial (1974). «The Lady» is the winning
Oil/canvas, 30x40 cm., no date v «Maternity,» oil/canvas, 40x50,» work, which poses a figurative style on black women high-
no date v «Couple,» acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., no date. lighted in white, individually targeted in his second indi-
vidual exhibition in 1978. Magic and myth are welcomed
Danicel/Danilo De los Santos. (Puerto Plata, 1942). in his works, among other matters that relate him to
Dominican Pop Art. But «Family Portraits,» presented at
He is trained in Santiago de los Caballeros where he Casa de Teatro (1981) and other related series from 1983-
does all his schooling, artistic and academic studies, co- 1986, are the ones which lead him to a formal imaginary
founded of the Group Friordano which emerged in the iconography, linking him to the new configuration.
Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (1967), where he
obtains a Bachelor’s degree in Education and is linked as «Lady,» canvas print/paper, 35x26, 1985 v «The Bride,»
faculty and staff from various areas. In 1972, he holds a mix/canvas, 106x90 cm., 1985. «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas,
solo exhibition where he showcases the maroliano theme, 104x90 cm., 1993 v «The Bride 1,» acrylic/canvas, 101x91 cm.,
feminine, naive and black, which appears in various cy- 1994 v «Black Lady,» acrylic/canvas, 101x76 cm., 1995.
cles that are associated with the new configuration.
Thimo Pimentel. (Santo Domingo, 1941). Personality of
«Marola,» silkscreen/paper, 85x60 cm., 1985 v «Marola in
front of a Stained Glass,» oil/canvas, 126x101, 1989 v «Carni- many facets: doctor, artist, photographer, sculptor, painter,
val,» mix/paper, 74x109 cm., 1990.
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Danilo De los Santos
ceramist and cultural manager; he has formative links with «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 101x38 inch., 1989 v «Land-
Gilberto Fernandez Diez, Paul Giudicelli and Eva Kauf- scape,» acrylic/canvas, 100x75 inch., 1989 v «Landscape,»
man. First solo exhibition in 1963, then presenting numer- acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., 1989 v «Landscape,» acrylic/can-
ous solo exhibitions, earning awards in national competi- vas, 60x75 cm., 1989 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 60x75
tions and partnering as a member of Group Projects. He is cm., 1989 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1989 v
founder of the Triennial Elit-Tile, which places the Domin- «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., 1989 v «Landscape,»
ican Republic on the international map of contemporary acrylic/canvas, 100x37 cm., 1989 v «River Landscape,» acryl-
art ceramics, between the end of the last century and the ic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1989 v «Washerwomen on the River,»
beginning of the XXI century. Thimo is a ceramicist of re- acrylic/canvas, 75x59 cm., 1989.
nowned trajectory, cultivating it in two-dimensional works
(murals, paintings and tiles) and three-dimensional works Juan A. García Lestrad. (Santo Domingo, 1952).
(architecture, sculpture and functional objects).
Exhibits juvenile solo in 1966. He studied graphic de-
«White Horse,» framed ceramic assemble, 10x10 inch., 1980. sign, connecting to Atlante Group during 1970. Records
more than six solos, distinguishing himself by a figurative
Carolina Cepeda. (Río San Juan, María Trinidad Sán- style of profuse lines defining the issues which he molli-
fies with a narrative of ardent chromatism. He signs his
chez Province, 1952). Educated in the city of Santiago, works with the second surname Lestrad.
studied painting at the School of Fine Arts, and Social
Work at the University Madre y Maestra, which is part of «Landscape with Woman Washing,» oil/canvas, 24x30
Group Sinople, performing locally as a teacher of paint- inch., 1987 v «Scarecrow,» acrylic/canvas, 24x30 inch., 1992.
ing at her personal neighbourhood school. With a pres-
ence in national collectives, recorded 15 solo shows be- Alette Simmons. (Madison, WI 1952). With art educa-
tween 1970-1990. She was guest speaker at the exhibition
Dominican Women and Art Today-Homage to Celeste tion, especially in «Newcomb College of Tulane Univer-
Woss y Gil, held in Santo Domingo, 1995. sity (1971-1975), she is linked to the country by marriage
to a Dominican native. Artist working various forms:
One of the showcases of the painter, entitled «Canto sculpture, installation, painting and video. She holds
a mi Tierra,» brings about several cycles of a recognized nine solos from 1976-1991. Her discourse is evocative
landscaping in their recreations or exhilarating reinven- of contemporary stylistic trends, standing out restrained
tion of reality. The new figuration is explicit in his work colour tones in warm refined configurations.
developed with fresh and bright chromatic range, a work
that is multiplied in the treasures of Banco Popular. «Girl with a Boy Friend,» mixed metal/canvas, 100x75
cm., 1985 v «Family,» oil/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1985 v «Higuey
«Mouth of the Ozama River,» acrylic/canvas, 118x167 Couple,» oil/canvas, 76x121 cm., 1985.
inch., 1979 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 21x29 inch., 1980
v «Untitled,» oil/canvas, 24x29 inch., 1980 v «Untitled,» NEOHUMANIST FIGURATION
acrylic/canvas, 100x25 cm., 1982 v «Landscape,» acrylic/ In a discursive tradition linked to Jaime Colson, in-
canvas, 55x70 inch., 1984 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas,
76x30 cm., 1984 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 76x30 cm., fluential teacher of generations of artists between 1950-
1985 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 76x30 cm., 1985 v «To- 1978, its archetypes of mannered and racial subjects,
bacco Ranch,» color screen print 100/120/paper, 76x50 cm., mulattos and blacks, are repeated in neo figurative dis-
1986 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 100x37 inch., 1988 v courses, as in the case of the painters Baron Arias and
Virgilio Méndez.
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at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
Virgilio Méndez. After adhering to neo humanism composition tied to visible and covert geometric rules
encompasses names and figurative artworks with semi
linked to the portrait of black graceful women from low- figurations belonging to a core of artists: Roberto Flores,
income neighborhood, the painter showcases ladies with Soucy Pellerano Said Musa, Elsa Núñez, Leopoldo Pérez,
exotic and old-fashioned outfits and appearances: nice la- Dionisio Rodríguez, Norberto Santana, Alberto Ulloa…
dies focused as «portraits» removed from time, although in
a visionary fashion, associated with an illusory Antillean Soucy de Pellerano. (Santo Domingo, 1928). She
or Caribbean court.
receives in Puerto Plata her first artistic guidance
«Figure,» ink and watercolor/paper, 31x24 cm., 1984 v from Rafael Arzeno. Upon returning to her home-
«Figure,» ink and watercolor/paper, 31x24 cm., 1987 v «Black town she follows a professional career at the Univer-
Woman,» ink and watercolor/paper, 30x50 cm., no date v sity of Santo Domingo and receives guidance from
«Figure,» ink and watercolor/paper, 30x20 cm., no date v «Un- Rafael Pina Melero and Paul Giudicelli, completing
titled,» oil/canvas, 75x60 cm., no date v «The Lady of the training at ENBA, where she graduates in 1967. That
Songs,» screen/paper, 64x89 no date v «Great Lady,» media/ year she holds a first solo, showcasing another 14 per-
paper, 50x40 cm., no date v «Woman and Fish,» acrylic/canvas, sonal exhibitions until 1987. To this date, she has been
30x24 inch., no date. awarded several times at the León Jimenes Art Con-
test, and among many other honours, a prize in draw-
Barón Arias. (Santo Domingo, 1955). This Jaime Colson’ ing at the National Biennial 1972, appearing in «New
Image Expo: 10 Avant-garde artists.» As an artist, she
student customizes the neo humanist canon upon graduat- has been a woman of remarkable and versatile produc-
ing from the National School of Fine Arts in 1974. Years tivity. In her role as painter, some of her works inter-
later he held the first solo composed by fifteen drawings pret the industrial mechanical world, in compositions
(1976) and in subsequent years, 1977-1978, two other ex- full of schematic attractions and warm chromaticism
hibitions. He shares his time between New York and his that reveals a geometric accumulation.
hometown. In 1983, he achieves a drawing award from the
León Jimenes Art Contest makes evident an image of time- «Base UFUS J. L.,» oil/canvas, 24x30 inch., 1988.
less condition with its refined drawing with the ink pointil-
lism technique associated with similar works and a posterior Roberto Flores. (Santo Domingo, 1949). He studied
nucleus of paintings. In this nucleus, the thematic focus are
neighbourhood girls, absorbed and candid, of mulatto fea- at the National School of Fine Arts, where his principal
tures and dark skin, modelled in their drawn shapes and teachers were Pedro García Villena, Domingo Liz and Jai-
typified in the costumes and hairstyles in illusory contexts, me Colson, with whom he specializes in mural painting.
chromatically soft. Upon graduation in 1969 obtained first painting prize
from the school and an award in drawing at the León
«Girl in the Window,» acrylic/canvas, 27x34 inch., 1986 Jimenes Art Contest. In 1976 he featured his first solo
v «The Sisters,» acrylic/canvas, 34x27 inch., 1986 v «Girl,» and a second one in 1980. Together with Baron Arias
acrylic/canvas, 28x22 inch., 1992. held an exhibition in 1984. His works express nostalgia
in a yellowish vision of colonial houses like in the case of
other neo-humanist or proto-Corsians figurations, tend-
GEOMETRIC AND REMINISCENT ing to a reduction of determined images with geometric
FIGURATIONS patterns or neo-cubist tendency.
