Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery presents 'Opera Nera' by José García Cordero:
José García Cordero, Luna de la Muerte, 2014, Acrylic on linen, 69h x 214w
The contemporary art gallery, Lyle O. Reitzel, founded in 1995, celebrates its 26 years of existence, by presenting the subversive solo exhibition 'OPERA NERA' by renowned Dominican master, Jose Garcia Cordero, along with the release of the book bearing the same title, this coming Tuesday, June 22, running hours from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. at the Torre Piantini.
"Opera Nera'' covers the period 2001-2020, and is made up of a body of 16 works, produced in acrylic on linen, revealing a Dominican socio-political history rarely addressed in images, where corruption, impunity, citizen insecurity and state crimes are developed for decades in a sort of 'normality'. Garcia uses irony as a battle tool and a transgressive double meaning that characterizes his black humor. His irreverent language; a monochromatic plastic universe, where black and white, light and shadow, are executed with a disturbing skill.
In one of the texts that appear in the book 'Opera Nera', the controversial artist leaves his poetic imprint: "Black this abandonment of all ethics. Black this future. Black the tight leash. Black the mantle that has to cover so many murders". Likewise, the writer and artist Rita Indiana "La Montra", gives her avant-garde pen, dispatching herself as follows: "Thorny parapets give the starry night excuses to do nothing in concrete hammocks in the shadow of a decree, a mangy viralata thinks that it is very tasty to knock dust and lick sack, even if it scares the armpit of his mafia paladin".
On the other hand, the writer Soledad Alvarez offers a more optimistic point of view: "The dream of the night changes the parliament/ will defeat the nightmare".
García Cordero studied painting with the master Hernández Ortega. With a successful career of more than 40 years. He has recently been selected to be part of the book "A-Z of Caribbean Art" where he appears alongside some of the most transcendent exponents of universal Caribbean art, such as Wifredo Lam, Cruz Azaceta, Duval Carriè, José Bedia, Mario Benjamin, Freddy Rodriguez, Tania Bruguera among others.
He has received multiple awards such as: "Medal of Merit" by the Senate of the Republic of France, "Gold Medal" in the I and III 'Biennial of the Caribbean', Museum of Modern Art, Santo Domingo, among others. He has exhibited his works in important collective and individual exhibitions in galleries, museums, art fairs such as ARCO, Madrid, KIAF, Korea, Art Miami during Art Basel, ArteBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Zona Maco, Mexico, FIAC, Paris, Scope New York, as well as in institutions in Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States. In 1994, he was part of "Modern and Contemporary Art of the Dominican Republic", America's Society, New York and Bass Museum of Miami Beach, Fl. 1995 exhibited in the traveling exhibition "Caribbean Visions", Smithsonian Museum, Washington D.C. 1996 selected for 'Premio Marco", Museo Arte Contemporáneo, Monterrey, Mexico. 2003 (Solo) "Human Conditions", Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach, California. 2015 'Caribes' Cortes Collection, Museum of San Juan, Puerto Rico, among others. His works belong to the Permanent Collection of Salon Vitry-Sur Seine, France. Jesús David Alvarez/Vega Sicilia, Madrid, Spain, Angel Romero, Madrid, Spain. FRAC- Regional Fund of Contemporary Art, Martinique. Cortes Collection Foundation, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. MoLAA-Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach, California. Marcelo Narbona Collection, Panama. Leon Jimenes Center, Santiago, DR. Museum of Modern Art, Santo Domingo, DR. Chamber of Deputies, National Congress, SD, DR. Central Bank, DR. Ortiz Guardian Foundation, Leon, Nicaragua, Banco de Reservas Collection, Santo Domingo, Lyle O. Reitzel Collection, Samuel Conde Collection, Raul Lluberes Collection, Bonarelli Collection, among others.
José García Cordero, El Batman de Villa I, 2007
Acrylic on linen, 88h x 247w cm