LA POESÍA DE
This catalogue illustrates a selection of the exhibited works.
The complete exhibition can be viewed on our website at www.odonwagnergallery.com
198 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 1J2 Canada 416.962.0438 or 800.551.2465 [email protected] www.odonwagnergallery.com
LA POESÍA DE
NOVEMBER 18 - DECEMBER 31, 2010
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Willy Ramos paints an expression of nature, an idea rather than a literal depiction of the flowers, landscape, or figures before him. Though representational in subject matter, Ramos’ paintings function as abstract rhythms of light and colour, organized in harmonious compositions that are both balanced and energized. His expressionistic brushstrokes create active surfaces recalling the paintings of such twentieth-century masters as Albert Marquet, Raoul Dufy, and Henri Matisse.
Willy’s forms are reductive and simplified, his colours exuberant, not unlike the Fauve painters who left a potent impression in their brief years of activity around 1904.
Since our inaugural exhibition in 2005, Ramos’ work has been featured in 14 solo exhibitions in five countries, not to mention the many more group shows. Presently, Willy enjoys acclaim for the traveling retrospective titled “Un Mundo Luminoso”, which was launched this year at the Museo de la Ciudad in Valencia and continues to be shown throughout Spain. Elisabeth and I were fortunate to be present at the recent vernissage of this show in Madrid. A few days later, we visited Willy finding ourselves once more in the familiar spaces of his grand Valencia studio to choose works for this Toronto exhibition. We felt privileged to select the artist’s paintings directly from his creative realm.
Willy presented us his work starting with a multitude of sketches, followed by works on paper and watercolours. Finally we were presented with his new oil paintings imbued with bold contrasts and rich tonalities that enliven his nudes, flowers, and landscapes. Willy gives life even to the inanimate, roughly hewn blocks of wood, which he carves and paints, resulting in graceful and poised visions of women.
One of the six sculptures chosen by us represents his wife Pepa and is illustrated in the back cover of this catalogue. In the presence of Pepa and Willy our curatorial discussion and selection process count as the finest moments of our profession.
We hope that our memorable experience is reflected in this exhibition.
Odon Wagner
Odon and Elisabeth Wagner with Willy and Pepa Ramos in the artist’s studio.
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Jarrón con flores silvestres, oil on canvas, 38 x 77 in. / 97 x 196 cm
Azul y naranja, oil on canvas, 39 x 32 in. / 100 x 81 cm
Flores y mujer naranja, oil on canvas, 29 x 24 in. / 73 x 60 cm
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Margaritas, oil on canvas, 32 x 39 in. / 81 x 100 cm
Flores y hoja amarilla, oil on canvas, 58 x 45 in. / 146 x 114 cm
Sueno Blanco, oil on canvas, 58 x 45 in. / 146 x 114 cm
