Dear Readers,
An announcement must be in place: I now manage a page on Facebook! It is called "Support Modern & Contemporary Peruvian Art," I have added/shared links to articles specifically on Peruvian artists/artwork in Peru/United States.
It is currently under construction given that I have NOT chosen a profile picture or cover photo for the page. But once I do, it will become public and I will be able to invite friends and family to like the page. I am very excited about this new addition to my ever-expanding resources.
Next stop: Graduate School?
We will see how this goes. I still need to apply for graduate schools and write my sample. I will be dedicating my writing sample to a Contemporary Peruvian-American artist, Kukuli Velarde, whom I have yet to write a full biography about on this blog. That would need to happen as soon as possible!
All the updates I have for now.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
Commencement of Peruvian Artists Pages
Dear Readers,
New Beginnings! "Curator - An Independent Agency" has been temporarily changed to "Curatorial Independence - Transparency and Scholarship." The title will be changing for the next couple of months as I try to come up with a solid introductory blog and resource enhancing contemporary Peruvian art/artists.
My intentions are to not only promote visibility in the United States, but also to encourage art historical scholarship. There is very little scholarship on modern or contemporary Peruvian art because it is viewed as part of an overall art historical diaspora known as "Latin American art." Latin American art is beginning to separate into niches according to its/their appropriate diaspora or country. Only recently, Cuban art and Argentinian art have legitimized their diaspora partially due to political and social turmoil. Each country in Latin America has an art story to tell. I hope I can be one art historian, of Peruvian ancestry, to deliver scholarship on modern and contemporary Peruvian art.
In terms of teaching, I would love to lecture seminar and survey courses on this topic. I know I have a great deal to learn about the history of Peru and the historiography of Peru, which I am researching and reading on my free time. Two impactful moments in Peru's social and political history that are critical to artistic production in Peru were the presence of terrorism by Sendero Luminoso (1980- present) and MRTA (1982-1997), and the administration of Alberto Fujimori, "Fujimorismo," and the Fujimori corruption (1990-2000).
Peru has grown to be an independent, stable, and prolific country. It's greatest revelation began with the discovery and transparency of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Archaeological and astrological importance phased into existence during the late 1960s. The colonial period (17th - 18th-centuries) may have been the beginning of Peru's art scene, which later flourishes in 19th-century romanticism and the Indigenismo movement in the 20th-century.
History is exciting, folks! Until next time...
New Beginnings! "Curator - An Independent Agency" has been temporarily changed to "Curatorial Independence - Transparency and Scholarship." The title will be changing for the next couple of months as I try to come up with a solid introductory blog and resource enhancing contemporary Peruvian art/artists.
My intentions are to not only promote visibility in the United States, but also to encourage art historical scholarship. There is very little scholarship on modern or contemporary Peruvian art because it is viewed as part of an overall art historical diaspora known as "Latin American art." Latin American art is beginning to separate into niches according to its/their appropriate diaspora or country. Only recently, Cuban art and Argentinian art have legitimized their diaspora partially due to political and social turmoil. Each country in Latin America has an art story to tell. I hope I can be one art historian, of Peruvian ancestry, to deliver scholarship on modern and contemporary Peruvian art.
In terms of teaching, I would love to lecture seminar and survey courses on this topic. I know I have a great deal to learn about the history of Peru and the historiography of Peru, which I am researching and reading on my free time. Two impactful moments in Peru's social and political history that are critical to artistic production in Peru were the presence of terrorism by Sendero Luminoso (1980- present) and MRTA (1982-1997), and the administration of Alberto Fujimori, "Fujimorismo," and the Fujimori corruption (1990-2000).
Peru has grown to be an independent, stable, and prolific country. It's greatest revelation began with the discovery and transparency of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Archaeological and astrological importance phased into existence during the late 1960s. The colonial period (17th - 18th-centuries) may have been the beginning of Peru's art scene, which later flourishes in 19th-century romanticism and the Indigenismo movement in the 20th-century.
History is exciting, folks! Until next time...
Saturday, June 14, 2014
History behind the Bull: El Torito que Viajo al Cielo
"El Torito que Viajó al Cielo" (The Little Bull that Flew to Heaven)
by Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza
Brief History of the Peruvian Bull by Verioska J. Torres
A dramatic children's novel about a little bull named Calixto¹, who lives peacefully with his mother and father bulls in the countryside of Ayacucho² until his owners sell the torito to a band of bullfighters.