The memory of an earlier time, as a pre-romanticism
scene, visionary landscape and mastery icon; as pictorial
382
Danilo De los Santos
«Colonial Zone,» acrylic/canvas, 20x14 inch., 1984 v Dionisio Pichardo. (La Vega, 1929/Santo Domingo,
«Face,» acrylic/canvas, 20x16 inch., 1986 v «Cellist,» oil/can-
vas, 40x30 inch., 1992 v «Composition,» oil/canvas, 40x30 inch., 2010). He lives in the Dominican capital, attends artistic
1991 v «Face profile,» mixed/canvas, 49x39 cm., 1986 v «Unti- and literary gatherings, embarking on his own pictorial
tled,» oil/canvas, 100x80 cm., 1989 v «Abstract,» mixed/canvas, complete training by attending the National School of
100x75 cm., 1991 v «Music,» acrylic/canvas, 32x39 inch., 1989. Fine Arts and received guidance from the teacher Col-
son. He is associated with the 1950 generation. He held
Norberto Santana. (Santo Domingo, 1943). He gradu- solo exhibitions for a decade, from 1957 to 1959. With a
living experience in New York, he held a solo exhibition
ated from the National School of Fine Arts (1963), with in that city before returning back to his birthplace, where
extensive training in Spain, then completing training he continued his artistic career. His work ranges from
with his teacher Colson. He holds first solo in the Do- dense expressionist figurations, abstractions and works
minican capital (1966-1967), earning an award for paint- of geometric solutions.
ing at the V León Jimenes Art Contest (1969). During
the 1970s showcased four solos. He produces Duco and «Picasso Contemplating the Dove of Peace,» oil/canvas,
fresco murals, accept responsibility teaching, showcasing 64x53 cm., 1983.
solos later on, during the 1980s decade. With a refined
style of combined figurations in compositions of «recti- Leopoldo Pérez (Lepe). Leaving behind the stark so-
linear geometricism,» one can notice a neoclassicist dis-
play in his discourse. The qualities of that style are lost, cial drama of strong black frame of the 1960s, though
approaching later on –during the 1990s– themes related while still being expressionist, since the showings of the
to social reality: neighbourhoods, landscapes and human Proyecta Group, to which he belongs, his palette be-
subjects among other everyday issues, his palette offers comes lighter with yellow and bluish textures. Between
clarities in spectrum and light, persisting in its diagram 1974 and 1987, he develops new compositional themes
and geometry. showing landscapes, strolls and sellers, not excluding the
space geometrizations as «drawing armature» surfacing or
«Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 50x60 cm., 1985 v «Land- internalized; demonstrating «Lyricism and spiritual vitality
scape,» acrylic/canvas, 60x50 cm., 1986 v «Landscape,» acrylic/ (…) which expresses that character of uniqueness settling his
canvas, 52x77 cm., 1986 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 painting as only Lepe knows how,» comments Abil Peralta
cm., 1988 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., 1993. Agüero.
Said Musa. (Santo Domingo, 1959). He studies at the «Sailboat,» oil/canvas, 83x106 cm., 1983 v «Mountain
Landscape,» oil/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1986 v «Pinewoods,»
ENBA during the years 1967-1972, under the teacher acrylic/canvas, 86x114 cm., 1987 v «The Stroll,» oil/canvas,
Jaime Colson. He is a draftsman, painter, ceramicist, 88x104 cm., 1987.
muralist and an award-winning sculptor in León Jimenes
Art Contest (1992) and the National Biennial (1994). He Alberto Ulloa. (Altamira, Puerto Plata 1950). He re-
has held several solo exhibitions from 1980 to the pres-
ent century, in his style of painting, the figurations are turns from Spain with a Professor of Fine Arts degree
characterized by strong chromatic contrasts accentuated from the Royal Academy of San Fernando, Madrid, in
by lines and suggestive geometric shapes. 1977, the year he holds a solo exhibition at the Gallery
Auffant. In 1978, another solo showing is presented at
«Child sitting,» oil/canvas 121x66 cm., 1993. the Gallery of Modern Art, achieving an award for paint-
ing at the XIV Biennial in 1979. Ulloa’s new production
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demonstrate on one hand an imaginative figuration al- NEO-SURREALITY
lusive to linguistic connections, and on the other an op- Surrealism is a literary and visual trend that postu-
posing figuration combining geometric solutions. In this
latter trend one can perceive a Picassian connection, as lates dream and hallucinatory image as a way of under-
well as with Dominican masters. standing concepts, thoughts and the imaginable feeling
isolated from the objective world, appearing late in the
«Character,» media/paper, 60x40 cm., 1980 v «Face,» Dominican Republic. Here it develops in its early stage
acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., 1984 v «Woman in the Mirror,» with pioneer names: Eugenio Fernandez Granell, Jaime
acrylic/canvas, 57x33 inch., 1984 v «Portrait of a stranger,» Colson, Joseph Gausachs, Hernández Ortega, Julio Vega
acrylic/canvas, 98x152 cm., 1988. Batlle, although no absolute, with a dividing line in
1960. From this date, the second stage that we denomi-
Elsa Núñez. (Santo Domingo, 1940). She graduated as nate Neo-Surreality, starts with the transit of Jorge No-
ceda and Luis Oscar Romero from the distant New York,
a teacher of drawing and painting at the ENBA (1962) is represented by Iván Tovar, José Félix Moya, Domingo
beginning her individual exhibitions in 1963, adding an- Liz, Clara Ledesma, Félix Brito, Thelma Lora, Dionisio
other six until 1970, when she travels to Spain to expand Blanco, Alberto Ulloa, Ignacio Corner (Kuma), Fernan-
her training. In Madrid she shows two solo exhibitions do Ureña Rib, Manuel Montilla and Vicente Fabré.
in 1971. Upon returning to the country, she increases
her work as a teacher, as a host for children’s workshops .
and exhibitor at local and international collective show-
ings. Between 1972 and 1985, she showcased 15 personal Félix José Moya. (Sánchez, Samaná, 1944). He starts his
showings, among them, a retrospective that includes 80
paintings. Around the latter year mentioned, her dis- pictorial training in La Vega, continuing at the National
course offers an expressive openness where the internal- School of Fine Arts, where he graduated as a teacher. In
ized landscape of clear refreshing shades, consisting in 1967 he holds the first solo comprising 24 oil paintings
simultaneous abstractions with the figurations of women in which he initiates his adhesion to surrealism. In his
with elongated forms expressing spring voices, or rep- discourse on planimetric and deserted landscape he is
resenting the season of flowers and butterflies, among occupied with thoughtful images marked by the oneiric,
other visions of new-romantic tendency. which is what distinguishes him as one of the foremost
surrealist painters marking a sustained journey in the
«Face,» acrylic/canvas, 62x52 cm., 1987 v «The mysterious second half of the twentieth century.
bottom of the sea,» 125x125 cm., 1987 v «The mysterious bot-
tom of the sea,» acrylic/canvas, 125x125 cm., 1987 v «Work «Spell of the Fourth Dimension,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100
Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1991 v «Woman with
Flowers,» acrylic/canvas, 75x60 cm., no date v «Woman with cm., 1988.» v «Spell of Criptomas in the Desert of the Irra-
Bougainvillea,» acrylic/canvas, 90x60 cm., no date v «Woman
Resting,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., no date v «Women with tional,» acrylic/canvas, 88x91, 1991 v «Marina with Pelican»
pamela hat and Butterfly,» acrylic/canvas, 75x60 cm., no date
v «Spring,» acrylic/canvas, 75x60 cm., no date v «Woman and acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1988.
butterfly,» screen/paper, 38x100 cm., no date v «Lady with
Flowers,» acrylic/canvas, 76x101 cm., no date v «Abstract,»
oil/canvas, 76x100 cm., no date. Iván Tovar. (San Francisco de Macorís, 1942). After
moving to Santo Domingo he gets to enter at age 13 in
the National School of Fine Arts, from which he graduat-
ed, holding solo exhibitions between 1959 and 1962. He
is an artist associated with the generation of 1960 who
decides to travels to Paris where he gets experience as a
militant and becomes associated with the teachers José
384
Danilo De los Santos
Gausachs and Hernández Ortega, in relation to their dis- then moved to New York where she establishes residence,
courses and surreal temperaments. In the Parisian milieu maintaining her link with the home country where she
he gains awareness about Surrealism, producing a work of constantly displays her imaginative, magical, mythologi-
absurd forms, organic, imaginative, voluptuous, smooth, cal and surreal pieces.
sometimes with thorny elements in an atmosphere of po-
etic solitude. In France he has been recognized as the «The Twins,» oil/canvas, 100x83 cm., 1988 v «Astral
new voice of surrealism at the moment of his returns to Trio,» oil/canvas, 30x40 inch., no date.
the country, performing solo exhibitions in addition to
those featured in several European countries. His name Santiago Sosa. (Santo Domingo, 1945). After studying
and work boast of local and international prestige.
at the National School of Fine Arts, obtains a painting
Work «Untitled,» charcoal and crayon/paper, 60x94, award in the XIII National Biennial (1974), featuring in
no date. San Cristobal City Hall (1975), at the Gallery of Modern
Art (1977), as well as participating in various collective
Félix Brito. (Santo Domingo, from 1945/2003). He exhibitions. His discourse subscribes to absurd, halluci-
natory and conceptual figuration attached to Surreality.
studied at the School of Fine Arts during the years 1961-
1967. He participates and gets an award in drawing at the «Composition (Character),» acrylic/canvas, 36x24 inch.,
León Jimenes Contest of 1969, holding solo exhibition 1996 v «Woman with Butterfly,» acrylic/canvas, 75x60 inch.,
that year, and then a second one in 1970. In the XIII Na- no date.
tional Biennial (1970) he gets a special prize for the work
«Imaginary Portrait of a Girl,» participating in the exhibi- Ignacio Rincón (Kuma). (La Victoria, North Santo
tion «60s’ Generation» organized by the Modern Art Gal-
lery in 1982. His pictorial discourse is characterized by Domingo, 1951). A draftsman, printmaker and painter.
formal tidiness. His themes give privilege to nudes paint- He is known by the nickname of Kuma, which he uses
ings and young faces and graceful maidens transmitting to sign his works. Graduated from the ENBA, he was
a particular oneiric poetic. part of the Group The Six, with whom he participates in
a collective exhibition, then going away to Spain where
«Woman with Butterfly,» oil/canvas, 75x60 cm., 1976 v training expands and establishes residence. In 1986 holds
«Woman with Pamela,» oil/canvas, 60x75 cm., 1976. his first solo at Casa de Teatro, holding other solo exhibi-
tions in 1987 and 1988.
Clara Ledesma. (Santiago, 1924/Nueva York 1999). A
Series «The Revelations of the Forest Clearings,» oil/can-
draftswoman and a painter, she received guidance at the vas, 198x63 cm., 1987.