Flores escondiéndose del frio, oil on canvas, 32 x 58 in. / 81 x 146 cm Hojas y papaya, oil on canvas, 32 x 58 in. / 81 x 146 cm
12
Anemonas con fondo de grafito, oil on canvas, 58 x 45 in. / 146 x 114 cm
Flores en fondo azul, Chinese ink, watercolour on paper, 47 x 60 in. / 120 x 152 cm
Estudio para chica tímida, oil on canvas, 18 x 15 in. / 46 x 38 cm Mujer bonita de labios rojos, oil on canvas, 18 x 13 in. / 46 x 33 cm Mujer española, oil on canvas, 18 x 15 in. / 46 x 38 cm
16
Chica pelirroja, oil on canvas, 58 x 45 in. / 146 x 114 cm
Mujer con pelo verde, oil on canvas, 29 x 24 in. / 73 x 60 cm
Chica tímida, oil on canvas, 14 x 11 in. / 35 x 27 cm Desnudo rosa, oil on canvas, 15 x 18 in. / 38 x 46 cm Mirándose al espejo, oil on canvas, 14 x 11 in. / 35 x 27 cm
20
Mujer bonita, polychrome wood, 41 x 16 x 14 in. / 104 x 40 x 36 cm
Enigma, polychrome wood, 37 x 13 x 14 in. / 95 x 33 x 36 cm
Muchacha con sombrero
polychrome wood, 36 x 14 x 14 in. / 92 x 35 x 35 cm
Mujer soñada
polychrome wood, 36 x 14 x 13 in. / 92 x 35 x 32 cm
Mujer bonita de pelo rojo, polychrome wood, 37 x 17 x 11 in. / 95 x 42 x 28 cm
24
Atardecer en Calpe, oil on canvas, 18 x 22 in. / 46 x 55 cm
Mediterranean splendour, oil on canvas, 18 x 22 in. / 46 x 55 cm
26
Tarde amarilla, oil on canvas, 18 x 22 in. / 46 x 55 cm
Árbol rojo, oil on canvas, 18 x 22 in. / 46 x 55 cm
28
Estudio de planta con fondo naranja, oil on canvas, 15 x 18 in. / 38 x 46 cm
Estudio de planta, oil on canvas, 15 x 18 in. / 38 x 46 cm
30
Chica adormecida graphite on paper 20 x 28 in. / 50 x 70 cm Desnuda en hamaca graphite on paper 28 x 40 in. / 70 x 102 cm
Desnudo gris, watercolour on paper, 30 x 22 in. / 76 x 56 cm
32
Chica con el cabello trenza, pencil on paper, 30 x 22 in. / 76 x 56 cm
Mujer con collar, graphite on paper, 28 x 20 in. / 70 x 50 cm
34
Chicago, oil on canvas, 77 x 58 in. / 195 x 146 cm
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (1992 - present)
2010 “La Poesía de Willy Ramos” Odon Wagner Contemporary: Toronto, Canada 2010 “Encuentros” Bisel Gallery: Cartagena, Colombia
2009 “Pura vida” Galeriá Set Espai d’Art: Javea, Spain
“El color de los días” Espacio Grupo Forja & Galería 9: Valencia, Spain 2008 “El río” Quinta Galeriá : Bogota, Colombia
“El color en la memoria” Gallery Chys: Murcia, Spain “El color o el calor del sexo” Galería 9: Valencia, Spain “El siroco de la tarde” Muvim: Valencia, Spain
“El siroco de la tarde” Ramón Gaya Museum: Murcia, Spain 2007 “Bilder, Zeichnungen, Skulpturen” Am Schweizer Platz Galerie:
Frankfurt am Main and Kunsthaus Schöne: Andernach, Germany “El Siroco de la Tarde” Colombian Embassy: Madrid, Spain 2006 “Painting as Offering” Peter Bartlow Gallery: Chicago, IL
“Los colores de musica” Galería 9: Valencia, Spain
“Malerei als Opfergabe” Galerie Zangbieri. Basel, Switzerland
2005 “Mediterranean Splendour” Odon Wagner Contemporary: Toronto, Canada Casa de America: Madrid, Spain
2004 “Nabusimake” Museo de la Ciudad: Valencia, Spain 2003 “La atracción del amante” Galeriá CC 22. Madrid, Spain