The beginning of the story climaxes with a large storm that destroys all vegetation and flora in Ayacucho. Calixto's owners, Don Juan and Dona Ana, lose their crops from the storm and begin to suffer financially. They decide to sell off their only surviving animal. The narrative follows Calixto, who finds himself in a barbarous city with very little grazing fields and befriends two adult male bulls, Simon and Jose, inside a tiny corral.
Bullfighting is a long, old tradition in Peru that began in the late 18th-century. Plaza de Acho is Lima's oldest bullfighting rings located in Rimac district.
.... talk about debate
.... talk about the art of bullfighting v mistreatment of bulls
Another Peruvian tradition was cattle branding, a ceremony most common in the Andes as tribute to the Pachamama. The animal is branded with fire, its mouth and anus slit and aji is rubbed on its wounds so that the animal licks its mouth and frantically moves its tail. In a small village of Pucará in the central region of Puno, Peruvian oral history tells of a legendary bull in the midst of sacrifice through ceremonial cattle-branding when suddenly it strikes a rock of a high mountain peak with its horns and water spills from his mouth all over the countryside. In this legend, the people of Pucará are saved by the multitude of water and starvation, which lead them in full admiration of the powers of the bull. It was not until the Colonial era that the traditionally painted, adorned, nose-licking bulls sacrificed to Pachamama were created in clay form. To that affect, Pucará becomes one of the largest commercial ceramics centers of Peru. Los Toritos de Pucará, named after the legendary bulls of Pucará, are decorated ceramic bulls, either glazed or bathed in white paste, animated to a cattle-branding stance, with painted flora and fauna, and other elements of the Peruvian landscape. Los Totitos are commonly seen on the rooftops of churches and houses in the Andean regions of Apurimac, Cusco, Puno, and Ayacucho, but can also be seen in parts of Lima.
The author has a clear understanding of his cultural heritage and further reveals a message promoting awareness of the cruelty of bulls in bullfighting. Bullfighting is meant to be a spectacle in comparison to the spectacles Roman gladiators, who were slaved into combat, or even the spectacles of animal sacrifices. An element of humanity is enhanced in the character/animal Calixto. As animals ourselves, we can empathize the loss of family and friends, as well as, the extremity of suicidal thoughts when emotionally distressed from trauma. Furthermore, the author adds the element of religion. Suffering and sacrifice are two aspects of Catholicism that Peruvians have constant awareness.
About the Author:
Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza was born on February 23, 1997 in Ica, Peru. In 2013, his first novel El Torito que Viajó al Cielo was published by Fondo Editorial Cultura Peruana. In order to encourage young adults about the importance of Peruvian Literature, as well as, to promote awareness of animal cruelty, Jean Pierre visited several schools in Peru including Colegio 013 Instituto Leonardo Rodriguez in Tumbes. He currently lives and works in Lima and is fulfilling a career in Cinematography.
Notes:
1. "Calixto" is a name of Spanish and Portuguese origin. It derives from the Greek word kallistos, meaning 'beautiful,' and the Latin male name Calixtus. (Ex. Religious image: Saint Calixto (San Calixto Papa).)
2. Ayacucho is the capital of Huamanga District in the Ayacucho regions of Southern Peru. The name of the city derives from the Quechua words "aya" and "kuchu" meaning 'death corner.' Indigenous peoples of the Wari, Chanka, and Nasca inhabited this region until their downfall and the rise of the Incan empire. Two historical instances led to the naming of the city: In 1540, the city was given a colonial name "San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga" founded by Francisco Pizarro against Manco Inca's Rebellion; and in 1824, Simon Bolivar changed the name of the city to "Ayacucho" after the Battle of Ayacucho in the Peruvian War of Independence.
3.
by Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza
Brief History of the Peruvian Bull by Verioska J. Torres
 |
| (C) Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza, Fondo Editorial Cultura Peruana. (Image scanned June 2014 by Verioska J. Torres) |
The beginning of the story climaxes with a large storm that destroys all vegetation and flora in Ayacucho. Calixto's owners, Don Juan and Dona Ana, lose their crops from the storm and begin to suffer financially. They decide to sell off their only surviving animal. The narrative follows Calixto, who finds himself in a barbarous city with very little grazing fields and befriends two adult male bulls, Simon and Jose, inside a tiny corral.