Yoryi Morel Academy, training at the National School
of Fine Arts, where she was notable disciple of Joseph Vicente Fabré. (La Vega, 1946). Sculptor, ceramist and
Gausachs. She held her first individual exhibition in
1952, and is the only woman artist in the Group of Four, painter who graduated from the School of Fine Arts in
with Colson, Hernández Ortega and Gausachs. She his hometown, where he was a teacher. Between 1973
traveled to Madrid where she expands her knowledge, and 1988 he had fifteen solo exhibitions, mostly in San-
returning to Santo Domingo where she exhibited actively to Domingo, where he is teaching. «Circus Acrobatics,»
in collective and individual exhibitions. She gets numer- was the title of the exhibition of 1988, which he held
ous national awards showcasing in various countries, and before moving to the United States, living in New York
and Miami, the cities where he features in individual and
collective exhibitions. His circus discourse adheres to a
385
Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
recreation of playful and surreal aspects, in a figurative Thelma de Lora. (Santiago, 1932). Her training is
and narrative atmosphere.
linked to Gaby Lichart (Brazilian) and Rosa Idalia García
«Circus Acrobats,» acrylic/canvas, 39x40 cm., 1988. (from Santiago). She obtains a drawing award in the con-
test León Jimenes (1971), holding a cozy production with
Luichy Martínez Richiez. (San Pedro de Ma- fickle exhibition records until she held an individual at
Casa de Arte (Santiago, 1988). Later she features in Jacinto
corís, 1926/Santo Domingo, 2005). Associated with Domínguez (1990) and was selected to exhibit in the Do-
the first promotion of National School of Fine Arts, minican painters collective at the Art Gallery of the OAS
holds her first solo in 1949, expanding her training (Washington DC 1991). With different linguistic and the-
in Argentina and France. She establishes home in matic twists, ends with an amplitude of surrealist visions
France, often returning to the country, featuring solo alluding to ecology and the affective imagination.
exhibits and participating in competitions that reward
her sculptures. Three-dimensional, draftswoman and «The Machine,» acrylic/canvas, 45x60 inch., 1990 v «And
painter artist, settled permanently in Santo Domingo
in 1981. Her visual references conceptualize aspects Peace Settled over Me,» acrylic/canvas, 29x41 inch., 1989 v
of the island reality, leading to a surreal production
where eroticism is the sign, even in her paintings «With Me in the Deep,» acrylic/canvas, 41x30 inch., 1989.
where female corporeality/mulatto responds to an
implausible imaginary. Dionisio Blanco. (San Cristóbal, 1953). Studied at
«Bather,» acrylic/canvas, 75x43 cm., 1987 v «Untitled,» the National School of Fine Arts, presented his first
acrylic/canvas, 86x51 cm., 1992 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, solo in 1978, which won first drawing prize at the XVI
152x100 cm., 1995 v «Figure (Bust),» acrylic/canvas, 40x60 National Visual Arts Biennial. Draftsman and painter,
inch., 1998. assumes the role of art critic and university professor,
and in this century is dedicated to the sculptural cre-
Teté Marella. She is considered to be Dominican due ation. Between 1984 and 1990 held five other solo ex-
hibitions, two in New York and the third in Vermont,
to her four decades of artistic devotion and residency where he enjoyed art residency scholarship. With a
in the country, she takes on a leading role in indi- presence in collective exhibitions inside and outside the
vidual and collective exhibitions. Between 1984-1997, home country, he enjoys international critical prestige.
displays her production visually shaping her history of Fernando Vargas, addressing the topic «Topography for
individual, family and female myths, starring «dreamy a Phantom Field,» argues: It is well known that the great-
and compelling ladies in their immensity and ingenuity (…) est influence on Dominican surrealist painting comes, no
with gestures oscillating between the real, the apparent, the doubt, from Salvador Dalí. However, in recent years has ap-
marvelous and the absurd. Marella usually brings in new peared a renewal of the surreal mythical decorated through a
elements of a universe imbued in both playful and dreamlike new strategy. This new reality empowerment arises under the
nature in each exhibition…» (Myrna Guerrero, El Caribe, apparent incarnation of the representation of the similarity
May 17, 1997). between the painted world and its own update. Moved by this
dialectic is emerging a figurative instinctual space immersed
«Composition,» acrylic/canvas, 40x50 cm., 1980 v «Over- in the roots of the playful touched by the «unreal world. «This
ture in bicicios,» media/paper, 69x53 cm., 1987 v «Fat Wom- new code has been supported by the dreamlike immersion in
an,» screen/paper, 85x60 cm., no date v «Untitled,» oil/paper, the everyday life of local space. In this equation between the
69x53 cm., no date. strength of the new figuration Dionisio Blanco’s work (…)
386
Danilo De los Santos
is the most representative.» (FV «Dionisio Blanco.» Enig- country he exerts influence on several colleagues in the
matic Paints,» 1991, pp.25-26). art of finishing paintings. He obtains a pictorial award in
the 1974 National Biennial. When traveling and living in
«Planting Rice,» acrylic/canvas, 40x30 cm., 1986 v «Sow- South America he showcases ten more personal exhibi-
ers,» acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1987 v «Sowers,» acrylic/ tions, which he has exhibited until 1988. Since them, his
canvas, 121x182 cm., 1988 v «Sowers,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 approach to large formats executions, technical refine-
cm., 1990 v «Fantasy Dream,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., ment and distinctive and personal iconography is linked
1991 v «Sowers,» acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1991 v «Sow- to a solid configuration of compositional structure and a
ers,» acrylic/canvas, 90x106 cm., 1991 v «Sowers,» acrylic/ high tone between rational dreamlike and the hallucina-
canvas, 100x75 cm., 1991 v «Sowers against the False Mirror,» tion motivated by surreal experiences of existence.
acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1991 v «Sowers against the False
Mirror,» acrylic/canvas, 101x76 cm., 1992 v «Metaphor of Si- «Composition,» acrylic/canvas, 45x45 inch., no date.
lence,» acrylic/canvas, 76x101 cm., 1995 v «Sowers as Letters
of Desire,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1996 v «Dream Plant- Fernando Ureña Rib. He follows a linear transforma-
ers Fantasies,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1997 v «Sowers,»
acrylic/canvas 75 x 100 cm., 1997 v «Sowers,» acrylic/canvas, tion path appreciated in important group exhibitions of
121x76 cm., no date. personal samples, of which «The Gates of Sleep» (1985)
are meaningful examples for someone who is a drafts-
Manuel Montilla. (La Romana, 1948). Graduated man, sculptor and painter, teacher and art critic at the
same time. The title referred to is a dream allusion with
from the ENBA (1974), with concentration in mural «boundaries between the conscious and the unconscious of the
painting and graphic arts in Madrid, Spain (1977-1980). nightmare, psychic movements inside the man.»
He was a member of the «The Six,» earning drawing prize
and Grand Prize in the 1975 and 1990 National Bienni- «Marine Composition,» acrylic/canvas, 99x63 cm., 1987 v
als. He holds eleven solo exhibitions between 1975-1992, «Dream Submarine,» oil/canvas, 128x90 cm., 1987 v «Astral
being «Origins,» his production of the last year cited. Submarine,» oil/canvas, 98x72 cm., 1990 v «Marine Composi-
Spanish critic Luis González-Roble-, presenting his work: tion,» acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., no date v «Carnivorous,»
Two trends in his already extensive work, which expressed a seri- oil/canvas, 101x76 cm., no date v «Pupas 1,» oil/canvas, 127x81
ous contention and unique visual language in order to arrive at cm., no date v «Pupas among Rocks,» oil/canvas, 101x76 cm.,
magical realism, which is what he projects on his recent stage. no date.
Montilla depicts a cosmic world of fascinating intensity spaces
(…). These scattered fragments dominate the broad outline of Domingo Liz. (Santo Domingo, 1931/2013). He grad-
his work, rebuilding a total surreal world…» (LG-R. Presenta-
tion, April 1992). uated from the National School of Fine Arts. In 1949
he studies painting at graduate level with Jaime Colson.
«Ecstasy,» oil/canvas, 129x96 cm., n.d v «Untitled,» oil/ He is a draftsman, sculptor and painter who was part of
canvas, 91x59 cm., no date. Grupo Proyecta (1968). He held his first single in 1971
and was selected as an exhibitor at the Expo New Image:
Orlando Menicucci. (Santiago, 1949). He was award- 10 avant-garde artists (Santiago, 1972). Liz was obtained
awards in drawing and sculpture in national competi-
ed a scholarship by UNESCO to study curator and res- tions and developed a long teaching career in ENBA and
toration in Mexico City. His first solo exhibition in the the UASD, assuming critical and theoretical underpin-
Aztec nation took place in (1971). Upon returning to the nings. He is an award-winning teacher in Painting by
387
Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
Corripio Foundation (2012) and by the National Arts sionism, focusing on Geo Ripley, Dionis Figueroa, Elsa
Award, which he found out before his death. His paint- Núñez, Ramón Oviedo, Freddy Javier, Antonio Guada-
ings on paper and cloth are depictions of marginal social lupe, Cuquito Peña, Rosa Tavárez, José Miura, Ada Bal-
reality, which combine with imaginary humour, playful, sa- cácer, among others.
tirical and neo-surrealist visions associated with transparent
shapes and ranges of colour; distinct visions that are linked Geo Ripley. (b. 1950). We have already made reference to
to magical realism.
«Sign,» a painting from the 1973-1974 period that relates to
«Untitled,» oil/paper, 35x39 cm., 1989. his abstractionist experience with which emerged as a «Ben-
jamin» in the 1960s, strengthening the linguistic preference
OTHER ABSTRACTIONS/ with new variables, including those linked to his activism
OTHER EXPRESSIONISMS as a supporter of conceptual art, that according to Karin
In the last six decades of the twentieth century, covering Thomas: «Renounces the material realization and instead displays
the years 1939-1999 the history of national visual arts has a ideas and projects in forms of sketches and designs, trying to stimu-
development that we have divided in ten-year artistic genera- late the imaginative.» His goal is to liberate momentum, to
tions, but whose linguistic approaches trace inevitable and focus on the «Sketched construction of a prototypical situation.»
simultaneous mimetic, disruptive, and revisionists parallel. Five untitled works, without dates and egalitarian measures
Until 1939 these parallel were barely visible as a contrast (68x48 cm), and all media/paper may be attached to this ex-
between the traditional precursors artists we call «romantic,» perience, since conceptualism lay bares a solid production.
as Arturo Grullón Julia, and those artists who broke that
tradition, which we consider our early modernists, includ- «Pre-symbol,» oil/canvas, 52x72 cm., 1981, is an abstract and
ing Celeste Woss y Gil, Yoryi Morel, Darío Suro, and Jaime
Colson. conceptual work. Likewise v «Signs,» oil/canvas, 14x20 inch.,
Since 1939, with our modern precursors and a core of
exiled European artists, the modern isms, get expanded: 1984.
impressionism, cubism, expressionism, racial-social real-
ism, abstraction, surrealism, trends which have projection
in constant exhibitions from 1950 henceforth. Isms iden- Dionis Figueroa. (Santo Domingo, 1956). While resid-
tified are not assumed as in Europe, but rather re-codified
based on national issues and individual artistic experienc- ing in New York starts taking painting lessons then (1970),
es. Placing ourselves in the «spiritual art» as abstraction, moves to Puerto Rico where he completes his training in
also in the trend of strong expression or expressionism, visual arts, becoming a drafter, printmaker and painter and
we found the flow of both languages in discourses and conceptual art supporter, position that he sustains in 1980
works preceding the 1970s, citing the artists that combine with an art installation at the League of Arts of San Juan,
abstraction and expressionism based on new conceptual the Puerto Rican capital. Back to formal work, he presents
premises and different conjugations, even assuming the three solo exhibitions in Santo Domingo (1987), Altos de
synthesis or merging of several languages. Chavón (1990) and the Museum of Modern Art (Santo
On the grounds of what has been exposed, and rely- Domingo, 1998), which was a retrospective, displaying sev-
ing on the art collection of Banco Popular Dominicano, eral series: Ports and thresholds among other matters sub-
we address the subject Other Abstractions/Other Expres- mitted to a serene reference of the sea, of water flows in
lyrical abstractionism exhibited in various processes such
as collage and assemblage. Geology, the native island and
ocean reality are actually open doors of creative maturity.
