Leopold Presas at Eduardo Sivori

Looking at my “Cats of Greece” Calander I seeearly 3 months have passed. Still, a great portion of the city remains unconquered. Everyday I add new cafes, galleries, theaters, parks that I want to explore. Saturday I ventured to Palermo and found myself in an entirely new part of the bario. I made my way past the Gallieo planetarium and the immense rose gardens taking in the many bridges and lakes.  Eventually I arrived at the Eduardo Sivori museum.

 

Eduardo Sivori is considered one of Argentina’s first realist. He painted still lifes, portraits and landscapes through the second half of the 19^th century. He is most known for his portraits of the pampas and his involvement in the development of academic art in Buenos Aires.

 

The museum holds a few paintings by the artist as well as other influential painter from about the 20^th century. I admired the work and passed into the adjacent sala. I was struck by a magnificent collection of Leopold Presas work. (The exhibition is temporary and will only be displayed until March.)

 

 

Presas was born in Buenos Aires and studied painting at Bellas Artes. His work shows influence of fauvism, surrealism and expressionism. He belonged to a group of vanguard artists known as Orión which experimented with surrealism.

 

Presas’ work from the 60’s onward make commentary on contemporary issues including capitalism, erotica, Vietnam, and religion.  Some of the reoccurring themes contain the female form, pigs or “los credos”,  and crucifixes. Like a true fauvist Presas uses saturated colors to reflect his attitude towards various subjects. For example pale yellow figures are shot at by soldiers in his series on Vietnam. Everything is blue and black toned leaving you with a disturbing sinister icy sensation.

 

His work has only added to my excitement about modern Argentine painters. I hung around the small gallery for over an hour. None of the pictures I post will do his work justice. For one I didn’t find much online. His work will not photograph well. His paintings are large with gobs of dark oil paint reflect any light source.

 

 

~ by aedlund on January 26, 2009.