Bullfighting is a long, old tradition in Peru that began in the late 18th-century. Plaza de Acho is Lima's oldest bullfighting rings located in Rimac district.
.... talk about debate
.... talk about the art of bullfighting v mistreatment of bulls
 |
| Image: Toritos de Pucará, Frank Tipiani, October 6, 2014. Taken from InfoDestino de Frank Tipiani (blog). |
The author has a clear understanding of his cultural heritage and further reveals a message promoting awareness of the cruelty of bulls in bullfighting. Bullfighting is meant to be a spectacle in comparison to the spectacles Roman gladiators, who were slaved into combat, or even the spectacles of animal sacrifices. An element of humanity is enhanced in the character/animal Calixto. As animals ourselves, we can empathize the loss of family and friends, as well as, the extremity of suicidal thoughts when emotionally distressed from trauma. Furthermore, the author adds the element of religion. Suffering and sacrifice are two aspects of Catholicism that Peruvians have constant awareness.
About the Author:
Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza was born on February 23, 1997 in Ica, Peru. In 2013, his first novel El Torito que Viajó al Cielo was published by Fondo Editorial Cultura Peruana. In order to encourage young adults about the importance of Peruvian Literature, as well as, to promote awareness of animal cruelty, Jean Pierre visited several schools in Peru including Colegio 013 Instituto Leonardo Rodriguez in Tumbes. He currently lives and works in Lima and is fulfilling a career in Cinematography.
Notes:
1. "Calixto" is a name of Spanish and Portuguese origin. It derives from the Greek word kallistos, meaning 'beautiful,' and the Latin male name Calixtus. (Ex. Religious image: Saint Calixto (San Calixto Papa).)
2. Ayacucho is the capital of Huamanga District in the Ayacucho regions of Southern Peru. The name of the city derives from the Quechua words "aya" and "kuchu" meaning 'death corner.' Indigenous peoples of the Wari, Chanka, and Nasca inhabited this region until their downfall and the rise of the Incan empire. Two historical instances led to the naming of the city: In 1540, the city was given a colonial name "San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga" founded by Francisco Pizarro against Manco Inca's Rebellion; and in 1824, Simon Bolivar changed the name of the city to "Ayacucho" after the Battle of Ayacucho in the Peruvian War of Independence.
3.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
On the Coast: Ica and Huacachina (PERU)
ICA
Ica, with a population of over 200,000 inhabitants, sits on the coast at approximately four hours south of Lima. From mysterious ruins of supernatural proportions to architectural ruins due to natural disasters, Ica is believed to be a magical city. 'Magical' in the supernatural sense, other-worldly, sorcery and witchcraft.
Its greatest attraction is the wine. As the saying goes...
One vineyard that I highly recommend is called El Catador, which literally translates to 'the taster.'
At El Catador you are guided through a luscious vineyard, access wineries, and be part of the wine-making process, as well as, wine tasting! The best time to visit the wineries in Ica would be in March for the annual Grape Festival (harvest and pressing grapes). Just so we're clear, wine in South America are mostly sweet or semi-sweet, never dry (be careful what you ask for at restaurants!). Also let it be known that Peru has no legal age limit for drinking alcoholic bebidas.
After the tour around the vineyard and winery, you are sent back to the bodega turistica for wine tasting. Depending on the time of day, you are given 6-7 (7-10 in the afternoon) tastings of wine, plus one of pisco puro and another of a cocktail-mix liquer. El Catador is well-known for their grapes; their best product is called "Tres Generaciones Pisco."
For more information, contact them via email (English or Spanish available) and LIKE them of Facebook.
El Catador | Fundo Tres Esquinas N.102 | Subtanjalla, Ica, Peru | (056) 403-427
CLARO: 986 961126 | MOVISTAR: 956 957440
Email: elcatadorq@aol.com
BEST PLACES TO EAT:
I would also recommend El Encanto de La Huerta as you leave Ica, located six minutes away from tourist buses. They serve the best sopa secca, causa, and papa a la huancaína.You must also try their version of chicha morada--it is extra foamy, not too sweet, and a strong essence of cinnamon.
El Encanto de La Huerta | Calle Fermin Tanguis N 347 | San Miguel, Ica, Peru | (056) 218970
Cel: 956309466 | RPM #943983929
www.elencantodelahuerta.com.pe
_____________________________________________________________________
HUACACHINA
Huacachina is Peru's desert oasis built around a small lake, home of a mythical mermaid, surrounded by sand dunes. Located in the Ica district, approximately five to seven minutes by taxi, Huacachina is a tourist wonder, even for local Peruvians, filled with specialty meat vendors and adrenaline-pumped dune buggies.
