User:Syalkin/Agustín Fernández

Agustín Fernández Mederos (April 16, 1928 - June 2, 2006) was a Cuban abstract painter whose work is most recognizable for its ambiguous and precariously balanced forms, erotic overtones, surreal juxtapositions, and metallic palette. In addition to being a masterly painter and draftsman, Fernández created sculptures, assemblages, drypoints, and artist’s books. A self-appointed artist in exile, Fernández lived the majority of his life abroad and exhibited widely throughout his prolific career.

Early Life and Education

Augustín Fernández was born and raised in Havana, in the affluent residential suburb known as Marianao, located about six miles west of central Havana.

From a young age, he expressed an interest in art, taking his first drawing and painting lessons at the ages of eleven and twelve. In 1940, he entered the Belen Jesuit Preparatory School and in 1944-46 he began additional studies at La Escuela Elemental de Artes Aplicadas Anexa [The Elementary School of Applied Arts], the elementary attachment to the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts.

In 1946, after graduating from high school, he entered the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts, the prominent art school of the island, with notable alum including Amelia Peláez, Wifredo Lam, and René Portocarrero. Among his instructors at the school were the acclaimed Cuban artists, Leopoldo Romañach and Ramón Loy. The influence of their teachings, as well as the overall academic technique he learned at the school is ingrained in Fernandez as an artist. This would grow to be particularly evident in his regard for himself as first and foremost a formal painter and as art historian Juan A. Martinez describes, "his lifelong dedication to craftsmanship, mastery of drawing, and tightly organized compositions."

In 1948 and 1949, Fernandez spent two consecutive summers in New York City studying at the Art Students League under the direction of George Grosz and Yasuo Kuniyoshi. He worked closely with Kuniyoshi, who had a considerable influence on Fernandez’s technique. Contrary to academic instruction, Kuniyoshi taught Fernandez to paint from light to dark and furthermore discouraged his heavy reliance on drawing directly from nature. When he returned to Cuba in the fall of 1949, Fernández entered the University of Havana to study Philosophy and Languages. Shortly thereafter, however, he abandoned his studies at the University, finding himself completely absorbed by painting.

In addition, during time spent abroad in Spain in the spring of 1953, Fernández audited courses at Madrid’s Academia de San Fernando.

Notable Exhibitions

In the course of his career Fernández participated in over one hundred group exhibitions and presented roughly forty-six solo shows throughout Europe, the United States and Latin America. A selection of notable exhibitions include:

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

Museo de Bellas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela. Agustín Fernández: Pinturas y dibujos, May 1959.

Galerie Fürstenberg, Paris, France. Agustín Fernández. October 11 November 2, 1960.

Metropolitan Museum and Art Center, Miami, Florida. Agustín Fernández: Retrospective, 1976.

Grand Palais des Champs Elysees, Paris, France. Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporain (FIAC), September 24-October 2, 1983.

The Art Museum, Florida International University, Miami, Florida. Agustín Fernández: A Retrospective. October 30- November 25, 1992.

Galería Nina Menocal. Agustín Fernández: Oleos y dibujos 1969-1994. México D.F. October, 1994.

Signal 66 Art Gallery, Washington D.C. Agustín Fernández: Large Paintings. December 3, 1999 – January 5, 2000, 1999.

Mitchell Algus Gallery, New York. Agustín Fernández: Paintings, Drawings, Sculpture, Collage: 1960 – 2005. May 19 – July16, 2005.

Selected Group Exhibitions:

IV Bienal do Museu de Arte Moderna de Sâo Paulo. Parque Ibirapuera, Sâo Paulo, Brazil. September-December, 1957.

The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Painting and Sculpture Acquisitions, 1958 Recent Acquisitions, 1966. Latin American Artists, 1967.

The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. The United States Collects Pan-American Art. July 7 - September, 1959.

Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France.XVI, Salon de Mai, 1960. Participated in the annual Salon de Mai from 1960-1964, 1966-68, and 1989-91.

Galerie Fürstenberg, Paris, France. Picabia, Edgar Iene, Agustín Fernández. May, 1965.

Galerie Andre François Petit, Paris, France. Tanguy-Dali-Bellmer-Fernández-Roy, 1966.

The Center for Inter-American Relations, New York. Latin America: New Paintings and Sculpture Juan Downey, Agustín Fernández, Gego, Gabriel Morera. November 20, 1969-January 18, 1970.

Ringling Museum of Art, in Sarasota, Florida. Twelve Artists from Latin America: Abularach, Ayoroa, Bermudez, Botero, Brizzi, Cuevas, Dignac, Downey, Fernández, Matta, Paternosto, and Rayo. January 11-February, 1971.

The Bronx Museum of Art, New York. The Latin American Spirit: Art and Artists in the United States, 1920-1970. February 27 April 23, 1989.

