by Magdy Zara
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Venezuelan painter, Oswaldo Vigas, the exhibition named Oswaldo Vigas: Paintings between Latin America, Africa and Europe, a collection of works created by by the artist.
This exhibition has been organized by his son Lorenzo Vigas and shows works that the artist painted in Paris in the 1950s, and in Venezuela between 1969 -1976.
This exhibition is part of a series of tributes in various cities and continents, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Oswaldo Vigas (1923-2014), recognized as one of the most prolific and influential Latin American painters in the world. The exhibition in South Florida will kick off an extensive schedule of activities internationally over the next 12 months, in collaboration with various institutions and museums.
He was a self-taught painter and muralist, whose works by him include paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, ceramics, and tapestries. The artist participated in more than 100 individual exhibitions, and his work is part of numerous public institutions and private collections around the world.
The aforementioned exhibition presents several works never previously exhibited in the United States.
Vigas is known as one of the most prolific and influential Venezuelan painters of the 20th century, who was recognized for his vision of the Americas and his singular pride in his mestizo identity, along with the history, mythology and ancient art of Venezuela, mixed with influences of European modernism.
The artist is considered a towering figure of modernism in Latin America, with a career spanning seven decades. His first solo exhibition in the United States was in 1958 in Washington, D.C.; He was twice awarded the International Association of Art Critics Award (in 2008 and 2014) and received the Latin Union Award in Washington, DC in 2004.
Vigas was a contemporary of Picasso, Ernst, Léger, Calder, and Lam, and lived with these artists while living in Paris during the 1950s and 1960s (especially Picasso, who encouraged Vigas to reflect on his ancestral origins in his work).
He was the first artist to represent Venezuela at the Venice Biennale when its national pavilion was inaugurated in 1954, and again in 1962 when he organized the Venezuelan section. He achieved success in France where his works were exhibited alongside artists such as Jean Arp, Chagall, Giacometti, Laurens, Magritte, Matisse and others.
The artist definitely returned to Venezuela after 12 years because he wanted to contribute to the artistic development of his country using the knowledge he acquired in Europe. Some believe that this decision prevented him from getting the international attention achieved by his contemporaries in Paris at the time.
The Oswaldo Vigas: Paintings between Latin America, Africa and Europe exhibition will be on view through May 21 in South Florida, at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, located between Miami and Palm Beach.