When in Huacachina, dune buggies and sand-boarding is the thing to do! Ask your taxi driver or a local to point you to the nearest agent. Dune Buggies are ONLY available through a tourist agency, unless otherwise purchased online.
The dune buggies, or tubulares, are available at certain times of the day and some in the evening. I recommend your excursion on the dunes between 04:00 (16:00) or 05:00 (17:00) in the afternoon. This timeframe allows for plenty of sand-boarding, picturesque photos, and a beautiful sunset on the west.
WATCH OUT FOR:
(1) Inexperienced drivers. You can almost always recognize an inexperienced driver by their manner of driving and their inept attention to their own buggy. A good driver always checks their vehicle after a long, BUMPY crusade, AND follows a trail previously marked by other buggies. If a driver is driving off-course or trying a new route, please let them know. It is very easy for one to get lost in the dunes, especially around nightfall.
(2) Short trips. Most dune buggy excursions run between two to three hours (length in kms unknown) and one can sand-board up to four hills in one trip. With an inexperienced or lazy driver, you may suffer a short trip of two hours and only within a 10 mile radius.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR RIDE:
(1) Long Sleeves, Pants, and closed-toe shoes! It is important to wear apparel that is light and comfortable; short sleeves and shorts are good options for riding on the buggies. However, if you plan on sand-boarding make sure you have an extra pair of long sleeves or pants (easy to attach). You are sand-boarding belly down with the likelihood of scraping your forearms and your shins, so please be advised to wear long sleeves/pants. Finally, only closed-toe shoes are accepted while in the dune buggy.
(2) Wind and Sun. You are given the option of wearing protective glasses from sand blowing into your cornea, however it is not necessary. Also, take care of your skin; sunblock should be applied liberally.
(3) Camera. You can bring any camera you wish. The photos and the experiences are your only souvenirs. Note: cameras are NOT permitted when you opt for sand-boarding, you MUST leave your camera in the buggy and wait until the buggy picks you up from the bottom of the hill.
WHERE TO STAY:
Hotel Mossone 3/5 ***/***** $$$ ($50-200)
A wonderful hotel with Spanish architecture throughout and a fabulous view of the Laguna. A great location with historical significance. Continental breakfast--Delicious morning breakfast served in buffet style, breakfast to your liking. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, bar and restaurant, HD Television with cable and WIFI, and A/C. Large rooms with full bathroom (hair-dryer, soap, shampoo, towels included) and housekeeping.
_________________________________________________________________
Ica, with a population of over 200,000 inhabitants, sits on the coast at approximately four hours south of Lima. From mysterious ruins of supernatural proportions to architectural ruins due to natural disasters, Ica is believed to be a magical city. 'Magical' in the supernatural sense, other-worldly, sorcery and witchcraft.
Its greatest attraction is the wine. As the saying goes...
Si a Ica vino y no tomo vino, entonces porque mierdas vinoYou can grab a taxi from the center of Ica, or its periphery, and visit any vineyard in Subtanjalla.
 |
| View of Subtanjalla, on the periphery, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
At El Catador you are guided through a luscious vineyard, access wineries, and be part of the wine-making process, as well as, wine tasting! The best time to visit the wineries in Ica would be in March for the annual Grape Festival (harvest and pressing grapes). Just so we're clear, wine in South America are mostly sweet or semi-sweet, never dry (be careful what you ask for at restaurants!). Also let it be known that Peru has no legal age limit for drinking alcoholic bebidas.
After the tour around the vineyard and winery, you are sent back to the bodega turistica for wine tasting. Depending on the time of day, you are given 6-7 (7-10 in the afternoon) tastings of wine, plus one of pisco puro and another of a cocktail-mix liquer. El Catador is well-known for their grapes; their best product is called "Tres Generaciones Pisco."
 |
| El Catador bodega, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
El Catador | Fundo Tres Esquinas N.102 | Subtanjalla, Ica, Peru | (056) 403-427
CLARO: 986 961126 | MOVISTAR: 956 957440
Email: elcatadorq@aol.com
BEST PLACES TO EAT:
I would also recommend El Encanto de La Huerta as you leave Ica, located six minutes away from tourist buses. They serve the best sopa secca, causa, and papa a la huancaína.You must also try their version of chicha morada--it is extra foamy, not too sweet, and a strong essence of cinnamon.
