If you weren’t already convinced Colombian art was well worth keeping an eye on, with one look at Beatriz Esguerra Art’s new booth for the Dallas Art Fair you soon will be.
We’ve spoken to the Founder and Director of Bogota-based gallery Beatriz Esguerra Art about her mission to bring Colombian art to the world, before. It’s a passionate pursuit for both the gallery and its namesake Gallerist, but gladly, it’s one which is quickly making headway. The industry at-large has been swift to realise that there’s not only a vibrant uniqueness to Colombian art; but also something quite revelatory.
The latest lucky crowd due to cast eyes over Beatriz Esguerra Art’s brilliant slate are the art-lovers at the upcoming Dallas Art Fair. Running from April 7–9, the BEA booth will feature works by nine Colombian artists. Each artist will present a unique perspective on their heritage and culture and the human experience.
The highly sophisticated works will discreetly and tastefully present powerful messages that concern not only Colombia but the rest of the world, as well. Meant to emphasise the richness and diversity present in contemporary Colombian art; the works on show in Dallas will span a range of styles and mediums.
Photographers Mario Arroyave, Max Steven Grossman, and Luis Carlos Tovar will each tackle different fundamental contemporary issues. Grossman’s constructed photography of idealised libraries examines the concepts of extinction and preservation and looks at what should be valued and remembered over time.
Arroyave’s works play on the traditional notions of temporality. By constructing sequences of images captured at controlled intervals of time, Arroyave creates and photographs “impossible” moments. And working with immigrants in Colombia and abroad, Tovar’s timely contribution will explore the deconstruction of identity and collective memory.
A number of the pieces in the show explore global issues currently prevalent in society and the news. For example, Carolina Convers uses collage and colour to study the evolution of women’s role in society. And Armando Castro’s delicate drawings force the viewer to look at everyday scenes from a new perspective while subtly bringing attention to the difficulties faced by people in rural areas due to the armed conflict in Colombia.
Humour and fun, too, are happily present themes in Colombian art. They’re evident in the work of Elsa Zambrano, whose impressions of unattainable masterpieces offer a playful commentary on mass consumption. And Teresa Currea’s imaginary, humorous and surreal floating 3D paper worlds are another good example.
Other artists featured in the booth will be abstract artists Santiago Uribe-Holguin and Pablo Posada. Uribe-Holguin paints warm, textured abstract canvasses, creating a nuanced language drawn from European formalist constructs, the varied Colombian landscape, chimeras of memory, and the spiritual value of the daily act of painting.
Working with glass, Posada creates abstract sculptures that contemplate the eternal flow of matter through time and space, and how it is transformed by the forces of nature over time.
What’s compelling about the art presented by Beatriz Esguerra Art, is its capacity to both contribute to a broader conversation and to reflect a global awareness, all the while maintaining something intrinsically and proudly Colombian.
The Dallas Art Fair will run from April 7 through 9, with a preview Gala to be held on April 6.
For more information about Beatriz Esguerra Art, head to their website. You can follow BEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
You can find more information about the Dallas Art Fair and view exhibits online at artsy.net.