«Cosmogénesis.» (Cosmogonies Series). Acrylic/paper. 70x99
cm., 1987.
388
Danilo De los Santos
Elsa Núnez. (B. 1943). Her works «Abstract,» mixed/ «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 75x101 cm., 1989 v «Visita-
dora,» acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., no date v «Composition,»
canvas, 76x100 cm., 1990, and «The Mysterious Seabed,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1989 v «Muse,» mix/canvas,
acrylic/canvas, 125x125 cm., 198, are an abstractionist 100x75 cm., 1995.
and personalized formulation in style, language and over-
view. The painter «with the expressive power of her palette, Ada Balcácer. (Santo Domingo, 1930). Diversified
delves into the deep conceptual sea and mountain views and
defines a place textural and organic, mysterious and abstract. Master: artist, designer, teacher, writer, installer, manager
All are reinterpretations of the natural environment.» and director of visual arts experiments, more than mural-
ist, its upward trajectory assumes many national themes
«Abstract,» mix/canvas, 76x100 cm., 1990 v «The Mysteri- and feelings of outdoor spaces, which she spiritualizes as
ous Bottom of the Sea,» acrylic/canvas, 125x125 cm., 1987. abstractions very consistent with her clean and radiant
palette: her work «Miami 1985,» acrylic/canvas 101x132,
José Miura. (Santo Domingo, 1948). With a back- is an abstract blue and pink painting showcased in a
meeting with the city of the State of Florida on the date
ground in Visual Arts at the Escuela Massana of Barcelo- indicated by the work’s title.
na, in Fine Arts Circle and the School of Arts and Craft
in Madrid, he also took a course of art works restora- Antonio Guadalupe. (Moca, 1941). Initiated his artis-
tion in Mexico. He presented his first solo exhibition in
1973. Drafter, theatrical costume designer, set designer tic training in his hometown, guided by Pontius Salcedo,
and painter, he is credited with 15 samples in personal continuing at the National School of Fine Arts then,
features and important presence in collective exhibitions with New York teachers upon moving to the city where
inside and outside the native republic. «In the eighties he holds his first solo exhibition. In 1968 he held his sec-
began his foray into geometric abstraction, predominant- ond personal exhibition in his home country. After ad-
ly vertical in his work, contributing to Dominican art the hering to abstraction, his production addresses a variety
pictorial expression as ritual. of topics: harlequins, tilapia, popular altarpieces, Chris-
tology, and the Ozama, where geometrical solutions do
«Offerings,» mix/canvas, 76x101 cm., 1986 v «Major Of- not exclude socially accentuated expressionist language,
fering,» oil/canvas, 101x76 cm., no date. sharp in the drawing and highlighted in the plot. First
prize for painting at the 1984 National Biennial. His in-
Rosa Tavárez. (Santiago, 1937). After obtaining a teach- dividual and collective exhibitions are countless.
er degree from ENBA, continues graduate studies in New «Maternity,» oil/canvas, 51x41 cm., 1987.
York (1972-1976), later studies lithography in Puerto Rico
(1979) and handcrafted design in Colombia in the past Ramón Oviedo. (Barahona, 1924). He becomes a
year mentioned. She was the only female artist of Grupo
Reflejo with development between 1969-1970. Master of well recognized expressionist when opening his mural
printmaking as creation and education, she held eleven «Mamámerica» in the headquarters of the OAS (Washing-
individual exhibitions from 1975-1993, achieving several ton DC 1982), also another large mural, «Evolution,» in
distinctions within and outside her homeland. In paint- the headquarters of the Central Bank of the Dominican
ing and installation, she has showcased a work entitled Republic (1983). At the Museum of Modern Art, all floors
«Geometría herida (1994),» privileging the pictorial work were occupied by six hundred paintings when he held his
later characterized by a diffused color atmosphere, with retrospective in 1988. At the UNESCO headquarters he
abstract or expressionist results.
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
opens the mural «Petrified Culture» (Paris, 1992) and in Freddy Javier. (Hato Mayor del Seibo, 1946). Graduated
1997 was awarded the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sán-
chez and Mella, by the Dominican Government. Other from ENBA, is a member of the group «Reflejo.» He held
national and international awards establish his stature as seven solo exhibitions between 1975-1996. Among his
an active painter and exhibitor maestro: «Evolutionary youth awards, he obtained the first award of National Stu-
Persistence of Form in Matter» (1998), «Footprint of the dent Drawing Contest sponsored by the University Madre
Future» (2000), among others, «Oviedo last decade 1994- y Maestra (1969), and among his professional awards the
2003 «at the Cultural Center of Spain, Santo Domingo. pictorial of the Ministry of Agriculture (1983) and drawing
on the 1994 National Biennial. He is a teacher at the Na-
«Tight-rope Walker Over Antonio Toribio’s Sculpture,» tional School and participates in countless group exhibi-
mix/canvas, 52x61 cm., no date v «Simulacra 4,» oil/canvas tions. The painter had rehearsed many discursive searches
114x122 cm., no date v «Celebration at the Batey,» mix/can- until finding the theme of mass transportation, urban or
vas, 60x76 cm., no date v «Tomasito no quiere ir a la ciudad,» popular with which creates and enforces identification
mix/canvas, 110x75 cm., no date v «Somewhere,» mix/canvas, based on visual research and being a protagonist. If at first
75x101 cm., no date v «Trapped By His Own Invention,» mix/ he focused presentations inside the overcrowded buses and
canvas, 76x60 cm., no date v «Daybreak,» mix/canvas, 75x100 their passengers, some of them holding to avoid falling, his
cm., no date v «Aquatic Dance,» mix/canvas, 76x100 cm., no agenda widened in a variety of approaches and chromatic
date v «Twilight Over Plutón,» mix/canvas 71x101 cm., no composition. About this matter Marianne de Tolentino
date v «En el carrito de Don Juan nos vamos,» mix/canvas, writes: He enriched the figurer’s behavior and gestures, applying
76x101 cm., no date. his knowledge both from academia and contemporary currents
and fusing and alternating –Cubism, Futurism, Expressionism–.
Antonio–Cuquito-Peña. (Santiago1946/Santo Domin- He got out of the bus. He walked down the street and got on pub-
lic cars. He even rode a Motoconcho, of course, metaphorically…
go, 2013). Draftsman, painter and restorer of paintings and through the experiences summarized in his reinvention of the sur-
murals, was formed at the Painting Academy of Fine Arts rounding reality. (M.D.T. Listín Diario, March 1, 1989).
in his hometown, where he held his first solo on Victorian
architectural motifs. With studies in Madrid, Spain and a «Motoconcho en 4. Transport Series,» acrylic/canvas,
teaching position at the Autonomous University of Santo
Domingo, he held a number of solo exhibitions, rang- 74x100 cm., 1989 v «Waiting For The Transport,» mix/can-
ing from water-colour techniques, drawing and acrylic,
as well as in costumbrista and landscape subjects and lan- vas, 50x61 cm., 1989 v «Chaos. Transport Series,» mix/canvas,
guages. Heir of master Don Jacinto Domínguez Tropical
Cubism, he creates his own personal touch accentuating 75x100 cm., 1989 v «¿Y esto qué…?,» mix/canvas, 40x50 cm.,
the schematic contours, leading to a private geometric ex-
pressionism, the most visual identifier of its discourse. 1989 v «Motoconcho. Transport Series,» mix/canvas, 60x75
«Composition,» oil/canvas, 105x71 cm., 1970 v «Carriage,» cm., 1989 v «Si las guaguas volaran,» mix/canvas, 39x50 cm.,
serigraph/paper, 76x50 cm., 1986 v «Fierce,» serigraph/paper,
69x49 cm., no date v «Composition,» acrylic/paper, 60x90 cm., 1987 v «Invalidar el motoconcho. Transport Series,» mix/can-
no date v «Palm Trees,» watercolor/paper, 88x60 cm., no date
v «Merchant Woman,» watercolor/paper, 60x88 cm., no date vas, 50x60 cm., 1989 v «Collector. Transport Series,» mix/
v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 100x72 cm., no date.
canvas, 100x126 cm., 1990 v «Suban todos. Transport Series,»
mix/canvas, 59x74 cm., 1989 v «Danger. Transport Series,»
mix/canvas, 50x60 cm., 1989 v «Two Days of June. Transport
Series,» acrylic/canvas, 76x101 cm., 1989 v «Heralds,» mix/
canvas, 76x101 cm., no date v «No Transport,» mix/canvas,
90x114 cm., 1988. «Motoconcho v Transport Series,» mix/can-
vas, 126x100 cm., 1989.
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Danilo De los Santos
Silvano Lora. (Santo Domingo, 1931/2003). Multifac- acrylic/canvas, 88x55 cm., 1987 v «Diego Colón Ancient
eted artist, studied at the ENBA and his first solo exhibi- House,» acrylic/canvas, 76x101 cm., 1991 v «La Atarazana. Co-
tion was in 1951. Critics praised his qualities as a drafts-
man and painter who decides to travel abroad and lived lonial Monuments Series,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1987.
in France until 1977. In Paris, Rome and other European
cities recorded personal exhibitions and presents antiwar
atmospheres and staged art with multimedia. In 1961 he Fernando Peña Defilló. (Santo Domingo, 1928).
returned to his homeland and founded Movimiento Arte
y Liberación and also Frente Cultural in 1965, painting With a great record in local and international exhibitions
murals and posters. He was expelled from the country for (Spain, London, Bogota, Paris, Havana, New York…) he
political reasons, and lives in Panama where he becomes reaches six individual exhibitions held from 1953 to 1980,
supporter of the Panama Canal sovereignty. War, mili- presenting the latter year «Sobre la materia y el espíritu» at
tary interventions and social oppression will lead him the Gallery of Modern Art of the Dominican capital. He
to a very personal pictorial discourse, unconventional is a maestro, not because of lessons taught in classrooms,
in the use of extra-pictorial and recycled materials with but because of his distinctive style that delves into the es-
symbolic and figurative compositions marked by a con- sentials of belonging and life without mimesis, with breaks
temporary expressionism. and conductive synchronicities. He «voluntarily immerses
us in the intimate nuances of his topics and his carvings,
«Intitled» mix and collage/canvas, 75x55 cm., 1987 v with an extraordinary handling of the collage, implement-
ing serial and glued masks, more mystical ontological refer-
«Composition,» acrylic/canvas, 86x60 cm., 1982. ences, combined with pure abstract form devoid of values
as moving spiritualization, similar to dark expressionist
spectral faces that occupy impact levels on his canvas.