El Encanto de La Huerta | Calle Fermin Tanguis N 347 | San Miguel, Ica, Peru | (056) 218970
Cel: 956309466 | RPM #943983929
www.elencantodelahuerta.com.pe
_____________________________________________________________________
HUACACHINA
Huacachina is Peru's desert oasis built around a small lake, home of a mythical mermaid, surrounded by sand dunes. Located in the Ica district, approximately five to seven minutes by taxi, Huacachina is a tourist wonder, even for local Peruvians, filled with specialty meat vendors and adrenaline-pumped dune buggies.
 |
| View of Huacachina, returning from Dune Buggy excursion, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
 |
| Image of a 8-seat Dune Buggy, Dunes of Huancachina, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
WATCH OUT FOR:
(1) Inexperienced drivers. You can almost always recognize an inexperienced driver by their manner of driving and their inept attention to their own buggy. A good driver always checks their vehicle after a long, BUMPY crusade, AND follows a trail previously marked by other buggies. If a driver is driving off-course or trying a new route, please let them know. It is very easy for one to get lost in the dunes, especially around nightfall.
(2) Short trips. Most dune buggy excursions run between two to three hours (length in kms unknown) and one can sand-board up to four hills in one trip. With an inexperienced or lazy driver, you may suffer a short trip of two hours and only within a 10 mile radius.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR RIDE:
(1) Long Sleeves, Pants, and closed-toe shoes! It is important to wear apparel that is light and comfortable; short sleeves and shorts are good options for riding on the buggies. However, if you plan on sand-boarding make sure you have an extra pair of long sleeves or pants (easy to attach). You are sand-boarding belly down with the likelihood of scraping your forearms and your shins, so please be advised to wear long sleeves/pants. Finally, only closed-toe shoes are accepted while in the dune buggy.
(2) Wind and Sun. You are given the option of wearing protective glasses from sand blowing into your cornea, however it is not necessary. Also, take care of your skin; sunblock should be applied liberally.
 |
| Inside a tubular, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
WHERE TO STAY:
Hotel Mossone 3/5 ***/***** $$$ ($50-200)
A wonderful hotel with Spanish architecture throughout and a fabulous view of the Laguna. A great location with historical significance. Continental breakfast--Delicious morning breakfast served in buffet style, breakfast to your liking. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, bar and restaurant, HD Television with cable and WIFI, and A/C. Large rooms with full bathroom (hair-dryer, soap, shampoo, towels included) and housekeeping.
 |
| Outside Hotel Mossone, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
Balneario de Haucachina s/n, Ica
Referencia (frente a la Laguna)
TEL: (056) 213630
FAX: (056) 236137
Referencia (frente a la Laguna)
TEL: (056) 213630
FAX: (056) 236137
For reservations: Book Hotel Mossone
Promotional video: Hotel Mossone
hmossone@dematourshoteles.com_________________________________________________________________
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Wheel in The Sky Keeps Turning...
As of today, I will be converting this blog and future posts into a research reference, where I will post biographies, monographs, CVs, photos, exhibition reviews, and other fabulous art things for possible graduate school research paper topics.
Next blog post: Kukuli Velarde, Peruvian-born contemporary artist, emigrated from Peru to the United States to pursue a new, better life.
She is one of several Peruvian artists who has a strong voice against colonialism. Stay tuned for the next post!
Another fun and exciting avenue I will post in the blog is my travel to Peru. I am embarking on a week-long vacation with my mother to explore the sites and wonders of Huacachina! While in Peru, I am also visiting museums and art galleries that will facilitate further topics for my future thesis (and more so-- dissertation).
Hasta Luego!
Next blog post: Kukuli Velarde, Peruvian-born contemporary artist, emigrated from Peru to the United States to pursue a new, better life.
She is one of several Peruvian artists who has a strong voice against colonialism. Stay tuned for the next post!
Another fun and exciting avenue I will post in the blog is my travel to Peru. I am embarking on a week-long vacation with my mother to explore the sites and wonders of Huacachina! While in Peru, I am also visiting museums and art galleries that will facilitate further topics for my future thesis (and more so-- dissertation).
Hasta Luego!
