Artwork: Monica Lorenza Taborda, Rituales, 2018, Linoleo

Beyond the “Encuentro” - A New Gathering

January 16th - February 27th

Curated by Félix Ángel

Featured artists include: Diego Arango – Álvaro Botero Gallego - Juan Ernesto Correa - Male Correa – Ana Fernández - Hernando Guerrero – Armando Londoño Gómez - María López - Carlos Marín – Camila Maya Monsalve - Luis Fernando Mejía Jaramillo - Victoria Ortiz – Julio Sampedro Longas – Fabián Rendón - Jorge Rodríguez - Jessica Paola Sánchez Barba – Mónica Lorenza Taborda G. – Luis Fernando Uribe

Opening Reception: Saturday, January 16th from 6:30 - 8pm

For the first show of the new year, Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) is pleased to host, Beyond the “Encuentro,” a substantial exhibition of Colombian printmakers that will run from January 16th - February 20th. This show, curated by Félix Ángel assisted by co-sponsor Julio Valdez, is the next step of the project, Encuentro de Artistas Grabadores de Medellín (Medellín’s Printmaking Artists Gathering) that originated in Colombia, South America. This event, which was organized by Ángel in November of 2018, brought together over seventy printmakers working in the city of Medellín — a feat never before accomplished. Beyond the “Encuentro” features a selection of eighteen artists that participated in the original show.

The show was Initially displayed in the US in Washington D.C. consisting of a range of artists that vary in age, style and technique, from the figurative to the abstract. Each artist uses their own unique process to create distinctive, eye-catching work that demonstrates proficient ability, artistry and talent. By displaying these artists together, Ángel hopes to bring more attention to the art of printmakers in his home country of Colombia as well as in the United States. This display of artists and their work is a reflection of the contemporary printmaking presently occurring in Medellín.

For curator Ángel, the exhibition, “reminds us about the universality of the arts and the multidimensionality of graphics which, in turn, reflect the complexity and diversity of visual creativity, the triumph of the imagination, the anxieties of life’s unpredictability, and the accomplishments of humanity at large, as well those of the individual. Printmaking conforms a universe, its versatility envied by other forms of expression.” Believing in the power only created by human sensibilities, Ángel sees printmaking as a medium in which artists can simultaneously contemplate how their vision of society impacts both their past and present while also reimagining their future. 

BRAC's Executive Director, Gail Nathan reflects on the long history of printmaking at BRAC. "Since the mid 1970s BRAC has support the practice of social protest and expression in the tradition of Latin American artisans, through printmaking's relief, (woodblock), Intaglio (engraving) and stencil (silkscreen) techniques done in our professional education studios. Students who take our printmaking classes fall in love with the process and enjoy the way it requires the group dynamics of sharing and supporting one another."

About the Curator and Co-Sponsor:  Curator Félix Ángel and co-sponsor Julio Valdez are both accomplished artists. Graduating from the School of Architecture of the National University of Colombia in 1974, Ángel has received numerous awards and participated in more than 100 exhibitions internationally. He has also published multiple books about literature, art and poetry. Valdez is a graduate of the Altos de Chav?n School of Design, the Parsons School of Design affiliate in the Dominican Republic. His work has been shown internationally since 1984. Receiving a fellowship from the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in 1994, he founded Julio Valdez Studio, which specializes in non-toxic contemporary printmaking processes. Both of these individuals wished to give support to underrepresented artists.

A Virtual Artist Talk

February 20th at 6:30pm

Hosted by Luanda Lozano

Bronx River Art Center is pleased to present an evening of artists in conversation in response to our current exhibition Beyond the “Encuentro,” as it comes to close. This show, composed of eighteen printmaking artists from Medellín, Colombia, gives more exposure to the rich history this art form has in the country while also acting as a reflection of contemporary Colombian printmaking. This talk will be moderated by renowned New York printmaker, Luanda Lozano, and will occur Saturday, February 20th, over Zoom at 6:30 pm. The show has been extended one week to February 27th and the gallery is open for viewing at limited capacity.

Luanda Lozano and participating artists will engage in conversation about their chosen style of printmaking, how Colombia has affected their work and inquire about the printmaking community in the city of Medellín. Artists participating in the discussion are Diego Arango, Male Correa, Ana Fernández, Victoria Ortiz and Jorge Rodriguez, who each represent a form of printmaking that varies in age, style and technique. From the figurative to the abstract, each artist uses their own unique process to create distinctive, eye-catching work that demonstrates proficient ability, artistry and talent.

About the Moderator: Luanda Lozano is a printmaker who was born in Humpata, Angola and later raised in the Dominican Republic before moving to New York City to pursue her education and career in the arts. Earning her BFA degree in illustration at Parsons School of Design, she developed her skills and love of printmaking at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop facilitated by Peruvian artist, Claudio Juarez. She has taught printmaking in several institutions including the Bronx River Art Center, and her work is part of several prestigious collections across the globe.