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The Bronowski Art&Science Forum
Presents:Raul Guerrero, Artist
“Recent paintings”
Thursday,September 4, 2008, 6:30 PM
The Trustees Room, The Salk Institute
For more than three decades, Raul Guerrero has been an important presence on the Southern California art scene, particularly in the San Diego/Tijuana region. In his “search for the poetry of life”, he has engaged imagery and histories of the cultures and symbols of the United States, Latin America and Europe; always searching for larger spiritual and emotional truths expressed through abstract and narrative realism.
He is born of the heritages of the United States, Mexico with ancestry that includes Tarahumara and Yaqui Indian. His art encompasses paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs and video.
Toby Kamps, former Curator for the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego has described Raul as “one of the great artists living and working in San Diego” He is a master draftsman who possesses an elegant, loose representational painting style. He is always drawing out history and looking for the humor and drama in it. I especially love the sense of romance and intrigue that Raúl Guerrero captures, and the sense of smoky glamour present in all of his work.”
His work has included the following series. “Aspectos de la vida nocturna de Tijuana, B.C./ Aspects of the Nightlife of Tijuana, Baja California,” begun in 1989, best represents the documentary strain in Guerrero’s work. Aware that Tijuana’s La Coahuila red light district capturing the drinkers, dancers, johns, and prostitutes in quick sketches that he later transformed into paintings celebrating the district’s lurid excitement.
The 1995 series “The Conquest of the Americas,” recounts the six major Spanish expeditions in the America in the 16th century by overlaying an image of Spanish painter Diego Velasquez’s famous Venus of the Mirror (1649-51)--a female nude that Guerrero believes symbolizes the hubris of the Spanish empire at its apex- with the maps and traveling impressions of the colonizers as well as imagery of indigenous peoples.
Another series: the 12 painting work Calles de Mexico/streets of Mexico City (1993-1998) places Guerrero’s experiences and acquaintances in the metropolis within a grand history.
In addition to numerous private collections, Raul has had more than thirty solo exhibitions and many more group exhibitions. His art work is in private and public collections including the Long Beach Museum of Art, the Phoenix Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego.
As usual, following this presentation, there will be ample opportunity for lively discussion.
Ron Newby
ronnewby@san.rr.com
Bronowski Art & Science Forum Copyright 2008
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