From Drawing to Metaphor
Presented by the Fundación Museo Bolivariano de Arte Contemporáneo of Santa Marta, Colombia, in collaboration with The Stengel Collection in Florence, Italy
November 29, 2018 – February 17, 2019
Santa Marta, Colombia – From drawing to metaphor, an exhibition of twenty-six drawings by the late Hungarian artist Karl Stengel (1925-2017), will be on view at the Museo Bolivariano de Arte Contemporáneo in Santa Marta, from November 29, 2018 to February 17, 2019. Zarita Abelló de Bonilla, Director of the Museum, expressed her desire to host this exhibition after visiting the Stengel Collection at the Palazzo Rosselli del Turco in Florence. This is the first exhibition of Stengel’s work in Colombia.
Produced over a span of forty years, between 1977 and 2016, the works in this exhibition demonstrate Stengel’s sustained interest in figuration, which prevails over abstract expressionism. Made in various mediums, including pen, pencil, watercolour, and oil pastel, there are even several examples here of Stengel drawing on the pages of books, tearing leaves from encyclopedias, atlases, and even his own catalogues. In these works, Stengel explored passion and the human condition, setting out imaginary dialogues in his scenes set in places like taverns or brothels. His subjects were drawn from his own life experiences, his travels, and his innate curiosity. They were also inspired by his passion for literature and music, including the work of authors such as Bukowski, Blaise Cendrars, Beckett, Jorge Borges, Yvan Goll, Tabucchi, and Giuseppe Ungaretti, and also from composers and musicians such as Rachmaninov, Stravinskij, Liszt, and Pollini.
The artworks in From drawing to metaphor have been kindly loaned by Camilla Stengel and The Stengel Collection.
About the Museo Bolivariano de Arte Contemporáneo
The Museo Bolivariano de Arte Contemporáneo opened in 1986 within the grounds of the San Pedro Alejandrino estate on the initiative of Colombian artist Armando Villegas, with the support of the local authorities and the then President of the Republic, Belisario Betancur. The aim was to integrate the Bolivarian countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Venezuela) through art, as a tribute to the Liberator of Nations, Simón Bolívar.
http://www.museobolivariano.org.co/
Exhibition details
Dates: Thursday 29th November 2018 – Sunday 17th February 2019
Location: Sala Hernando del Villar del Museo Bolivariano de Arte Contemporáneo
Av. del Libertador, Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, Santa Marta, (MAG), Colombia
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9am-5pm. December 24th and 31st 9am – 1pm. Closed January 1st.
Entrance: Adults 15,000 COP, children 13,000 COP, foreigners 21,000 COP
