Artists Space

Zilia Sánchez

April 1 – June 1, 2013

“I guess I am not a Minimalist, but rather a Mulata.”

“Supongo que no soy una minimalista, sino más bien una mulata.”

A black and white image of a woman painting on a three-dimensional canvas. She holds a paintbrush in her right hand and a jar of paint in her left hand while leaning over the canvas.
[A black and white image of a woman painting on a three-dimensional canvas. She holds a paintbrush in her right hand and a jar of paint in her left hand while leaning over the canvas.]

Artists Space is pleased to present the first US survey exhibition by Puerto Rico based artist Zilia Sánchez, spanning a period from the early 1950s to the present day.

Sánchez’s early work in Cuba developed an approach to formal abstraction through paintings and drawings, alongside the design of furniture as well as theater sets. Influenced by the Havana based modernist painter Victor Manuel, she became associated with a group of artists and intellectuals known as Sociedad Cultural Nuestro Tiempo. She designed scenography for guerilla theater group Los Yesistas (The Plasterers) signaling her involvement with the pre-revolutionary, anti-Batista movement.

As a result of regular exhibitions in Havana, she received grants enabling her to travel to Europe, before moving to New York in 1964. Living in the city for eight years, she began working with elaborated stretcher frames producing shaped canvases, emphasizing the sculptural abstraction of bodily form. Her paintings have regularly taken on a modular character, comprised of two or more abutting parts. This seriality has become a cornerstone of Sánchez’s work: she continues to rework and add to paintings begun as early as the 1970s, considering each work to be a part of a larger whole. Alongside the sensual and haptic “queering” of a hard-edged minimalism, her multi-part works bear relation to the temporal and semiotic sequencing of musical notation, as well as to the architecture of tropical modernism.

In 1972 Sánchez moved to Puerto Rico, where she lives today. Between 1972 and 1975 she designed the literary journal Zona de Carga y Descarga (Zone of Charging and Discharging), a short-lived but highly influential publication principally edited by writer Rosario Ferré, marking a moment of experimentation in Puerto Rican writing commissioning marginalized Latin American, Portuguese, Puerto Rican, and Nuyorican writers. Sánchez’s use of photomontage, innovative typesetting and layered layouts of image and text inscribed into the publication a fractured topology. This was paralleled by Cuban author, fellow Zona contributor and close friend Severo Sarduy’s own reflections on writing that emerged around his involvement with the Parisian literature journal Tel Quel, collectively published in his compendium of essays, Written On a Body (1969). Zona was configured as both a place and as a way of working, intrinsically connected to Sánchez’s paintings as “actualizing in space (and in the skin of the canvas)… the ludic meaningfulness of language, as both a tense, a wracked, and a martyred system of differential signs, and as a related erotic display of desire.”1 Since the 1980s such textural and scriptural qualities have become more defined, through line drawings on the surface of the canvas, including the occasional literal appearance of figurative transfers of semaphore and sign language.

Curated by Stefan Kalmár and Richard Birkett

1 Benigno Trigo, “Zona. Carga y Descarga. Minor Literature in a Penal Colony,” MLN, (John Hopkins University) Volume 124, Number 2, March 2009.

Artists Space se complace en presentar la primera exposición en los Estados Unidos de Zilia Sánchez, artista cubana residente en Puerto Rico, abarcando el período de principios de los años 1950 hasta la actualidad.

Los primeros trabajos de Sánchez en Cuba presentan una aproximación a la abstracción formal a través de pinturas y dibujos, junto con el diseño de muebles y escenografías teatrales. Influenciada por el pintor modernista Victor Manuel, también residente en la Habana, comenzó a relacionarse con el grupo de artistas e intelectuales conocidos como Sociedad Cultural Nuestro Tiempo. Así mismo Sánchez diseñó escenografías para el grupo de teatro guerrillero Los Yesistas, manifestando su participación en el movimiento anti-Batista pre-revolucionario.

Como resultado de frecuentes exposiciones en La Habana, recibió becas que le permitieron viajar a Europa antes de trasladarse a Nueva York en el 1964. Sánchez vivió en la ciudad durante ocho años, donde comenzó a trabajar con elaborados bastidores, produciendo relieves en sus pinturas que enfatizan la abstracción escultórica de la forma corporal. Sus pinturas con frecuencia presentan un desarrollo modular, compuestas de diferentes partes protuberantes y contiguas. Este uso de la serialidad se ha convertido en un pilar en la obra de Sánchez, quien continúa trabajando y modificando algunas de sus pinturas, cuyos comienzos se remontan hasta los años 1970, considerando cada trabajo como parte de un conjunto más amplio. Junto a lo que se podría denominar como un queering táctil y sensual del minimalismo hard-edge, sus obras modulares están relacionadas con la secuencialidad temporal y semiótica de la notación musical, así como la arquitectura del modernismo tropical.

