Page 357 - Arte e Historia

Art and History
at the Banco popular dominicano visual arts collection
Darío Suro. (La Vega, 1917-1997). Studied in his native
city with his uncle, the painter Enrique García Godoy.
In 1936, he joints the literary movement «Los Nuevos».
In 1938 holds his first pictorial exhibition in the capital
city and, with Yoryi Morel, takes part in the showing His-
panic American Arts, at the Riverside Museum in New
York, 1939. His works are included on the Fine Arts First
National Exhibition, in 1942, then at the First Biennial
in 1942 at the time he shows his second individual ex-
hibition. Between 1943-1947 he lives in Mexico where
he strengthen and redirect his painting. Returns back to
his country and shows at the capital city and La Vega. In
1947 he is appointed as General Principal at Fine Arts
and take parts at the 1948 Biennial with a painting that
shows his approach to the expressionist realism, intuitive
at first, then marked by the social drama, death and the
art changing attitude as in life. This is the signature of his
artistic discourse. the first prize at the VI Visual Arts Biennial Exhibition.
«Caribbean Mourners,» oil/canvas, 70x54.5 cm., 1952.
Part of a thematic series showed in Spain, it is referred
to by the critic Fernando Gutierrez(1) as follows: «Mi first
encounter with Darío Suro’s painting was at the Biennial (…)
in Madrid. His «Piety» and his «Caribbean Mourners»were
the best contributions from Hispanic America to the Biennial.
Today, in Barcelona we have been able to meet the interest
for a deeper knowledge of his painting. His showing, where the
mourners’ theme shows up once again, gives us an accurate
measure of this painting interest so profoundly human and so
intensively dramatic. A naked and deep poetry dominates this
possessed plastic; possessed by a force almost violent on its dra- poles: humility and magnificence, and his colour is brilliant
ma, expressed in such simple way, nevertheless. It is a painting
on living flesh in which, colour seems to be dragged and racked
in its most profound by a compelling and overwhelming sensibil-
ity». «The Infantona,» from 1952, was reproduced as a
serigraphy many years later.
Yoryi Morel. The master had troubles to adapt to the
capital city he already conquered with his individual
exhibitions, his innovative paintings fully loaded of
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dominicanidad, his educational role at the Fine Arts
National School and the high esteem from art collec-
tors and government officials.
The master wasn’t able to live far from Yaque city,
from Sanchez Street and the family house, the neigh-
bourhood; bondages that determined his unconditional
return, retaking his urban atelier, his academy in Calle
del Sol, near the Altagracia Church, across Columbus
Park. The public attention, the social demand for his
painting and the continued recognition, kept determin-
ing his life as a master being near those he cared for:
his beloved Ilonka and their three children, Jorgito, Jano
and Ilonkita.
In 1950, Yoris’Academy hold its annual exhibition
presided over by the Master Jaime Colson, Fine Arts Gen-
eral Director. In 1952, Yoryi’s painting «The Fisher,» won
In 1955 he see himself in a position of having to work on
the preparation of The Peace Fair, celebrating the 25TH
anniversary of Trujillo’s Era. In 1956 he is one of the 14
selected artists for the Fine Arts Palace opening showing.
In 1957 his work is shown at the Aufant Gallery’s
opening, taking part at Santiago’s Art Festival, official
event organized for the joint opening of Municipality’s
Fine Arts Schools. In his book, «El arte de nuestro ti-
empo,» the critic Manuel Valldepérez affirm: «Yoryi Morel
gets into our landscape soul (…) he shows a positive creative
strength (…) His interpretation of reality embraces both art’s
always entailing a suggestive sincerity where the painter’s objec-
tive capability exhausts itself».
«Brunette Woman,» oil/canvas, 57x46 cm., 1959. An ide-
alized vision of a brunette woman from Cibao, represent-
ing not only an ode to the Dominican negritude but a
highly demanded image from the audience.
Guillo Pérez. He was born in San Victor, Moca
(1926). His parents decided to move to Santiago de los
Caballeros, where he studies music, craft toys taught