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Douglas Abdell (1947-present)
The following post serves as a commemoration to the artist Douglas Abdell (1947-), an American born, Málaga-based conceptual artist specializing in Sculpture. In honor of his 67th birthday, the following post is to represent my appreciation for his work, his philosophy, and his life. Furthermore, the post below is an excerpt from my undergraduate research written in 2010 at St. Mary's College of Maryland. Enjoy! (Also refer to: "What Lies Beneath? A Student-Designed Exhibition" Blog).
The Language and Art of Douglas Abdell: An in-depth analysis of Klaet Aeyad
Verioska Torres, 2010
Biography
Douglas Abdell (Aiutami) was born on March 16, 1947 in Boston, Massachusetts from an Italian/ Lebanese family. He is the youngest son of Marianna Guernieri and George Joseph Abdell, and a graduate from Brookline High School (1965) in Massachusetts. With a strong background in the Visual Arts from Brookline, he pursued to study painting and sculpture in Florence, Italy from 1968-69. By 1970, Abdell graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA in Sculpture, and incidentally moved to New York, where he was represented as an artist at the Graham Gallery. Three years later, he moved to Vermont, where he received a fellowship as a community artist with the Vermont Arts Council. Before moving back to Boston, Abdell showcased his large works in solo exhibitions at the Andrew Crispo Gallery and the Davis and Long Company. The Sculpture of Douglas Abdell, a 1975 solo exhibition at the Andrew Crispo Gallery, traveled to several universities including St. Mary’s College of Maryland in St. Mary’s City, Maryland in 1976. Within the year, sketches of a new series of sculptures called the Aekyad began to emerge. By 1978, Abdell published a book of poems about the Kryad sculptures in a language of his own devise called, “Kryad Poems.” His largest works from Aekyad series were exhibited at the Andrew Crispo Gallery called, Recent Sculpture, 1977-78. TheMiami-Dade Community College organized a traveling retrospective exhibition, Douglas Abdell: Sculpture and Drawings—1973-1979, which reached two universities in Virginia: Sweet
Briar College and Washington and Lee
University. He currently lives in Málaga, Spain with his wife and continues to work on sculptures in conjunction with political and social issues of the Mediterranean.Bibliography:
Douglas Abdell, The sculpture of Douglas Abdell with an interview by Gene Baro. New York: Andrew Crispo Gallery, 1979.
Douglas Abdell Recent Sculpture. New York: Andrew Crispo Gallery, 1979.
Douglas Abdell Sculpture & Drawings. Florida: New World Center Campus Art Gallery, 1979.
The Language and Art of Douglas Abdell: An in-depth analysis of Klaet Aeyad
Verioska Torres, 2010
 |
|
Douglas Abdell working on drawing from The Sculpture of Douglas Abdell: January 14th - February 5th 1977. New York: Andrew Crispo Gallery, 1977. |
Douglas Abdell (Aiutami) was born on March 16, 1947 in Boston, Massachusetts from an Italian/ Lebanese family. He is the youngest son of Marianna Guernieri and George Joseph Abdell, and a graduate from Brookline High School (1965) in Massachusetts. With a strong background in the Visual Arts from Brookline, he pursued to study painting and sculpture in Florence, Italy from 1968-69. By 1970, Abdell graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA in Sculpture, and incidentally moved to New York, where he was represented as an artist at the Graham Gallery. Three years later, he moved to Vermont, where he received a fellowship as a community artist with the Vermont Arts Council. Before moving back to Boston, Abdell showcased his large works in solo exhibitions at the Andrew Crispo Gallery and the Davis and Long Company. The Sculpture of Douglas Abdell, a 1975 solo exhibition at the Andrew Crispo Gallery, traveled to several universities including St. Mary’s College of Maryland in St. Mary’s City, Maryland in 1976. Within the year, sketches of a new series of sculptures called the Aekyad began to emerge. By 1978, Abdell published a book of poems about the Kryad sculptures in a language of his own devise called, “Kryad Poems.” His largest works from Aekyad series were exhibited at the Andrew Crispo Gallery called, Recent Sculpture, 1977-78. The
Douglas Abdell, The sculpture of Douglas Abdell with an interview by Gene Baro. New York: Andrew Crispo Gallery, 1979.
Douglas Abdell Recent Sculpture. New York: Andrew Crispo Gallery, 1979.
Douglas Abdell Sculpture & Drawings. Florida: New World Center Campus Art Gallery, 1979.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)