Liffey Swim

These drawings are about a certain sense of nostalgia for my home country. They were inspired by a dream I had, in which I found myself overlooking the river Liffey (which flows through the heart of Dublin). This was an important moment for me as I had usually been quite unattached to my homeland. I began finishing them at the time I began “La Solicitud”, so the theme of national identity or sense of belonging are prevailant.

I have used a mixture of pencils, charcoal and oil and chalk pastels. These drawings were completed in July 2007. I have not closed the series as such.

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Series “Liffey Swim”

 Series “Liffey Swell”

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Drawings from “Liffey Swim”

               

           

Drawings from “Liffey Swell”

           

                

         

             

        

 

Portrait Gallery

This  series of portraits was carried out between 2004 and 2007. Most of them were done in “Taller Siete” in Medellín on Fridays when a group of us get together to draw. Usually we take turns posing or someone who drops in will kindly sit for us for a while.

(Esta serie de retratos fueron realizados entre el 2004 y el 2007, la mayoría en el “Taller Siete” en Medellín, los viernes cuando un grupo se unen para dibujar. Por lo general tomamos turnos para posar o si alguien se presenta por casualidad y se sientan quietos por un rato.)

 

1     2      3      4

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5     6     7      8

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9     10         11    12

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13     14     15    16

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17     18     19    20

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21   22    23       24

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25    26   27

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Fichas Tecnicas

1. Julian. 2007. Charcoal (carboncillo)

2. Juan. 2007. Charcoal (carboncillo)

3. Self-portrait with hat. 2005.(Auto retrato con sombrero). Charcoal (carboncillo)

4. Orlando. 2007. Charcoal (carboncillo)

5. Andres. 2006. Charcoal (carboncillo)

6. Chucho. 2007. Charcoal (carboncillo)

7. Maria Fernanda. 2004. wash (aguada de vinilo)

8. Julian. 2006. Charcoal (carboncillo)

9. José Antonio. 2005. Charcoal pencil (lapiz de carboncillo)

10. Sitting figure (figura sentado).2007. mixed (mixto)

11. Sitting figure (figura sentado).2007. mixed (mixto)

12. Sitting figure (figura sentado).2007. mixed (mixto)

13. Heads (cabezas). 2006. oil pastel (oleo pastel). 14cm x 14cm x 3

PORTRAITS 2008

1.    2.    3.

 

4.   5.    6.

 

7. 8.  9.   10.

 

11.    12. 

 

LIST

1. Ana Maria. Chalk pastel (Tisa Pastel)

2. Nando. Charcoal (Carboncillo)

3. Noreña. Charcoal

4. Jose Antonio Suarez. Chalk Pastel

5. Felipe. Charcoal

6. Natalia Ruiz. Charcoal

7. Ana. Charcoal+pencil ( Carboncillo + Lapiz)

8. Orlando. Mixed (mixta)

9. Carlos Carmona. Oil Pastel

10. Jose Antonio Suarez. Oil Pastel

11. Jose Antonio. Charcoal

12. Juan david Tobon. Oil Pastel

 

La Solicitud

This series of work includes both drawings in poster format and sculpture. This series came about when I was faced with having to prepare myself for an exam, based on the history, geography and constitution of Colombia, as part of my application for Colombian citizenship.
The notes I began to take had the sole purpose of helping me remember, aswell as reviewing at a later date, key events and dates in Colombian history. But, as I also had the necessity to be in my studio creating artistic work, I decided to combine the two activities. I began with a sculpture: La Patria Boba, as a reference to those most commonly known Colombian martyrs executed in 1816. I believe that the more time studying something, the greater the chance one will remember its content. As sculpture (and this particular sculpture) requires time , it has been a great study tool, and therefore has lead to other works. 

A raíz de tener que presentar un examen de sociales para la solicitud de ciudadanía Colombiana empecé estudiar. Esta sería de trabajo incluye dibujo en formato de afiches (100cm x 70cms) y esculturas.

Inicialmente los apuntes de estudio tuve el único propósito de ayudarme recordar datos claves en la historia, la geografía y la constitución de Colombia, pero fueron convirtiéndose en obras artísticas. El primer trabajo que hice, “La Patria Boba” es un referente a los mártires  quienes murieron ejecutados mientras la reconquista Española en 1816.

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Mixed Drawing technique. 100cm x 70cm. 2007. From poster series “La Soloicitud”

 

 

 

 

Homenaje al Capitan

 

This work refers to the Captain of the “Comuneros” rebellion in Nueva Granada (What is now central and northeast Colombia) in 1781. Although many other “captains” were involved in the uprising, members of the aristocracy that had been forced to lead the rebellion under threat, it was José Antonio Galán who was persecuted, tortured and executed as leader of the rebellion. He was the underdog and scapegoat probably due to not having such a regal background as the others.

Going from being a popular leader in a people’s uprising with increasing support to a hunted fugitive not knowing where to turn to, with only a handful of men, wounded and brought to justice. The last moments of José Antonio Galán… A man whose world was turned on its head… This is an extract of the sentence that was passed:

…that he be decapitated, his body divided into four parts and the rest put upon a bonfire set before the scaffold; his head should be sent to Guaduas, theatre of his scandalous insults, his right hand placed in the main square in Socorro, the left in the town of San Gil; his right foot in Charalá and his left foot in Mogotes. His descendents shall be declared infamous, his pocessions removed by the crown, his house devastated and strewn with salt; therefore erasing his infamous name from living memory…

(Own translation from “ Los Comuneros“ ; German Arciniegas.

My monument, small trophy or statuette, which also may be seen as a maquette for a much larger sculpture, is a description of that sentence; turning that which was designed to make us forget a hero, into that which exalts his memory.

             

Esta trabajo es un homenaje al José Antonio Galán el más famoso capitán en el rebelión de los Comuneros en Nueva Granada en1781. Aunque habían otros Capitanes involucrados en la insurrección (miembros de la aristocracia actuando bajo coerción y amenaza del pueblo), fue Galán fue perseguido, torturado y ejecutado como lidere de la sublevación. El era el poco favorecido de los españoles e oligarca criollo y resultó siendo el chivo expiatorio. 

De un momento, un cuadillo popular venerado por el pueblo, y al otro, herido y escapando la justicia con poquitos fieles a su lado, cazado como un animal. Los últimos minutos de José Antonio Galán… Un hombre con su mundo volteado en su cabeza… El siguiente es un extracto de su sentencia:

           

 

El General en su Laberinto

This sculpture is based on Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s book by the same name “El General en su Laberinto” also an “atrapasueños” or “dream catcher”. It consists of found materials as well as some classical figurative elements. It is a personal reaction to having read the novel. The last days of torment, disillussionment and surrender  is what interested me here. Two wax busts represent two Irish heros present in Bolivar’s campaign for liberation; O’Leary and O’Higgins. This also comes from my work on “Irish Tree”.

 Details

           

           

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Materials are mixed, also dimensions are variable 2007