José Cestero. (Santo Domingo, 1937). Remarkable
After the speech «Sobre la materia y el espíritu,»
drafter and painter, with a presence in numerous col- other chapters followed: «From the beginning» (1983),
lective and individual exhibitions until 1985. That year «Parallel Worlds» (1985), which relates to the series but-
he holds the exhibition «Mirando a través de la cuesta terflies and «Anima Mundi» (1993) and other visionary
del vidrio,» which determines his discursive guideline proposals about god people, wild hearts, light universes,
towards urban landscape, focusing on the colonial archi- deposits reflective of his location in Jarabacoa. The ret-
tecture. Cestero knows the area since childhood, so the rospective anthology «The Eternal Return» (Centro León
landscape as in Felipe de Pisis (Italy 1896-1956) is cap- 2009) together with, the National Arts Award granted by
tured on linear touches, mild or harsh and automatic, the Dominican State (2010) are references that are writ-
disturbing as repetitive and joyful, as it occurs later when ten on this spiritual maestro and wise about the unmis-
he assumes other topics. The use of loose ranges and deli- takable fullness of life.
cate touches, submissive, almost cartoonish when add-
ing human subjects to his architectural views: His style «About the Material and The Spirit,» mix and collage/
is overwhelmed, repetitive and unique in the history of
Dominican art, and in addition, is neo-expressionist. paper, 84x60 cm., 1981 v «About the Material and The Spirit,»
«Beyond Plaza Colón,» acrylic/canvas, 50x75 cm., n.d v mix/canvas, 157x127 cm., 1984 v «Cayennes,» serigraph/paper,
«The Ancient Plaza Independencia,» acrylic/canvas, 121x128 50x86 cm., 1985.
cm., 1984 v «Plaza Colón. My Childhood Moments Series,» José Perdomo. (Santo Domingo.1948).Trained at the
acrylic/canvas, 1986-1987 v «Partial View of Casa de Curas,» National School of Fine Arts (1962-1965) and Pratt
Graphic (1968-1969) of New York, where he lives. With
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Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
10 solo exhibitions (1966-1986) holds the first one at forms draw preferential linearity from artists precursors
the Fine Arts Palace, in his native city. After adhering of the nineteenth century, with natural depictions, ro-
to abstraction, constructionism and Pop Art, he assumes mantic recreations and epochal portraits. The invention
the Dominican agenda focusing on the landscape with and arrival of photography added a new way of captur-
soulful distortion on the expressionist form. The tree, ing reality, but in drawing, painting and sculpture it con-
its trunk, the light, the river and the high ravine which tinued to be embraced by traditional visual arts since the
skirts the village Altos de Chavón is focused in his work beginning of the century until 1970 and the consequential
presented at Casa de Bastidas in 1987. 1980s and 1990s. To see an entire historical guideline of
realism versus opposite languages, we should quote them
«Tropic The First,» oil/canvas, 76x36 cm., 1984 v «Teja- in the course of decades and understand it also as a parallel
discourse that offers encounter with realistic varieties. The
maníes,» oil/canvas, 81x71 cm., 1985 v «Farmer’s House,» acrylic/ reencounter with academic, costumbrista and photography
realism or «hyperrealism that is noted for its thematic se-
canvas, 75x60 cm., 1986 v «Three Children,» oil/canvas, 105x126 lection adapted to photography and its documentary au-
thenticity.» Contemporary realism is differentiated from
cm., 1987 v «Tropic Series,» oil/canvas, 101x70 cm., 1989. realism activated in the complaint, in the politicization or
idealized socialist realism based on the Leninist theory of
Bismarck Yermenos. (Salcedo c. 1940/Santo Do- «reflection» that anticipates a future image of the entire
communist society. (Karin Thomas, p.172).
mingo, 2006). Trained as a doctor specializing in pae-
diatrics in the United States, he demonstrates artistic About the Dominican contemporary realism stage
vocation while studying composition and colour at Co- from 1970-2000, the following relevant names are of-
lumbia University of New York when he was pursuing fered: Alberto Bass, Luis Bretón, Julio Llork, Mariano
graduate studies in medicine (1962). He holds a collec- Eckert, Miguel de Moya, Hilario Rodríguez, Agustín Me-
tive exhibition In Camp-High-Point (1964), and has his sías, León Bosch, Jorge Checo. They are representatives
first solo in Santo Domingo at the Dominican Medical of five generations since 1950 although different one
Association (1969), exhibit presented by Manuel Rueda from each other. Among them, there are veteran painters
on which he states: «The pictorial art of Dr. Yermenos, full considered masters.
of sensory sensation of an unknown world, has more revela-
tion than technical expertise. It is truly original about him. Mariano Eckert. (Santiago, 1920/Washington, 2008).
More than just a cutting-edge art is a testimony…» (MR, BYC
catalog, February 1969). Subsequently, he holds indi- With initial training at the National School of Fine Arts,
vidual exhibitions in 1970 and 1981, by going to the traveled to the United States, attending the Corcoran
first sample of artists from Salcedo, to mark the cente- School of Art, where he specializes in portrait. In that
nary of the provincial town. He won second prize for school started teaching in 1954. Special Award 1958
«Opus I» In the X León Jimenes Art Contest (1983), a National Biennial. Long after exposing in some United
neat and novel sculture-painting sparking controversy States institutions, he begins his individual exhibitions
among critics. at Nader Gallery (1977-1983); exhibitions that acquire
a permanent pace by exposing each year in December,
«Composition,» oil/canvas., 8x10 1981. Casa de Bastida, with the support of Voluntariado de las
Casas Reales. Master of academic realism that addresses
THIS OTHER REALISM
As a language of objectivity or somewhat credible,
constantly recurs in the arts with not absolute definitions
in its diversity. In the history of Dominican art, realistic
392
Danilo De los Santos
the most diverse subjects of which he makes collections, 1988 v «Don Alejandro Grullón’s Portrait,» 64x49 cm., 1989 v
still life, floral motif and landscape in its abundant fea- «Don Mario Hernández’ Portrait,» oil/canvas, 64x49 cm., 1989 v
ture of impeccable personal speech style. «Rafael de León’s Portrait,» oil/canvas, 64x49 cm., 1989 v «Jaime
Benito’s Portrait,» oil/canvas, 64x49 cm., 1989 v «Women on
«Vase,» acrylic/canvas., 128x107 cm., 1981 v «Still Life,» the River,» oil/canvas, 65x80 cm., 1994 v «Still Life,» oil/canvas,
acrylic/canvas, 60x129 cm., 1991 v «Back To La Cañada,» oil/ 76x101 cm., 1995.
canvas, 68x111 cm., 1993.
Miguel De Moya. (La Vega, 1904/Santo Domingo, León Bosch. (Santo Domingo, 1936). Three of his
1996). Until his death, he developed a pictorial work works: «Still Life,» oil/canvas, 57x78 cm., 1987, «Mar-
where the peasant’s physiognomy, landscape and portrait ket,» oil/canvas, 169x120 cm., Implemented between
depiction respond to an exploratory realism with excel- 1973-1993, and «Landscape,» oil/canvas, 101x152 cm.,
lent results. His age did not discourage his artistic work, executed between 1985-1995, represent an attachment
attached to his lucid insightful realistic painting. to the academic realism affiliated with baroque by the
halo of timelessness that transpire his Dominicans
«Landscape,» oil/paper mache, 60x90 cm., 1982 v «Dusk,» subjects.
oil/canvas, 85x126 cm., 1982 v «Don Sosa’s Portrait,» oil/can-
vas, 60x44 cm., 1985 v «Coconuts,» oil/canvas, 60x44 cm., 1985
v «Toñito,» oil/canvas, 75x50 cm., 1985 v «Manolao,» acrylic/
canvas, 75x50 cm., 1987 v «Pedro Juan,» acrylic/canvas, 75x50 Alberto Bass. (Santo Domingo, 1949). He is the Do-
cm., 1987 v «Character,» acrylic/canvas, 69x94 cm., 1990 v
«Countryside Landscape,» oil/paper mache, 60x45 cm., 1992. minican head of photographic realism. His exemplary
work «Casita,» oil/canvas, 1978 «has been referred to as
Julio Llort. (Barcelona, 1937) After studying Fine Arts a painting of the bank collection, where other works are
located, one of a market, the others are landscapes, all
at the San José Academy in his hometown and specialize making a perfect collection.
in conservation and restoration of works of arts, in 1968
he moved to Santo Domingo, in his role as museolo- «Model Market,» mix/canvas, 71x101 cm., 1990 v «San
gist and restorer at the opening Gallery of Modern Art
(1976). Devoted himself to his specialty, just took time to Francisco de Macorís Landscape,» oil/canvas, 60x76 cm., 1996
become known as a painter, he held his first solo Domini-
can exhibition in 1982. His palette translated costumbrista v «River Landscape.» oil/canvas, 60x75 cm., 1996 v «Land-
matters not without a good grasp of the pictorial quali-
ties on topics that were adhering to a realistic collection scape,» oil/canvas, 60x95 cm., 1996 v «Queen Nab Veil,» oil/
of portrait commissioned that increases an academic re-
alist style, manifesting in his still lives and landscapes full canvas, 40x56 inch., 1992.
of objective and tropical serenity.
«Framboyán,» acrylic/canvas, 71x102 cm., 1978 v «Framboyán Luis Bretón. (San Francisco de Macorís, 1956). He
III,» oil/canvas, 76x101 cm., no date v «Untitled» oil/canvas,
60x90 cm., 1982 v «Sebastián Mera’s Portrait,» oil/canvas, 90x66 graduated from the School of Fine Arts in his hometown
cm., 1986 v «Don Alejandro Grullón’s Portrait,» oil/canvas, in 1969, initiating his collective exhibition history in over
90x73 cm., 1988 v «Luis Rangel’s Portrait,» oil/canvas, 92x74 cm., two hundred features over fourteen collective and per-
sonal exhibitions between 1981-2007. In the last referred
year he held «30s in Santiago,» at the Centro Español de
la Ciudad Corazón. His initial painting were landscapes
with alluding dreamlike with signs announcing his syn-
thesis of photorealism as a documentary source and
metaphysical atmosphere as mirage, solitude and silence
in his architectural constructions, villagers, urban areas.
