Zilia S谩nchez Her贸icas Er贸ticas en Nueva York
Cover: Mujer (de la serie el Silencio de Eros), 1965 Woman (of the Silence of Eros series)
Contents 5 10 52 61 65 69 72
On Zilia Sánchez’s Surface by Irene V. Small Paintings Works on Paper Zilia Sánchez: A Chronology by Marimar Benítez Biography List of Plate Illustrations Acknowledgements & credits
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Sรกnchez working in her studio, 1970
On Zilia Sánchez’s Surface Irene V. Small
“Erotic art makes viewers while pornography makes addicts.” Marta Traba, “El erotismo y la comunicación” (1972).
What would it mean to make a “viewer” by means of erotic art? Or rather, what kind of viewer is made by the eroticism of Zilia Sánchez’s art? For if Eros, in the classic psychoanalytic framework, is a drive constitutive of the subject—Eros as life, as love, as the instinctual impulse toward creativity and self-realization—it is also a structure of experience, which is to say a sensation embedded in the specificities of aesthetic and bodily encounter. Sánchez’s extraordinary shaped canvases tell us as much. Stretched taut over wooden armatures, their membranes painted in neutral tones that pool into nested ovoids, ellipses, clefts, and half-moons, the works oscillate between inciting and reciprocating desire. The desire of the artist who, molding a work’s skeleton and then manipulating its tensile skin, treats it as a corpus, an organic entity with formal and emotive energies of its own. And the desire of the viewer, whose motility in relation to the canvas causes its abstracted shapes to expand, contract, slide, dilate, and bloom. To become a “viewer” of Sánchez’s work, in short, is to become a subject that emerges with and alongside the work of art. For the Argentine critic Marta Traba, writing in 1972 in the pages of the vanguard Puerto Rican literary journal Zona. Carga y Descarga (which Sánchez herself designed), the eroticism experienced by such a subject was not only aesthetic, but political in import. “Pornography is to eroticism as ‘kitsch’ is to art,” she wrote: the former a consequence of Western capitalism, the latter a means of reinaugurating art’s fundamental link to the real.1 In reestablishing art’s affective charge, Traba argued, Sánchez’s eroticism offered the viewer an alternative to both the alienation of North American mass culture and the hermetic self-referentiality of its high art. Traba had in mind the hard-edged forms of Minimalism, as did the Paris-based Cuban poet and essayist Severo Sarduy, who for the occasion of Sánchez’s exhibition of shaped canvases at the Museo de Historia, Arqueología y Arte de la Universidad de Puerto Rico in 1970, contrasted their allusive, pliable surfaces with the object-like structures of John McCracken, Robert Morris, Sol LeWitt, and
Paintings
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Lunar blanco, 1964 | White moon
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Mujer (de la serie el Silencio de Eros), 1965 | Woman (of the Silence of Eros series)
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Amazona, 1968 | Amazon
Troyanas, pol铆ptico (de la serie M贸dulos Infinitos), 1967 | Trojans, polyptych (of the Infinite Modules series)
1951 1950 1948 1947
Segundo Salón Romañach, Havana, Cuba IV Exposición Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado, Ministerio de Educacion, Centro Asturiano, Havana, Cuba Primer Salón Nacional de Estudiantes de Artes Plásticas, Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba II Salón de Otoño, Liceo artístico y literario de Regla, Havana, Cuba
Awards and Fellowships 2014 Best Exhibition by a Puerto Rican Artist Abroad: Zilia Sánchez at Artists Space in New York, The International Art Critics Association (AICA), San Juan, Puerto Rico 1987 Acquisitions Prize, Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia VI Biennial, Medellín, Colombia 1986 Excellence Award, Metro Art Gallery, New York, New York 1980 Press First Prize, Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia I Biennial, Medellín, Colombia 1978 First Prize, Cuarto Salón de Pintura de UNESCO, San Juan, Puerto Rico 1968 Cintas Foundation Award, New York, New York 1966 Cintas Foundation Award, New York, New York 1959 Instituto de Cultura Hispánica, Madrid, Spain 1951 First Prize, Second Romañach Painting Salon, Havana, Cuba Public Collections Instituto de Cultura Hispánica, Madrid, Spain Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida Ministerio de Educación, Havana, Cuba Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Sánchez’s studio in San Juan, Puerto Rico
