By the early 1970s, a younger generation was firmly established on the
national scene. Some, like the Bogotá painter and draftsman Luis
Caballero, have achieved international renown. These artists and succeeding
generations were guided by the examples of Obregón, Grau, Negret
and Ramírez Villamizar, who established an atmosphere of freedom
in teaching and cultural institutions and gained respect for Colombia's
art in international circles.
These four artists have frequently figured together in exhibitions: In
1957 they represented Colombia at the Fourth Sao Paulo Biennial. The list
of national and international prizes they have received continues uninterruptedly
to the present day. For example, Grau's painting Bather (in the present
exhibit) won a Ministry of Education prize at the Fourteenth Annual Salon
of Colombian Artists, of 1962. At the same salon Obregón received
the official prize for his work entitled Violence and Ramírez
Villamizar won the prize for sculpture.
During the 1950s, when Washington seemed less cosmopolitan than it appears
today, exhibitions of contemporary art took on considerable significance
for gallery-goers. Rising stars were systematically presented at the headquarters
of the Organization of American States. From 1955 to 1957, Grau, Obregón,
Negret and Ramírez Villamizar all gave one-man shows in Washington
under the auspices of the OAS General Secretariat, thanks to the efforts
of José Gómez Sicre, the Cuban-born long-time Chief of Visual
Arts at the OAS and Marta Traba's equivalent at the international level.
With counsel from the OAS, the Corcoran Gallery also presented a 1957 show
entitled "From Latin America," in which Negret, Obregón
and Ramírez Villamizar figured prominently.
Negret is Negret, whether he finds inspiration in an Amerindian kachina
doll or a design of Inca origin. Ramírez Villamizar is absolutely
distinctive, whether his expression derives from a Tairona spiral or a wall
in Machu Picchu. Obregón's images of the condor, bull and barracuda
and even the 1965 portrait of his son Mateo in Little Warrior, have
become part of Colombia's cultural repertory. Add to these the strange humor
and exquisite technique displayed in Grau's canvases, and the highest aesthetic
achievements of Colombia are represented here. The creativity of these four
pioneers made possible the great diversity and vitality of Colombian art
today.
Félix Angel
Curator
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