393
Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
in the Art Treasures of Banco Popular we can find more THE EIGHTIES GENERATION (OCHENTISTAS)
than 25 of his paintings. AND REALISM
«Isabel la Católica Corner Emiliano Tejera,» acrylic/ The artistic generation is that which arises and
canvas, 76x152 cm., 1984 v «La Atarazana,» acrylic/canvas, formed during the decade 1980, in a geographic radius
50x90 cm., 1987 v «Lanscape With Bridge,» acrylic/can- that relates young vocations in many cities of the repub-
vas, 50x100 cm., 1988 v «Ozama Fortress,» acrylic/canvas, lic, its greatest concentration is related to Santo Domin-
101x126 cm., 1993-1994 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 60x91 go. From the prestigious National School of Fine Arts,
cm., 1989 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 50x100 cm., 1988 v as the capital official centre of arts education, there is a
«Mirage at Barahona Beach,» acrylic/canvas, 61x75 cm., 1995 large number of graduates that offer novelty of becoming
v «Arz. Nouel Street,» acrylic/canvas, 50x100 cm., 1988 v an organized and militant core that also tends to link
«Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 45x90 cm., 1989 v «Hato Mayor colleagues from other centres including visual arts pro-
Street Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1987 v «Santo grams, among them, the art schools of Universidad Au-
Domingo Cathedral Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., tónoma and Apec.
1996 v «Seascape,» acrylic/canvas, 50x60 cm., 1982 v «Las
Damas Street. National Mausoleum,» acrylic/canvas, 126x100 The organized and militant «ochentista» is different
cm., 1997 v «Cord Gate,» acrylic/canvas, 119x89 cm., 1995 from previous associative formula of the Three, The
v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 75x151 cm., 1987 v «Village Mask, Proyecta, Friordano, Reflection and Atlante, de-
Street,» acrylic and varnish/canvas, 50x100 cm., 1987 v «Hato fined by a small number of members. The formation
Mayor Street,» acrylic/canvas, 75x152 cm., 1988 v «La Vega’s of the «Collective Generation 80» identifies a militancy
Street,» acrylic/canvas, 49x85 cm., 1987 v «La Vega’s Street,» that although it is marked by the graduates of the Na-
acrylic/canvas, 35x90, 1987 v «San Francisco Street,» acrylic/ tional School at the beginning of the decade, they incor-
canvas, 30x60 cm., 1988 v «Cord House,» oil/canvas, 101x176 porate other graduates, becoming a large number of its
cm., 1990 v «Seascape,» mix/canvas, 54x70 cm., 1986 v «Vil- members. The group organizes regular exhibitions and
lage Street,» oil/canvas, 34x90 cm., 1989 v «Conde Street,» supports individual showcases, obtaining support from
acrylic/canvas, 73x100 cm., 1999 v «Beginning of Mercedes sponsoring and receptive institutions, as well as from
Street,» acrylic/canvas, 50x101, 1990 v «Una Venecia en San the critical sector. The Collective Generation 80, some-
Francisco,» acrílica/tela, 37x100 cm., 1995. what lay down the norms of the so called «Boom» of the
Dominican arts, especially noticeable in the increasing
Jorge Checo. (Santo Domingo, 1968). He studied at number of exhibition, galleries and the enthusiasm that
encourages national collections.
the National School of Fine Arts, graduating in 1988.
He was a member of the group Q-ATRO XXI, a sup- A number of ochentistas paintings are located in the
porter of the graphic work (drawing and prints) with art fund of Banco Popular; among them, works of Elvis
development between 1988-1991. A second Painting Avilés, Juan Mayí, Lissette Mejía, Miguel Núñez, Carme-
Prize in the Contest Casa de Teatro in 1995, marking lo Polanco, Pedro Ricart… although the number of repre-
his return to the cloth and brushes that lids him to be a sentatives of the eighties generation is greater, below we
still-life painter with finishing dapper in technical and will list those related to landscape.
realistic approach. The still life is the subject of his per-
sonal exhibitions. Elvis Avilés. (Santo Domingo, 1965). He studied at the
«Still Life,» acrylic/canvas, 60x91 cm., 1999. National School of Fine Arts and attended workshops
with Alberto Bass and Pedro Céspedes, which influence
394
Danilo De los Santos
in his affiliation to Dominican photorealism, exhibiting «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 115x80 cm., 1986 v «Ozama
in collectives of their generation. In 1987 he holds a solo River Port,» acrylic/canvas, 164x99 cm., 1987 v «Hamlet,»
exhibition at Gallery Deniel’s. Criticic Laura Gil, indi- acrylic/canvas, 120x89 cm., 1987 v «Lotus,» acrylic/canvas,
cates that within the photographic realism, his works are 62x120 cm., 1987. «Lotus,» pastel/paper, 92x42 cm., 1988 v
«made with great neatness and quite independent of the basic «Lotus,» pastel/paper, 64x49 cm., 1988.
movements of this movement or style.»
Carmelo Polanco. (La Pirigua, Municipio Gaspar
«Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 81x26 cm., 1987 v «Land-
scape,» mix/canvas, 79x96 cm., 1987 v «Landscape,» acrylic/ Hernández, 1955). He studied at the Academy of Cándi-
canvas, 44x101 cm., 1988 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, do Bidó between 1979-1984, becoming an assistant of his
50x75 cm., 1988. maestro. With solo and group exhibitions, he is known
by the nickname «Capolucci».
«Flowers,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., 1987 v «Cibao’s
Juan Mayí. (San Francisco de Macorís, 1963). He grad- Little Town,» oil/canvas, 24x30 inch., 1988.
uated from the National School of Fine Arts, holding Pedro Ricart. (Santo Domingo, 1960). After studying
his first two singles in 1986 and 1987, at the Center for
Art Nouveau. For those dates he has already produced at the School of Arts of Apec and the National School of
landscape works among others. His research and devel- Fine Arts, he was awarded in 1975 and 1976 in the Royal
opment in France led him to abandon objective matters, Bank of Canada Contest. In 1977, he was awarded Draw-
but not quite. ing Jaime Colson competition, and in 1985 he obtains
an award in the Competition León Jimenes. Besides
«Ozama River Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 50x75 cm., no participating in collective (1981-1993), he holds his first
date v «Ozama River,» acrylic/canvas, 59x75 cm., no date. individual exhibitions in 1981 (Casa de Teatro) and in
1985 (Centre for Art Nouveau).
Lissette Mejía. (Santo Domingo, 1958). With ENBA
«Barahona Coast Line,» oil/canvas, 86x65 cm., 1987 v
studies and at the School of Architecture at the UASD, «View From the Bicycles Bridge.» acrylic/canvas, 70x93 cm.,
until 1993 she participates in 16 group exhibitions, in- 1990.
cluding those related to her ochentista generational link.
In that year she held her first solo exhibition. Is a mul- Internalized Realities
timedia artist: draftswoman, sculptor, engraver, painter
and painter installer. As much as reality is an objective collection, the real-
ism transmitted is an approximation to the natural way of
«Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 22x36 inch., 1984. things, or supporting document like a photography that
manages to capture what is real, nevertheless it is corrected
Miguel Núñez. (Santo Domingo, 1959). She began in processing, whether analogue/traditional or intervened
by digitalization. In two-dimensional visual art works, lin-
training with Cándido Bidó, after attending the Nation- guistic isms alter the objective tendencies or figurations. It
al School of Fine Arts, and the Universidad Autónoma also happens with realism because of multiple individual
of Santo Domingo, holding first solo in 1985. Painter internalizations that with Dominican painting, offers
who works with watercolor, pastel and pictorial means,
is refined and renowned for his dancing scenes, portraits
and landscapes with a peculiar style. In 1987 held his
second solo exhibition entitled «Figures, landscapes and
portraits.»
395
Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
variables both in the persistence of costumbristas scenes 1984 v «Market,» acrylic/canvas, 127x124 cm., 1984 v «Un-
and landscapes in their variety of themes: rural, marine titled,» oil/paper, 62x47 cm., no date v «Girl with flowers,»
and residential slums, rural hamlets, and urban build- media/ paper, 64x49 cm., no date.
ings. How far can one define the customs of the coun-
tryside? Only when loneliness is its characteristic, which Carlos Hidalgo. (Santiago Rodríguez, 1948). He stud-
happens when capturing the human subject that even if
it is not contextualized in a scene, is revealed by the racial ied at the National School of Fine Arts, earning drawing
and social condition. prize at the National Student Competition organized by
the Friordano Group in the University Madre y Maestra
Below is a discussion of those painters who work with (1969). He had his first solo exhibit in Gallery 7 (Santo
the internalizations of reality and who are not «avant- Domingo, 1975), and worked on murals for the National
garde,» but modern advocates of the tradition that many History Museum. He is associated with maestro Yoryi
critics and historians of arts called «genre painters» Morel’s atelier. He had his second solo exhibition at
Gallery Nader in 1984, as an exclusive artist under con-
1. Santiago’s presence. A group of paint- tract. Banco Popular collection has 44 of his authorship,
ers is linked to the Santiago school. Four of them: which reveal an agenda focusing on various views of the
Jacinto Domínguez, Hilario Rodríguez, Carlos Hi- country: rural, marine, popular and urban, finished with
dalgo and Juan Rodríguez, are associated with the attenuated bright ranges in a figurative style between cus-
Yoryi Academy and the fifth, Carlos Grullón, son tom scenes and lyrical realism.
of Mario Grullón. With Victor Chevalier, they are
the six individual that emerge at different times and «House of the Cord,» acrylic/canvas, 60x76 cm., 1981 v
with discursive signs that singularize them in a local «Market,» an oil/canvas, 20x25 cm., 1983 v «Town Street,»
relationship. an oil/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1983 v «Framboyán,» acrylic/can-
vas, 70x100 cm. v «Women Washing,» an oil/canvas, 75x106
Hilario Rodríguez. (Santiago, 1936/Santo Domingo, cm., 1986 v «Farmhouse Road, Riders and Large Mountain,» an
oil/canvas, 30x60 inch., 1991 v «Landscape,» an oil/canvas,
1987). After his first solo in the early 1970s, he has an- 75x101 cm., 1987 v «City Landscape,» an oil/canvas, 100x151
other four between 1981-1986 in various galleries in the cm., 1988 v «Beach Landscape,» an oil/canvas, 75x90 cm.,
capital city where he lives, creating murals and obtaining 1989 v «Landscape of Rain,» an oil/canvas, 75x90 cm., 1989 v
awards: First Prize in the Competition of Spain «Maja In- «Port of Macorís,» oil/canvas, 75x90 cm., 1989 v «Church of
ternational» (1979); third prize in the Centennial Com- Macorís,» oil/canvas, 100x27 cm., 1989 v «Night Landscape,»
petition of San Pedro de Macorís (1982) and an award oil/canvas, 101x125 cm., 1992 v «Party in the Countryside,»
in the Competition E. León Jimenes (1983). Generator oil/canvas, 75x101 cm., 1993 v «El Conde Street,» oil/canvas,
of different techniques for his drawings and paintings, 75x100 cm., 1999.