List of Plate Illustrations All works included in the exhibition unless otherwise noted. pp.10-11 Lunar blanco, 1964 White moon Acrylic on stretched canvas 33 1/2 x 24 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches (85.1 x 62.2 x 14 cm) 13 Mujer (de la serie el Silencio de Eros), 1965 Woman (of the Silence of Eros series) Acrylic on stretched canvas 61 x 61 x 15 1/2 inches (154.9 x 154.9 x 39.4 cm) 15 Troyanas, políptico (de la serie Módulos Infinitos), 1967 Trojans, polyptych (of the Infinite Modules series) Acrylic on stretched canvas 71 3/4 x 54 x 9 1/2 inches (182.2 x 137.2 x 24.1 cm) 14 Amazona, 1968 Amazon Acrylic on stretched canvas 22 1/4 x 19 1/4 x 4 inches (56.5 x 48.9 x 10.2 cm) 52-53 El Significado del Significante, 1968* The Signified of the Signifier Ink on paper 14 x 19 3/4 inches (35.6 x 50.2 cm) 54-55 El Significado del Significante, 1968* The Signified of the Signifier Ink on paper 14 x 19 3/4 inches (35.6 x 50.2 cm) 57 El Significado del Significante, 1968* The Signified of the Signifier Ink on paper 19 3/4 x 14 inches (50.2 x 35.6 cm) 18-19 Lunar con Tatuaje, c. 1968-96* Moon with Tattoo Acrylic on stretched canvas 71 x 72 x 12 inches (180.3 x 182.9 x 30.5 cm) 24 Antigonía, 1970 Antigone Acrylic on stretched canvas 30 x 36 x 10 inches (76.2 x 91.4 x 25.4 cm) 20-21 Amazonas, 1972 Amazons Acrylic on stretched canvas 53 3/4 x 74 1/4 x 11 1/4 inches (136.5 x 188.6 x 28.6 cm) 58 Furia I, 1972* Fury I Ink on paper 25 1/2 x 20 inches (64.8 x 50.8 cm)
59 Furia II, 1972* Fury II Ink on paper 25 1/2 x 20 inches (64.8 x 50.8 cm) 25 Lunar V, c. 1973 Moon V Acrylic on stretched canvas 74 3/4 x 79 1/2 x 10 inches (189.9 x 201.9 x 25.4 cm) Private Collection, Seattle 26-27 Troyanas, díptico, 1975 Trojans, diptych Acrylic on stretched canvas 67 1/2 x 38 x 6 inches (171.5 x 96.5 x 15.2 cm) Private Collection, Seattle
46 Si yo hubiera nacido en la luna, 1993 If I had been born on the moon Acrylic on stretched canvas 41 x 41 1/2 x 6 inches (104.1 x 105.4 x 15.2 cm) 47 Lunar gris, negro, 1993 Black, grey moon Acrylic on stretched canvas 25 x 30 x 10 inches (63.5 x 76.2 x 25.4 cm) 48-49 Lunar, 1993 Moon Acrylic on stretched canvas 31 x 61 1/2 x 9 inches (78.7 x 156.2 x 22.9 cm)
30-31 Eros, 1976 Acrylic on stretched canvas 62 x 130 1/2 x 18 inches (157.5 x 331.5 x 45.7 cm)
40-41 Troyanas, políptico, 1999* Trojans, polyptych Acrylic on stretched canvas 2 panels: 36 x 39 x 4 3/4 inches (91.4 x 99.1 x 12.1 cm) each
32-33 Amazonas (de la serie Topologías), 1978 Amazons (of the Topologies series) Acrylic on stretched canvas 43 x 70 x 11 inches (109.2 x 177.8 x 27.9 cm)
50-51 Conversatorio (de la serie Eros y la Comunicación), 2014 Conversation (of the Eros and Communication series) Acrylic on stretched canvas Diptych: 96 x 32 x 17 inches (243.8 x 81.3 x 43.2 cm) each
36 Módulo infinito, 1978 Infinite module Acrylic on stretched canvas 28 x 49 x 6 1/2 inches (71.1 x 124.5 x 16.5 cm) 34-35 Sin título, 1978 Untitled Acrylic on stretched canvas 72 x 117 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches (182.9 x 298.5 x 26.7 cm) 37 El Silencio de Eros (de la serie Topologías), 1982-90 The Silence of Eros (of the Topologies series) Acrylic on stretched canvas 32 x 26 inches (81.3 x 66 cm) 39 Juana de Arco, 1987* Joan of Arc Acrylic on stretched canvas 97 1/4 x 73 3/4 inches (247 x 187.3 cm) Collection César and Mima Reyes, Puerto Rico 43 Sin título, 1990 Untitled Acrylic on stretched canvas 15 x 25 x 8 inches (38.1 x 63.5 x 20.3 cm) 45 Las Amazonas, 1991* The Amazons Acrylic on stretched canvas 76 x 42 x 11 inches (193 x 106.7 x 27.9 cm) Partially donated to the museum by the artist in 2003. Collection Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan
* indicates not included in the exhibition.