“Huellas” Muekles, San Pedro del Pinatar: Murcia, Spain
“The Colour of Silence” Peter Bartlow Gallery: Chicago, USA
2002 “La memoria del color” Fundación Caja Murcia: Madrid, and Galeriá Bisel:
Cartagena, Spain and Casa de Cultura San Pedro del Pinatar: Murcia, Spain
”Naturalezas vivas” Casa de Cultura Pucol: Valencia, Spain 2001 “La luz del principio” Galeriá CC 22: Madrid, Spain
2000 “El color de los dias” La Ribera, Galeriá de Arte: Murcia, Spain
“Sobre papel” Peter Bartlow Gallery: Chicago, IL
1999 “A la orilla del tiempo” Galeriá Rosalía Sendero: Valencia, Spain
“Pinturas” Galeriá CC 22: Madrid, Spain
“Acuarelas y dibujos” Karagato: Jávea, Spain
“Chicago’s Memory” Peter Bartlow Gallery: Chicago, IL
“Pinturas y acuarelas” Galeriá Art al Rec: Barcelona, Spain 1998 “Pinturas para vivir” Galeriá CC 22: Madrid, Spain
“Flores, bodegones y paisajes” Iglesia de San Estaban: Murcia, Centro Cultural de la CAM Alicante: Alicante and Centro Cultural del Ayuntamiento: Castellón, Spain
1997 “Pinturas sin tiempo” Galeriá Rosalía Sendero: Valencia, Spain
“Suit Chicago” Peter Bartlow Gallery: Chicago, IL
“Pinturas” Alexander’s Metro Art Gallery: Tampa, FL 1996 “Paintings” Peter Bartlow Gallery: Chicago, IL
Casa de Cultura Ceutí. Murcia, Spain
1995 “Flores y naturalezas”Peter Bartlow Gallery: Chicago, IL
“Pinturas” Galeriá Chys: Murcia, Spain
“Living for colour and painting” Alexander’s Fine Art Gallery: Tampa, FL 1994 “Dibujos eroticos” Galeriá Arte Xerea: Valencia, Spain
“Lineas y manchas, dibujos eroticos” Casa de Cultura Pucol: Valencia, Spain 1993 “Pinturas” Galeriá Calder: Barcelona, Spain
1992 “Paraiso lejano” Galeriá Chys: Murcia, Spain
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (1992 - present)
2010 Art Toronto 2010 with Odon Wagner Contemporary
“Encuentros, Cuba-Espana” Sala Retiro: Madrid, Spain Art Madrid International Art Fair with Vanrell Gallery Sianoja, International Artist Symposium: Noja, Spain La Petxina Cultural Exhibition: Valencia, Spain 2009 Art Toronto 2009 with Odon Wagner Contemporary
Art Madrid International Art Fair with Galeriá Quinta
“Marte, Proyecto de Escultura Contemporanea en El Maritimo”: Valencia, Spain
“6 Visiones, Art Contemporaneo Colombiano” Biblioteca La Petxina: Valencia, Spain BIOGRAPHY
1954 Born in Pueblo Bello, Colombia
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2008 Toronto International Art Fair (TIAF) with Odon Wagner Contemporary Art Madrid International Art Fair with Galeriá Lazar Vujic
2007 Toronto International Art Fair (TIAF) with Odon Wagner Contemporary ARTBO International Art Fair with Galeriá Quinta
Art Madrid International Art Fair with Galeriá Quinta
2006 Toronto International Art Fair (TIAF) with Odon Wagner Contemporary ARTBO International Art Fair with Galeriá Quinta
2005 “Encuentros” Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art: Boulder, CO and Josep Renau Hall, Fine Arts University: Valencia, Spain and Galeriá Luis Nishisawa, Plastic Arts, Xochimilco, México.