his style addresses both typifying scenic costumbrismo, and
photographic, scenic and surreal realism. Juan Rodríguez. (Santiago, 1938). Gets guidance
«Boy with Dog,» pastel/paper, 65x50 cm., 1981 v «Boy with from Guillo Pérez in the 1950s, following the example
Hat,» pastel/paper, 25x20 inch., 1981 v «Untitled,» acrylic/ of the teachers of the School of Santiago, especially
plywood, 75x60 cm., 1982 v «Moreno with hat,» media/paper, from Yoryi Morel, which explains his style so attached
63x47 cm., 1984 v «Farmer,» charcoal and wax/paper, 62x50 to the costumbrista scenes and landscape. Flamboyanes,
cm., no date v «Old Man with Pipe,» pastel/paper, 64x48 cm., plantations, ranches, and other rainy rural scenes and
396
Danilo De los Santos
other provincial topics are conjugated with a colorful material, «balanced paintings that as scholarly works, are
palette, clean and radiant. good,» spotless (JM El Caribe, October 13, 1984). Carlos
Mario, as he is known, has participated in countless exhi-
«Landscape and Peasants,» acrylic/canvas, 35x45 inch., bitions since that date, focusing on local houses, markets,
1985 v «Rain,» oil/canvas, 32x24 inch., 1988 v «Bower,» acryl- river washers, showers, being a noted landscape-painter
ic/canvas, 24x30 inch., 1988 v «Tobacco Ranch,» oil/canvas, linked to the regional roots where he comes from.
24x32 inch., 1988 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 24x32 inch.,
no date v «Landscape, Car and Rain,» acrylic/canvas, 30x24 «Landscape with Stream,» oil/canvas, 30x50 inch., 1997 v
inch., 1990 v «Landscape with Peasant,» acrylic/canvas, 16x20 «Conversation in the Neighborhood,» oil/canvas, no date.
inch., 1990 v «Landscape with women,» acrylic/canvas, 24x30
inch., 1990 v «Landscape Palms,» acrylic/canvas, 16x20 inch., Victor Chevalier. (Santiago 1951). After studying paint-
1990 v «Landscape with Women Washing,» acrylic/canvas, ing at the local school of Fine Arts, he participates in
16x20 inch., 1990 v «Landscape with Flamboyant and River collectives since the 1980s, traveling abroad latter on. En-
Washers,» acrylic/canvas, 24x30 inch., 1990 v «Night Land- dowed landscapist, since the 1990s focuses with density
scape with Car,» acrylic/canvas, 20x16 inch., 1990. of impastos and contrasting planes of colour and varied
scenes: big dwellings, views of Santiago, marine scenes,
Jacinto Domínguez. (Santiago, 1935). He attended and other matters with Neo-Impressionist and Expres-
sionist technique, obtaining a unique acceptance among
Yoryi Academy, while the master assumed a teaching gallery owners and the public.
position at the National School of Fine Arts. There,
Domínguez became a professor, getting a marked influ- «Landscape,» oil/canvas, 26x30 inch., 1990 v «Country-
ence from Vela Zanetti, among other teachers. Upon re- side Landscape with Horse,» acrylic/canvas, 24x30 inch., no
turning to his native city, he was named professor at the date v «Landscape with Road and Women,» oil/canvas, 26x30
local campus of Fine Arts, without ceasing his pictorial inch., 1990.
production with a formal style adhering to his regional
school from which he is one of the magisterial pillars. 2. Moca’s presence. José Collado and Hugo
With prize in the Competition E. León Jimenes 1970, Matas are linked to Espaillat Province, not only by
his discourse alternates objective figuration and that of birthplace, but for also embracing a bucolic discourse
the structure that depicts Tropical Cubism. His first solo that interprets the flatland landscape, countryside
is documented in 1983 after participating in major col- and rural customs. The two trace a discursive path
lectives and entering his works in assets collecting. extending from the 1980s to the present, with exhibi-
tion shows and the national attention of the critics.
«Market,» acrylic/canvas, 60x77 cm. v «Rural Landscape,»
acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., no date v «Framboyán,» acrylic/ José Collado. (Moca, Espaillat Province 1960). Trained at
canvas, 76x90 cm., 1986.
the School of Fine Arts in his native town, he graduated in
Carlos Mario Grullón. (Santiago. 1950). Showing artis- 1984 in Architectural Drawing by the Technological Uni-
versity of Santiago. He holds his first personal exhibition in
tic talent from an early age, associated with his father, paint- 1984, followed by a good number of individual exhibitions
er Mario Grullón, studying various subjects since a young from 1985 to 2002, when he showcases «Silver Anniversary
age between 1970 and 1978, until he turns into a constant with Art.» De Tolentino’s criticism considers him genuine
painter exhibitor. In 1984, the critic Jeannette Miller high- and sincere in his aesthetic character, conveying «the
lights his clean execution with good handling of chromatic
397
Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
countryside with its greenery and peace,» «filling the walls 20x30 inch., no date v «Landscape with Roads,» acrylic/canvas,
with light and distilling a delicate smell of grass and wildflow- 28x40 inch., 1985 v «Landscape at Daybreak,» acrylic/canvas,
ers (…) He incorporates a range of greens, dominating perhaps 28x40 inch., 1985 v «Countryside of Greenery,» acrylic/can-
dozens of intoxicated colour-schemes with countless shades of vas, 30x40 inch., 1985 v «Sunflowers,» acrylic/canvas, 25x26
blue, yellow, red, even in the presence of delicacy and intensity. inch., 1985 v «Landscape with Plot in Front,» acrylic/canvas,
Trails and huts, with their areas of brightness, contribute to 30x40 inch., 1985 v «Landscape with Large Tree in Front,»
lighting the atmosphere, chromatic quality repeated with each acrylic/canvas, 28x40 inch., 1985 v «Marina,» acrylic/canvas,
painting.» 42x36 inch., 1988 v «Landscape (with blue home and red por-
tal), acrylic/canvas, 24x30 inch., 1988.
«Country Landscape with Flamboyant,» acrylic/canvas,
3. La Vega’s presence. From La Vega Province
26x36 inch., no date v «Landscape Sunset,» acrylic/canvas, by birth and place of residence, Elías Delgado, Timoteo
Santos (Vinagre) and Justo Susana, differentiated the
30x40 inch., 1983 v «Landscape with Road,» acrylic/canvas, three on discursive style and within the collection that
houses their works.
30x40 inch., 1985 v «Landscape with River,» acrylic/canvas,
30x40 inch., 1985 v «Landscape with Trees, Plains and Moun-
tains…» acrylic/canvas, 18x24 inch., 1988 v «Blue Landscape
with Flamboyant,» acrylic/canvas, 40x60 inch., 1994.
Hugo Mata. (San Víctor, Espaillat Province). Self-taught Timoteo Santos (Vinagre). (Jima Abajo, La Vega,
painter whose projection begins in the city of Santiago 1953/Santo Domingo, 2005). He studied for five years at
upon holding his first solo exhibition in 1978. From that the Academy of Fine Arts in La Vega, presenting the first
sample to 1993 he has thirty individual exhibitions, be- solo exhibition in the middle of El Conde street (1972),
sides presenting his paintings in collectives. He considers using the name Vinagre to sign his paintings which ini-
himself a costumbrista painter, for being able to recreate tially were landscapes freely interpreted. Afterword, the
the community where he is born, grows and presents painter turns to automatic and instinctive Surrealism.
himself assuming the surrounding reality of landscape
and country life with emotional perspective of everyday «Little Houses,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., 1972.
atmosphere, that of the dawn, the day, the dusk and the
night. Meticulous, nativist, its bucolic view is intimate Justo Susana. (Jamo, La Vega, 191 / Santo Domingo,
and lyrical. Although known for his personal landscapes,
he deals with other topics, such as still life, flower ar- 2001). After being discovered and he transcended as a naive
rangement, market, country cooking, the sea… painter, he dedicates himself fully to painting, task he as-
sumes with vigorous creativity depicting reality with illusory,
«Countryside Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 13x18 inch., dazzling and magic realist imagination. His landscapes over-
flow with colours, luminosity and compositional rhythm,
1982 v «Landscape with Flamboyant,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 resuming geography as a sage of the island ecosystem. His
exhibitions are documented numerically from 1973 to the
inch., 1983 v «Market,» acrylic/canvas, 28x40 inch., 1984 proximity of the final years of the twentieth century.
v «Landscape with several Houses and Passers,» acrylic/can- «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 70x59 cm., 1983 v «Landscape
with Bridge,» acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., 1989 v «Untitled,»
vas, 30x34 inch., 1984 v «Rulo Plant,» acrylic/canvas, 40x80 acrylic/canvas, 84x120 cm., 1990 v «Landscape,» acrylic/ can-
vas, 75x60 cm., 1990 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 75x60 cm.,
inch., 1985 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 40x30 inch., 1985 1990 v «Infantile Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 75x60 cm., 1990
v «Landscape with Two Houses and Peasants,» acrylic/canvas,
30x40 inch., 1985 v «Red Sky Landscape,» acrylic/canvas,
24x30 inch., 1985 v «Blue Hut Landscape,» acrylic/canvas,
398
Danilo De los Santos
v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 59x74 cm., 1990 v «Untitled,» George Hausdorf in the capital city (1939), attended the
acrylic/canvas, 60x75 cm., 1992 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, National School of Fine Arts, the Academy of Ortega
100x126 cm., 1992 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 123x150 cm., Hernández, and then resided in Madrid where he joined
1992 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 75x100 cm., 1993 v «Land- circles and artistic workshops. In 1972 and 1973 held his
scape,» acrylic/canvas, 75x60 cm., 1993 v «Landscape,» acrylic/ first solo at Sala Rosa María, offering a variety of sub-
canvas, 75x100 cm., 1993 v «Infantile Landscape (ST),» oil/can- jects including still life. From academic background, he
vas, 100x75 cm., 1993 v «Infantile Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, reveals intimate classicism, realistic and even vernacular,
101x76 cm., 1993 v «Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 101x76 cm., no when painting the domestic kitchen.
date v «Infantile Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 100x75 cm., 1994.