En 1972, Sánchez se mudó a Puerto Rico, en donde vive hasta la fecha. Entre 1972 y 1975 realizó la maquetación y diseño de la revista literaria Zona de carga y descarga, una muy influyente pero breve publicación principalmente editada por la escritora Rosario Ferré. Su aparición marca un momento de experimentación en la escritura puertorriqueña, comisionando piezas de escritores marginalizados provenientes de Latinoamérica, Portugal, Puerto Rico y Nueva York. El uso que Sánchez hizo del fotomontaje, el carácter innovador de la tipografía y la organización en capas de imagen y texto, introducen una topología fracturada en la publicación. Su labor como diseñadora muestra paralelismos con la obra del escritor cubano Severo Sarduy, colaborador de Zona y amigo cercano de Sánchez, cuyas reflexiones en torno a la literatura fueron publicadas en la revista literaria parisina Tel Quel, y recopiladas en su totalidad en su colección de ensayos Escrito sobre un cuerpo (1969). Zona se configura como un lugar y una manera de trabajar, intrínsecamente conectada a la pintura de Sánchez y como “actualizando en el espacio (y en la piel de la tela)… la significancia lúdica del lenguaje, como un sistema tenso, azotado y martirizado de signos diferenciales, y como una demostración erótica del deseo.”1 Desde la década de 1980 estas cualidades texturales y textuales han enfatizado su presencia mediante dibujos en la superficie de la tela y a través de la inclusión literal y ocasional de transferencias figurativas, imágenes de semáforos y el lenguaje de signos.

Curaduría: Stefan Kalmár y Richard Birkett

1 Benigno Trigo, “Zona. Carga y Descarga. Minor Literature in a Penal Colony,” MLN, (John Hopkins University) Volume 124, Number 2, March 2009.

Born in Cuba in 1926, studying at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro, Sánchez has since the early ‘50s developed a language that is highly significant when reconsidering the seemingly resolved history of minimalism.

Over the last three decades, Sánchez has taught at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, becoming an inspirational figure for many artists. Her work however has seldom been exhibited outside Puerto Rico – the exhibition at Artists Space marks a long overdue survey of her practice.

Nacida en Cuba en 1926, y habiendo estudiado en la Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro, Sánchez ha desarrollado un lenguaje sumamente significativo desde principios de los años ’50, especialmente cuando se reconsidera la aparentemente resuelta historia del minimalismo.

Durante las últimas tres décadas, Sánchez ha dado clases en la Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, convirtiéndose en una fuente de inspiración para varias generaciones de artistas. Su trabajo sin embargo pocas veces ha sido exhibido fuera de Puerto Rico – por ello, la exposición en Artists Space marca una muy esperada revisión de su práctica.

