Page 337 - Arte e Historia

Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
The presence of European refugees, especially Span-
iards, encouraged racism against Haitians, who were still
been used as laborers for the sugar cane plantations. With
the presence of refugees from the Old Continent, the dic-
tator Trujillo undertook sound agricultural growth pro-
grams and socio cultural programs in urban areas under
the guidance of high level professionals, and following his
own political instinct for all that meant development, with
the exception of democratic liberties. The institutionaliza- renowned sculptor trained at the Royal Academy of San
tion of the arts takes hold due to the work of Rafael Díaz
Niese (1897-1950), highly knowledgeable in humanism
and aesthetic modernity. Upon his return from Europe
in 1939, he became a cultural promoter with a vision for
schools, arts groups, sponsorship of artists and institu-
tions as well as an effective entertainment program and
the extension of culture to the national level.
Diaz Niese’s return to the country, as well as that of
a contingent of exiled creators, marks the rise and im-
pact of the arts in general, manifesting unprecedented
growth. Since 1939, Refugee artists held individual exhi-
bitions. Among them are George Hausdorf (painter and
engraver), Ángel Botello (painter), Blas Carlos Arveros
(cartoonist), José Vela Zanetti (painter), Manolo Pascual
(sculptor and draftsman), Francisco Veras (potter). The
year 1939 puts in motion a process of foundational exhi-
bitions that characterize the fourth decade of the twenti-
eth century.
1940. It’s created by law the General Department of
Fine Arts, industrial arts and crafts. Rafael Díaz Niese
was appointed director.
–The First Exhibition of Fine Arts is showcased in
the National Palace, in the year cited, including precur-
sors artists like Rodríguez Urdaneta, Alejandro Bonilla
and Luis Desangles; native artists of modernity as Celeste
Woss y Gil, Darío Suro, Yoryi Morel, and a core of foreign
residents: Joseph Alloza, Ángel Botello, Francisco Vázquez
Díaz (Compostela), Joan Junyer, Manolo Pascual, Fran-
cisco Rivero Gil, Albert William, José Vela Zanetti… These
modern exhibitors appeared in the publication of a catalog
338
with biographical sketches and also pictures of them and
of their works.
1941. Ángel Botello, José Vela Zanetti and Alfonso
Vila (Shum) exhibited solos in the capital city.
1942. National School of Fine Arts is founded un-
der the direction of Manolo Pascual (Bilbao, 1902), a
Fernando in Madrid, with a tight professional curricu-
lum including solo exhibitions in the Spanish capital,
in Rome, in collective events and the Biennale of Venice
and a record of works in international collections. The
Academy of Celeste Woss y Gil, is assimilated to the new
government institution and she is appointed as faculty.
–President Trujillo inaugurates the National Exhibi-
tion, which has the character of First Biennial of Visual
Arts. A total of 300 works representing 28 artists, works
of which 44 were acquired by the State as a first funded
Dominican Gallery of Art in gubernatorial project. Draw-
ings, sculptures, engravings, paintings and a fresco paint-
ing, make up the collection purchased by RD $ 3,500.00.
Juan Bautista Gómez, Federico Izquierdo, Yoryi Morel,
Darío Suro and Celeste Woss y Gil are among the artists
whose works were acquired.
–Rafael Arzeno established in Puerto Plata the San
Rafael Academy of Painting and Music, the same year in
which was held The Poster Contest, on the occasion of
the Job Fair. Refugee artist Antonio Bernard González
(Toni) won the only prize awarded.
–Photographer Kurt Schnitzier (Conrad) presents in-
dividual exhibitions in the cities of Santo Domingo and
Santiago; where there are discussions on whether pho-
tography is art.
1943. It is inaugurated the National Art Gallery with
the first exhibition of self-portraits by 24 artists, includ-
ing Darío Suro, Celeste Woss y Gil, Federico Izquierdo,
Vela Zanetti, Gilberto Hernández Ortega, José Gausachs,
Antonio Prats-Ventós, and George Hausdorf.
–Eugenio Fernández Granell shows in the National
Gallery of Fine Arts the first individual surrealist exhibition