NOSTALGIA AND RELIGION

Gerardo Garcia, is a long time member of the ”Grupo de Tovar“. Religious images are used constantly throughout his work. However, his way of depicting them is different. In stead of the archetypical way of painting Maria, Jesus and other holy persons, Gerardo chooses to use images affected by time and fire and mounts them in shrines and frames showing signs of decay. The representations have been detached form reality and are put in a three-dimensional cover.

Gerardo likes to use chess board motives to give symmetry and regularity to his work which in turn can be used as means of creating perspective.

In his compositions, everyday objects are mixed in and the combination given a touch of antiquity. By doing so, Gerardo takes a step back from the peaceful, everlasting serenity usually associated with religious art.

Venezuelan culture was greatly influenced by religion. Reverting to religious objects and representations can be understood as nostalgy for the past. In this context, religion is used to remember like it was. In his recent painting we see nostalgic elements like old furniture and jugs.

Gerardo Garcia says:

”Venezuelan people normally have various religious images in their homes. This habit has inspired me to serially reproduce these images. I repeat the images with a certain irony but without neither criticising nor apostatising religion. I began using altarpieces. My aesthetic search has led me to aging the pieces. With my art I like to confront.

Religious images help me with the confrontation.“

CURRICULUM

Geboren 1963 in Tovar Estado Mérida, Venezuela.

STUDIES

1983 - 1987 Taller integral de artes ”Elbano Mendez Osuna“, Tovar.

1987 – 1990 Centro de Enseñanza Grafica ( CEGRA ), Caracas.

INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS

1994 ”Ensambles y Pinturas“, Galeria D’ Museo, Caracas.

1995 ”Altares en Juego“, Museo de Arte Moderno, Mérida.

1996 ”Altares y Juegos“, Galería César Sasson, Caracas.

2001 ”Obra reciente“, Galería Blasini, Caracas.

2002 ”Obra reciente“, Galería Blasini, Caracas.

COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS

1993 ”Artistas Contemporaneas de la region de Tovar“, Platillo Protocolar, Complejo Cultural Teresa Carreño, Caracas.

1993 ”II Bienal de Artes Plasticas de Mérida, Mérida.

1994 ”Memorias de la Vision“, Sofia Imber, Caracas.

”Nuevas visiones viejas medias“,. Sofia Imber, Caracas.

”LI Salon de Pintura Arturo Michelena“ Ateneo de Valencia.

”Salon IV Region Occidental, I Bienal Gran Premio Dimple 15 Años“ Maracaibo.

1995 ”Nuevas Tendencias en el Arte Venezolano“, Galería Banco Industrial de Venezuela, Miami, Florida.

”La Colección“, Exposicion de las nuevas adquisiciones del Museo de Arte Contemperáneo de Caracas Sofia Imber.

”III Bienal de Artes Plasticas de Mérida“.

”De Occidente a Oriente“, Sofia Imber, Caracas.

”IV Feria Iberoamericana  de Arte FIA 95“, Caracas.

”II Salon Pirelli“, SOFIA IMBER, CARACAS.

”LII, LIII y IV Salon Arturo Michelena“, Ateneo de Valencia.

”Uno por Uno en la Uno“, Galería Uno, Caracas.

”V Bienal de Artes Plasticas de Mérida“.

1998 ”Artistas Venezolanos en la Coleccion“, Sofia Imber, Caracas.”Un Dia en la Vida de...Los Pintores de Tovar“, Sofia Imber, Caracas.

”Tovar Ante Todo Arte“, Fundacion La Ruta del Arte, Tovar.

2002   ”Tovar Ilumina tu Vision“, Hotel Hilton, Caracas.

”Encuentros“, Museo de Arte Moderno Juan Astorga Anta, Mérida.

”Apertura“, Galeria Tovar Arte, Tovar.

”Arte Venezolano del Siglo XX, La Mega Exposicion, Museo deArte de ACARIGUA-ARAURE. 

2005 Tovar ante todo Arte. Galeria Felix, Caracas.

2005 Lineart International Art Fair, Gent, België.

2006 Impromptus, Galeria Templarios, Caracas.

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