Toronto International Art Fair (TIAF) and Art Miami with Odon Wagner Contemporary
“Cabanilles” Jardin Botanico: Valencia, Spain 2004 International Art Fair (Milan) with Vandermaal Gallery
“Papeles del viaje compartido” Galeriá Argenta: Valencia, Spain
“Cruce de miradas” Set Spai d’Art: Javea, Spain 2003 International Art Fair (Parma) with Vandermaal Gallery 2002 International Art Fair (Marbella) with Galeriá CC 22 2001 Marbella International Art Fair with Galeriá CC 22
Santander Art Fair with Galeriá CC 22 Art Fair (Salamanca) with Galeriá CC 22 2000 Art Fair (Salamanca) with Galeriá CC 22
Marbella International Art Fair with Galeriá CC 22 Santander International Art Fair with Galeriá CC 22
1999 Interarte International Art Fair (Valencia) with Galeriá Rosalía Sender Grabado International Art Fair (Madrid)
1998 Interarte International Art Fair (Valencia) with Galeriá Rosalía Sender
“La dona” Galeriá Rosalía Sender: Valencia, Spain
1997 Interarte International Art Fair (Valencia) with Galeriá Rosalía Sender
“Taller de Pepe Jiminez” Museo de Arte Contemporaneo: Madrid and Espai d’Art La Llotgeta:
Valencia, Spain and Casa de Cultura: Cartagena, Colombia
International Art Fair (Bologna) with Kass Meridiam and Peter Bartlow Gallery International Art Fair (Strasbourg) with Kass Meridiam and Peter Bartlow Gallery
“6 Artistas Espanoles” Peter Bartlow Gallery: Chicago, IL
International Art Fair (Milan) with Kass Meridiam and Peter Bartlow Gallery International Art Fair, Gante, Belgium: Kass Meridiam and Peter Bartlow Gallery 1996 International Art Fair (Bologna) with Peter Bartlow Gallery
International Art Fair (Strasbourg) with Peter Bartlow Gallery International Art Fair (Milan) with Peter Bartlow Gallery
“De Picasso a nuestros dias” Palacio de la Cultura de Aman: Aman, Jordan
“El Taller de Pepe Jiminez” Casa de Cultura Verónicas: Murcia, Spain International Art Fair (Valencia) with Galeriá Chys
1995 International Art Fair (Toulouse) France with Arte Zerea National Art Fair (Torrepacheco) with Galeriá Chys
“Artistas de la Galeriá” Alexander’s Fine Arts Gallery: Tampa, FL Bienal Internacional de Dibujo y Grafica: Tuzla, Bosnia
1994 “Pintores del Caribe” Museo de Valledupar: Colombia National Art Fair, Factoría Nacional: Torrepacheco, Spain
“Fondos de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia” Museo del IVAM Centro del Carmen: Valencia, Spain 1993 “Villa-Art” Casa de Cultura & Villar del Arzobispo: Valencia, Spain
“Encuentros en el Zocalo. Obra grafica de artistas valencianos” Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas, UNAM: Mexico
“De Mar a Mar” Universidad Politécnica de Valencia: Valencia, Spain and Southampton Institute of High Education: Southampton, England
1992 “Pintores en Murcia” Factoria Nacional: Sala de Arte del Colegio de Arquitectos: Murcia, Spain ARCO International Art Fair, with Arte Xerea: Madrid, Spain
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Elche, Spain Museo Salvador Allende, Santiago, Chile
Museo Popular de Arte Contemporáneo de Vilafames, Spain Museo de Valledupar, Colombia
Caja Rural, Murcia, Spain
Diputación Provincial de Alicante, Spain Caja Murcia, Murcia, Spain
Museo de Arte Moderno de Pedralba, Valencia, Spain Banco de la República, Bogota, Spain
Fundación Cultural CAM, Murcia, Spain Casa de Cultura de Pego, Spain
Casa de Cultura de Bellreguard, Spain Ayuntamiento de la Villa de Canals Fundación de Arte, L’Oreal, Madrid, Spain Casa de Cultura de Sagunto, Valencia, Spain Casa de Cultura de Puzol, Valencia, Spain Fundación Bancaja, Valencia, Spain Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain Universidad Nacional Autonoma, Mexico
Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo, Marbella, Spain Museo de Bellas Artes, Murcia, Spain
PAINTINGS IN MUSEUMS AND INSTITUTIONS
CREDITS
CURATORS Odon, Rafael and Nicholas Wagner
GRAPHIC DESIGN Angela Wagner, iD Inspired Design, www.inspireddesign.ca PRINTING Solisco Caractera, Quebec, www.solisco.com
ISBN: 978-0-9867414-1-8 National Library of Canada “La Poesía del Willy Ramos” Copyright: Odon Wagner Gallery, 2010
Vista de Venecia, oil on canvas, 32 x 51 in. / 81 x 130 cm Back Cover: Pepa vestida de fiesta, polychrome wood, 36 x 21 x 11 in. / 90 x 52 x 27 cm
198 Davenport Road, Toronto, ON M5R 1J2 Canada
416.962.0438 800.551.2465 [email protected] www.odonwagnergallery.com