_________________________ Installation views: Artists Space, New York, New York, 2013 (works listed from left to right) 16-17 Mujer (de la serie el Silencio de Eros), 1965 Woman (of the Silence of Eros series) Topología Erótica, 1976 Erotic Topology Collection Alberto Hernández, Puerto Rico Troyanas, políptico (de la serie Módulos Infinitos), 1967 Trojans, polyptych (of the Infinite Modules series) 22-23 Group of drawings El Significado del Significante The Signified of the Signifier Amazonas, 1972 Amazons Soy Isla, Compréndelo y Retírate, 1990 I am an Island, Understand it and Depart Andréu-Pietri Collection, Puerto Rico 28-29 Topología Erótica, 1976 Erotic Topology Collection Alberto Hernández, Puerto Rico Troyanas, díptico, 1975 Trojans, diptych Private Collection, Seattle
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Sånchez’s monumental work in concrete, created in 1971, on the facade of apartment buildings in Laguna Gardens, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Published in conjunction with the exhibition: Zilia Sánchez Heróicas Eróticas en Nueva York May 3 - June 21, 2014 Galerie Lelong, New York Published by: Actar Publishers and Galerie Lelong Galerie Lelong 528 West 26th Street New York, NY 10001 www.galerielelong.com Actar D 151 Grand St, Fl 5 New York, NY 10013 www. actar-d.com Book Coordination: Sarah Landry Maria Heinz Texts: Irene V. Small Marimar Benítez Photographs: Michael Bodycomb Raquel Pérez Puig Daniel Pérez Cover: Mujer (de la serie el Silencio de Eros), 1965 Woman (of the Silence of Eros series) Graphic Design: Papersdoc Printing and binding: Grafos S.A. ISBN: 978-1-940291-39-0 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress, Washington, DC, USA. Acknowledgments: Zilia Sánchez would like to thank Canal Street Studios and Casa Sofia de Puerto Rico, in particular, Meca Sorrentini, who has graciously allowed Zilia to use her space as a gallery and studio since 2009. Galerie Lelong would like to thank Artists Space, New York, in particular Stefan Kalmár and Richard Birkett, César and Mima Reyes, Igor Da Costa, and the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico. The gallery would like to extend a warm thanks to Marimar Benítez for her support and scholarship.
Copyright and photography credits: All works are © Zilia Sánchez, courtesy Galerie Lelong, New York unless otherwise noted. All photos by Michael Bodycomb unless otherwise noted. Raquel Pérez Puig: pages 39, 44, 45, 64, 68, 70, 71, 72 Daniel Pérez: pages 16 - 17, 22 - 23, 28 - 29 p. 6 Donald Judd Untitled, 1969 Copper, ten units with 9-inch intervals 9 x 40 x 31 inches (22.9 x 101.6 x 78.7 cm) each 180 x 40 x 31 inches (457.2 x 101.6 x 78.7 cm) overall Panza Collection, 1991 The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY, USA Photo Credit: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation / Art Resource, NY Art © Judd Foundation. Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY p. 6 Eve Hesse Repetition Nineteen III, 1968 Fiberglass and polyester resin, nineteen units Each 19 to 20 1/4 inches (48 to 51 cm) x 11 to 12 3/4 inches (27.8 to 32.2 cm) in diameter Gift of Charles and Anita Blatt The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA Digital Image © The Museum of Modern Art / Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource, NY Art © The Estate of Eva Hesse, Courtesy Hauser & Wirth p.7 Lucio Fontana Concetto Spaziale Attesa [Waiting], 1960 Canvas Tate Gallery, London, Great Britain Photo Credit: Tate, London / Art Resource, NY, USA Art © 2014 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome © Actar Publishers and Galerie Lelong, 2014 All texts © the authors
Zilia Sánchez Heróicas Eróticas en Nueva York
The work of Cuban-born artist Zilia Sánchez is characterized by her distinctive approach to formal abstraction through the use of undulating silhouettes, muted color palettes, and a personal, sensual language. Sánchez’s exceptional formed canvases, which range in scale from the intimate to the monumental and span fifty years of artistic production, have seldom been seen outside of Puerto Rico, where she has lived and worked since 1972. Produced in conjunction with the artist’s first solo exhibition at Galerie Lelong New York, this publication focuses on Sánchez’s shaped paintings made threedimensional through her unique method of stretching canvases over hand-molded wooden frameworks.
Heróicas Eróticas en Nueva York