Travelled to the El Paso Museum in El Paso, Texas, May 22 July 16, 1989. The San Diego Museum of Arts in San Diego,

California, August 14 October 8 1989; El Instituto de Cultura Puertorriuqueña in San Juan, Puerto Rico, January 28

March 31,1990; The Center for the Arts in Vero Beach, Florida.

123 Watts Gallery, New York.

The Coincident Eye: Hans Bellmer, Agustín Fernández, Robert Mapplethorpe, 1997.

In Context: Hans Bellmer, Victor Brauner, Joseph Cornell, Agustin Fernández, Wifredo Lam, Roberto Matta, Carlos :Merida, 1998.

ACA Galleries, New York. Cundo Bermudez, Agustín Fernández and Emilio Sanchez, 2004.

Awards

Fernandez was the recipient of numerous honors throughout his extensive career. Notable awards include: selection to participate in the VIII Salón Nacional de Pintura y Escultura, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana (1956); the Bienal do Museu de Arte Moderna de Sao Paulo, (1957-Honorable Mention, 1959); Havana's National School of Architects Integration of Fine Arts prize (1957); Salon Comparaison, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris (1961, 1964, 1965); the Salon de Mai, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris and Tokyo (twelve times between 1960 and 1993); the Bienal de San Juan del Grabado Latinoamericano, El Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña in San Juan, Puerto Rico (First, 1970; Third, 1974-Honorable Mention); Cintas Foundation Fellowship in 1978.

Principal Collections

Fernandez's work can be found in the permanent collections of the following institutions:

Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, U.S.A. The Art Museum, Florida International University, Miami, Florida. Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York. Cabinet des Estampes. Bibliothèque National, Paris, France. Chase Manhattan Bank, New York. Cintas Foundation, New York. Círculo de Bellas Artes, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit, Michigan. Godwin-Ternbach Museum, Queens College, New York Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fl. Miami-Dade Public Library, Miami, Florida. Museo de Arte Moderno “La Tertulia, “Cali, Colombia. Museo de Arte Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Museo del Barrio, New York. Museo Cubano de Arte y Cultura, Miami, Florida. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba. Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Museum of Modern Art, New York. Museum of Modern Art of Latin America, Washington, D.C. New York Public Library, New York. Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey. Pan American Campus, Edinburgh, Santa Fe Art Museum, New Mexico. The Patrick Lannan Foundation, Palm Beach, Florida. Saint Thomas University Library, Houston, Texas. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, U.K. Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts. Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut.

Editions

Brunidor IV, portfolio, one drypoint by Agustin Fernandez, text by Gherasim Luca : "Sept Slogans Ortophoniques." Printed by Lacouriere et Frelaut, 1964-64, Paris, France. Editions Robert Altman, Paris, France.

Lettre a un Genou, portfolio, seven drypoints by Agustin Fernandez, text by Alain Bosquet. Printed by Lacouriere et Frelaut, 1964, Paris, France.

Le Mille Pattes, portfolio, seven drypoints by Agustin Fernandez, text by Yvon Taillandier. Printed by Lacouriere et Frelaut, 1965, Paris, France.

4 Livres Objets, seven drypoints, seven collages, and two objects for book covers (for each of the 4 books) by Agustin Fernandez, text by Yvon Taillandier and Alain Bosquet. Binding by J.P. Miguet. Printed by Lacouriere et Frelaut, 1964-66, Paris, France.

Latin American Portfolio, 2 drypoints by Agustin Fernandez. Printed by Lacouriere et Frelaut, 1970 Paris, France. Editions Galeria Colibri, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

20 Collages, porfolio of 20 collages on serigraphy by Agustin Fernandez, text by R.C. Kenedy: "Breakfast in Bed." Printed and edited by Galeria Colibri, 1972, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Two Graphics, printed George Miller, New York,New York. Edited by Agustin Fernandez for the San Juan Bienal, 1976.

Strings, Matches, and Hooks, 3 Collages on lithograph and 3 lithographs. Printed by George Miller, 1978, New York, New York. Edited by Master Editions, New York, New York.

Catalogue Cover for the Art Auction Exhibition, Channel 2 (WPBT, Miami), 1978.

References

Blanc, Giulio V. “Agustín Fernández: Paris and New York.” In Agustin Fernández: A Retrospective. Miami: The Art Museum, Florida International University, 1992 [illus.]..

Damian, Carol. “Agustín Fernández.” Art Nexus 8 (1993): 196-97 [illus.].

Martínez, Juan A. “A Preliminary Study of Agustín Fernández: Formative Phase.” In Agustín Fernández: A Retrospective, October 30-November 25. Miami: The Art Museum, Florida International University, 1992.

Valdés, Jr., Gustavo. “Agustín Fernández: An Interview.” ARS Atelier (Winter-Spring 2000) [illus.].

External links

• [1] Agustín Fernández Foundation