Page 348 - Arte e Historia
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Danilo De los Santos
Popular Group has an international projection, spread- do. And Banco Popular has been characterized by supporting
ing to various American locations: New York, Panamá, and exalting Dominican art and its protagonists, visual artists.»
Puerto Rico, Grand Cayman, Haiti… The scope of the (Presentation «Art Treasures of Banco Popular Domini-
banking group have been treasured as institutional expe- cano,» p.2001).
rience of growth and development in the contemporary
evolution of our nation. Alongside a historical institu- The firm steps of Mr. Alexander, his religious faith,
tional framework, full of actions and financial concre- led him to undertake the 1,500 faithful reproduction of
tions essentially intangible, also the extent of the capi- images of the Virgin in the likeness of the one at the
tal or tangible assets, such as monetary capital and the Basilica of Higuey, especially blessed by Pope John Paul
network of edifications that identify the Banco Popular II at the Vatican. To make that reproduction a special
Dominicano. permission was gotten, never granted before, since they
had to remove the original piece and photograph it with
The tangible and intangible are found as coordinates great care to not affect the historical relic, not only due to
that define effectively the mission of Banco Popular Do- the antiquity of the sculptural piece, but to its Christian
minicano not only as a financial venture, but as a type of significance.
multiplied initiative which includes forestry efforts, sup-
port of cultural values, steadfastness in the Altagracian More than a thousand works acquired with the as-
faith, and favoring education in general: academic, civic, sistance of Justo Liberato, curator and custodian with
sporting, educational, recreational and art in all its ex- long cognitive experience of Dominican visual arts, are
pressions. Archeology, popular and symphonic concerts, part of the artistic treasure of the bank, treasure which
architecture, ballet, museum, bibliography, folklore, mu- lend itself to conceiving different anthological gazes.
sic, visual arts, moving art like the film camera or static The one which breaks down the themes of landscape,
like drawings, sculpture, photography, printmaking and of costumbrismo, of monumental architecture, the still
painting and the art of recycling. life and the human figure; Another one linking the top-
ics: space, time, body, drama and myth, which defined
Sponsorship of exhibitions by notable Dominicans the inaugural exhibition of Perelló Cultural Center
artist and art collecting by the bank allows us to recog- (Baní, September 2011), an exhibition titled «Linked
nize that in any space occupied by the Popular Group Fields,» consisting of a selection of works loaned with
there is a place for Dominican art, consecrating itself as the support of Manuel A. Grullón, Chairman of Banco
a sponsorship zone that includes the reproduction of the Popular. Yet other gazes can be supported by a teacher
Altagracia’s icon from the sixteenth century. and his disciples: Jaime Colson, José Ramírez Conde,
Virgilio Méndez and Ureña Rib, among others. Also
Here is the testimony of Alejandro and Manuel A. on the subjects of drawing and sculpture, and about
Grullón: «Attached to the service philosophy and the origins teachers as Guillo Pérez, Yoryi Morel, Mario Grullón,
of Banco Popular Dominicano, which date back to 1963, has Plutarco Andújar, Ramón Oviedo and with abundant
always been the strong commitment to contributing to the devel- and select works in the banks’ treasures.
opment, diversification and dissemination of the arts, as well as
support for the Dominican talent initiatives in its many mani- The many ways of looking at the collection offer oth-
festations. The present work is a powerful symbol of the trust er issues: the set of foreign authors who join Dominican
by the bank in our artists, whether consecrated or young people, art history, including Manolo Pascual, George Hausdorf,
across a fertile path of financial success and invaluable services Augustín Masiá and Vela Zanetti; the look at the Cibao
to the community. Art is, said Constantine Cavafy, what artists painters defining the code to Santiago schools, the topic
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