«Still Life,» acrylic/canvas, 60x96 cm., 1963 v «Still
Elías Delgado. (San Pedro de Macorís, 1924/Santo Life,» oil/canvas, 24x38 inch., 1981 v «Untitled,» oil/canvas,
86x101 cm., 1985 v «Still Life,» acrylic/canvas, 24x36 inch.,
Domingo, 1999). Living in La Vega where he was for- 1990 v «Still Life: stove, iron…,» acrylic/canvas, 24x32 inch.,
merly trained in painting between 1939 and 1945, his no date.
teachers were Bolívar Berrido, Joaquín Priego and Darío
Suro. Later he founds and art academy and upon the cre- Willy Pérez. (Santo Domingo, 1956). Guided by his
ation of the Municipal School of Fine Arts, he’s part of
the first group of teachers. With solo exhibitions held in father Guillo Pérez, attended the Academy of Cándido
Santo Domingo in 1964 and 1969, he delved between in Bidó and the Art Students League of New York. He has
configurations with various languages, unconventional. held his work in collectives, has held seven individual un-
In the capital city where he settled with wife and chil- til 1998. Marked by the radiant chromatic style, he does
dren, founded the Leonardo Da Vinci Academy, which not run away from the parental influence even though
he directed until his death. he finds his personal tone in water biodiversity and land-
scapes of rice fields and coastal hamlets.
«Sky, Mountain and Trees,» acrylic/canvas, 44x42
inch., 1993. «Marina,» acrylic/canvas, 24x20 inch., 1986 v «Rice
Fields,» acrylic/canvas, 40x50 inch., 1989 v «Paddies,» acryl-
4. The capital’s presence. Santo Domingo, ic/canvas, 46x50 inch., 1987.
capital city, is the centre of governmental administra-
tion, financial guidelines and major cultural institutions Iván Houellemont. (Desvignes). (Santo Domingo,
in communications, recreation and national patrimony.
It’s an urban metropolis with a large concentration of 1924-1992). Architect and painter who signed his works
artists of all expressive fields. In this cluster, the field with the name Desvignes. He started in the arts field at an
of visual arts is represented by painters Tomás López early age, receiving guidance from teachers José Gausachs
Ramos, Willy Pérez, Alberto and Iván Houellemont, and Manolo Pascual. Exhibitor of several collective exhi-
Renzo Oviedo, whom internalized Dominican reality bitions, he holds a personal showcase in 1982.
differentially and according to their individual style.
«Sugar Factory I,» oil/canvas, 20x24 inch., 1982 v «Sugar
Factory II,» oil/canvas, 24x18 inch., 1982 v «Sugar Factory
III,» oil/canvas, 24x18 inch., 1982.
Tomás López Ramos. (Spain, 1930/Santo Domingo, Renzo Oviedo Weber. (Santo Domingo, 1957). He
2010). Living in Dominican Republic from the age of 14, is guided by his father Nuris Oviedo and uncle Ramón
and trained at the Academy of Painting established by Oviedo. There is no record of personal samples in his
399
Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
curriculum, but is widely known in the capital, especially «White Bucaré,» oil/canvas, 70x55 cm., no date v «The
among art dealers and followers of his painting that rec- Old Man and Time,» oil/canvas, 60x75 cm., no date v «Land-
reates landscape with descriptive realism of soft ranges. scape,» acrylic/canvas, 61x76 cm., no date v «Framboyán,» oil/
One of his works was chosen for inclusion in a Domini- canvas, 70x55 cm., no date v «Untitled,» Oil / canvas, 100x75
can itinerant group show in various schools in New York cm., no date.
during 1989-1990.
Víctor Bonet Camps. (Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Is-
«Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., 1990 v «Land-
scape,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., no date v «Country Land- lands, Spain.). He received training at the Institute of Fine
scape,» acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., no date. Arts of his native island and also in Copenhagen. Win-
ner in the International Biennial Painting of Stockholm,
Alberto Houellemont. (Santo Domingo, 1939). Sweden (1964), in that year obtained Drawing Prize at the
Third Biennial in Palma de Mallorca. With numerous exhi-
Graduate lawyer from the state university, he moved to bitions in Europe, arrives in Santo Domingo in 1977, later
Santiago de los Caballeros, working at the Universidad living the country, and returning again in 1979.
Católica Madre y Maestra, and frequently visiting Yoryi
Morel’s workshop, which stimulates his artistic voca- «Seller,» acrylic/canvas, 30x24 inch., 1984 v «Coconut
tion. He was guided by his architect brother Iván, and Seller,» acrylic/canvas, 22x28 inch., 1985.
committed fully to his workshop, holding his first solo
exhibition in 1982. He is primarily a landscape paint- Vicente Herrero. (Valencia, Spain, 1960). He studied
er of soft colour tones, but incorporates other nature
themes. at Escuela Superior de Arte, in his hometown, and at
the School of Art of Brooklyn Museum, New York. He
«Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 30x36 inch., 1997. comes to the country as artist in residence at Altos de
Chavón, showcasing in twelve Dominican exhibitions,
5. Spaniard presence. López Ramos, better and participating in international biennials sponsored
known as Tomasín, is a painter born in Spain, and by the United Nations.
«Dominicanized» in its long career in Santo Domin-
go where he died. He leads a group of artists born in «Still Life,» oil/canvas, 30x40 inch., no date v «Marina,»
Spain, which in the last three decades of the twen- acrylic/canvas, 30x40 inch., 1983.
tieth century is rooted in the country –temporarily
or permanently– transcribing various aspects of Do- Agustin Masiá. (Valencia, Spain, 1931/ Santo Domin-
minican reality. The countryside and coastline, labor
chores, tropical fruits and Creole characters were pic- go, 1994). Trained in Fine Arts in his hometown, holds
torial themes of Augustín Masía, Joaquín Castellote, his first solo in 1946, exhibiting in various cities in Spain,
Vicente Herrero, and Victor Bonet Camps… Africa and America. In 1975 he moved to the Domini-
can Republic where he has extensive exhibition presenta-
Joaquin Castellote. (Barcelona, Spain, 1920). Professor tions and from where he promotes his paintings to the
United States. His Dominican production is bright and
at the School of Fine Arts and the School Massana, in his realistic, reaching hyperrealism style effects, and themati-
hometown, he holds solo exhibitions in several countries cally abundant.
since 1944, including the Dominican Republic, where he
establishes residence and works as a professor. «Market,» acrylic/canvas, 95x75 cm., no date. «Ratchet,»
oil/canvas, 56x76 cm., no date. «Boy with Fruit,» oil/card-
board 40x29 cm., no date.
400
Danilo De los Santos
Joseph Fabré Sallent. (Barcelona, 1959). He studies in love with his land, tied to it with such close ties, as indis-
painting at the Fine Arts Conservatory and the Catalan soluble, it is impossible to think of his paintings without identi-
Artistic Royal Circule; then, at the Massana School. In fying it immediately with landscape and people of the country.
1977 he arrived in Dominican Republic as a tourist but All his craft, excellent by the way, has always been at the ser-
decided to stay, becoming a professor at various art pro- vice of naturalistic, realistic, even costumbrista painting. His
gramm’s institutions. Since 1982 through out 2006, he marina, popular figures, flower, and mountains exude typical
helds around 30 individual painting exhibitions as well. characteristic, exuberance and fulfillment. The tropic pulsates
in them, but without stridency or surprises. With sharp, accu-
Four Anthological Visions rate drawing, deftly handling of colors, he manages to convey a
special charm, spontaneous serenity, an optimistic and joyful
PLUTARCO ANDÚJAR: atmosphere in his paintings. No matter that his subject is a
A SONG TO MY LAND wrinkled old woman’s face or a sad looking emaciated child. A
rugged mountain or sea landscape with clear and calm skies, in
This is how was titled the exhibition he held on No- all of them, Plutarco communicates a message of peace, sympa-
vember 31, 1983, many years after Manuel Valldeperes thy and gentleness without effort. The career path followed by
wrote: «It tells us the biography of Juan Plutarco Andújar the artist is a straight line, without hesitations, without daring
who was born in Montecristi on July 24, 1931. Let us add adventure. Fashion and isms walk past him without affecting
that it was a specially gifted Dominican region to boost him, without troubling him in the least. He looks at them com-
the artist’s love of nature. It is a land of firm light and ing and going, and he remains unfazed, confident.»
varying colorations which has been pinned to the retina
of our painter.» (M. J., Caribe, October 4, 1964). As a painter who took advantage of the great lessons
of his teachers and the Dominican reality, Plutarco Andú-
In the introduction to the catalog, Don Alejandro E. jar was master of himself, captivating with his visual songs
Grullón E., president of the bank sponsoring the exhibi- intoxicated with sea salt, palm trees and light of Boca Chi-
tion, said: «Banco Popular Dominicano begins today a ca, his preferred residence until his death in 1994.
program with the purpose of sponsoring a yearly exhibi-
tion of a national artist in Altos de Chavón. To inau- «Marina in Bayahibe,» acrylic/yellow stone, 65x106 cm.,
gurate our program we present a beautiful collection of
pictures of the great painter Plutarco Andújar. We devel- 1981 v «Untitled,» acrylic/canvas, 100x76 cm., 1983 v «Ma-
oped this cultural activity in close cooperation with the
Foundation that has made possible this young and splen- rino Landscape,» acrylic/canvas, 91x60 cm., no date v «Me-
did reality that is the city of artists. The Bank pursues a
dual purpose with its project: on the one hand provide rengueros,» acrylic and lacquer/canvas, 100x126 cm., 1992
Dominican artists to present a solo exhibition without
constraints, brought about Altos de Chavón’s efforts in v «Marina,» acrylic/canvas, 60x90 cm., no date v «Fisherman
favor of the arts and culture in general, efforts that for
their wide projections deserve the enthusiastic support with red,» acrylic/yellow stone, 70x55 cm., 1983 v «Fisher-
of all Dominicans.».
man,» acrylic/yellow stone, 75x55 cm., 1983 v «Fisherman,»
The expert critic and historian María Ugarte writes
the expository presentation: «Plutarco Andújar is an artist acrylic/yellow stone, 75x55 cm., 1983 v «Untitled,» acryl-
ic/yellow stone, 90x60 cm., 1983 v «Untitled,» acrylic/yel-
low stone, 70x55 cm., 1983 v «Untitled,» acrylic/yellow
stone, 75x55 cm., 1983 v «Untitled,» acrylic/yellow stone,
70x55 cm., 1983 v «Untitled,» acrylic/yellow stone, 90x60
cm., 1983 v «Untitled,» acrylic/yellow stone, 75x55 cm.,
1983 v «Night Fisher,» acrylic/canvas, 75x55 cm., no date
v «Marina,» acrylic/canvas, 70x55 cm., 1991 v «Vendutera,»
401
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