A square, gray canvas with a large white circle centered towards its bottom edge hangs on a light, mauve-colored wall. At the bottom center of the circle, the canvas stretches outward in a verticle line.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [A square, gray canvas with a large white circle centered towards its bottom edge hangs on a light, mauve-colored wall. At the bottom center of the circle, the canvas stretches outward in a verticle line.]
Seven vertical light blue panels, positioned side-by-side, displayed on a light mauve wall. Each panel contains a white circle positioned near its vertical center. Within each circle, the panel
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Seven vertical light blue panels, positioned side-by-side, displayed on a light mauve wall. Each panel contains a white circle positioned near its vertical center. Within each circle, the panel's canvas is stretched outward by a dowel.]
Two half-circle canvases, positioned together to create a full circular shape, displayed on a light mauve wall. The canvases are filled with neutral blue and pale pink colors as well as sweeping, black line illustrations. At the center of the composition, the canvases stretch outward in mirrored c-curve shapes.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Two half-circle canvases, positioned together to create a full circular shape, displayed on a light mauve wall. The canvases are filled with neutral blue and pale pink colors as well as sweeping, black line illustrations. At the center of the composition, the canvases stretch outward in mirrored c-curve shapes.]
Two white panels of canvas positioned together to form a square shape. Both canvases display an organic pink form. Parts of the canvas within the pink shapes stretch outwards to form protruding circular and ovular, knob-like shapes.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Two white panels of canvas positioned together to form a square shape. Both canvases display an organic pink form. Parts of the canvas within the pink shapes stretch outwards to form protruding circular and ovular, knob-like shapes.]
Two light blue panels of canvas displayed on a light mauve wall. The canvases are positioned side-by-side such that they form a square shape. Two semicircles are depicted on each of the canvases, which together form a white circle in the center of the two canvases. At the center of the circle, the edges of each of the canvases stretch outward to form two protruding flaps that curve towards and on top of the opposite canvases.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Two light blue panels of canvas displayed on a light mauve wall. The canvases are positioned side-by-side such that they form a square shape. Two semicircles are depicted on each of the canvases, which together form a white circle in the center of the two canvases. At the center of the circle, the edges of each of the canvases stretch outward to form two protruding flaps that curve towards and on top of the opposite canvases.]
Three light, mauve-colored walls in an exhibition space each display several canvases. The three walls are arranged such that they are parallel to each other. Each of the canvases are slightly three-dimensional, with elements that stretch in or out from their surfaces.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Three light, mauve-colored walls in an exhibition space each display several canvases. The three walls are arranged such that they are parallel to each other. Each of the canvases are slightly three-dimensional, with elements that stretch in or out from their surfaces.]
A light, mauve-colored wall in an exhibition space displays a pink and white canvas. The canvas is slightly three-dimensional, with elements that stretch in or out from its surface. In the background, a cool-toned canvas of a similar style hangs on a wall.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [A light, mauve-colored wall in an exhibition space displays a pink and white canvas. The canvas is slightly three-dimensional, with elements that stretch in or out from its surface. In the background, a cool-toned canvas of a similar style hangs on a wall.]
Two paneled works hang on either side of a white column on a light, mauve-colored wall. Both canvases are slightly three-dimensional, with elements that stretch in or out from their surfaces.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Two paneled works hang on either side of a white column on a light, mauve-colored wall. Both canvases are slightly three-dimensional, with elements that stretch in or out from their surfaces.]
An angled view of three light, mauve-colored and parallel walls displaying drawings and paneled canvases in an exhibition space with wooden flooring. The canvases are slightly three-dimensional, with elements that stretch in or out from their surfaces.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [An angled view of three light, mauve-colored and parallel walls displaying drawings and paneled canvases in an exhibition space with wooden flooring. The canvases are slightly three-dimensional, with elements that stretch in or out from their surfaces.]
A grid of four drawings on paper displayed on a light, mauve-colored wall. The drawings contain organic shapes and linework depicting abstract forms.
Zilia Sánchez. Installation view, Artists Space, 2013. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [A grid of four drawings on paper displayed on a light, mauve-colored wall. The drawings contain organic shapes and linework depicting abstract forms.]

Zilia Sánchez Exhibition Checklist

This exhibition is supported by The New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and The Friends of Artists Space.Artists Space likes to thank Marimar Benitez Rivera for her research and curatorial assistance in Puerto Rico.

Artists Space likes to thank the lenders: José Andréu & Millie Pietri, Sylvia Berrios, Rosario Ferré, Alberto Hernández, César & Mima Reyes, and Benigno Trigo.

Artists Space likes to especially thank César & Mima Reyes and Jennifer Allora & Guillermo Calzadilla for love, friendship and support and for introducing us to Zilia. Thank You !

Esta exposición es apoyada por The New York State Council on the Arts, una agencia gubernamental, fondos públicos del New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, en colaboración con City Council, y The Friends of Artists Space.

Artists Space le da las gracias a Marimar Benitez Rivera por su asistencia curatorial e investigativa en Puerto Rico.

Artists Space le da las agracias a los prestamistas: José Andréu & Millie Pietri, Sylvia Berrios, Rosario Ferré, Alberto Hernández, César & Mima Reyes, y Benigno Trigo.

Artists Space le da las gracias especialmente a César & Mima Reyes y Jennifer Allora & Guillermo Calzadilla por su amor, amistad y apoyo, y por introducirnos a Zilia. ¡Gracias!

    Four pages of a magazine displayed on a white background. The pages contain text and black and white as well as blue and yellow collaged images.
    Zona. Carga Y Descarga, Issue 3, January - February 1973. Editor and Publisher: Rosario Ferré. Design and Photomontage: Zilia Sánchez. [Four pages of a magazine displayed on a white background. The pages contain text and black and white as well as blue and yellow collaged images.]