Oneiric Realities

Oneiric Realities

Abstraction in the Life and Work of Jorge Riveros

   

About

Far from figurative thought, rational conclusions, or attachment to reality, the abstraction of Colombian master Jorge Riveros remains a subject yet to be deeply explored. From his early expressionist concepts to mathematical concreteness, the subsequent incorporation of cryptic figuration inspired by universal constructivism, and the expressive gestures evident in his series initiated in the early 21st century, Riveros’ evolution toward the absolutism demanded by abstraction is extraordinarily revealing in historical terms.

This exhibition, more than a tribute to his seven decades of dedication to the arts, is a testament to his discipline, mastery, and position as one of the most esteemed artists of his generation. From the very beginning, Riveros made the decision dictated by his artistic mission and pursued it relentlessly, with absolute dedication to his vocation, demonstrating in each of his series his undeniable artistic skill and his drive toward conceptualization.

Today, his work stands at the epicenter of abstraction in our gallery. This exhibition is an invitation to reflect on his relentless creativity, his resolute determination, and to celebrate the transcendence of a life devoted to the arts through the fascinating presence of his work.

Elvira Moreno, Gallery Director   .

Curator’s word

In the works selected for this exhibition, we find ideas rigorously expressed through geometric interpretation, alongside others where abstraction gives rise to forms immersed in ancestral iconographies. Additionally, we encounter previously unseen pieces, infused with gestural elements that render this language a tribute to the philosophy rooted in universal constructivism and culminating in absolute abstraction. Or, as Irving Sandler once described the work of Torres García, he felt it was “motivated by a passionate mystical-metaphysical concept of universal history, uniting geometry, abstraction, and the painting of his time…”

It is important to highlight that Riveros’ work embodies the edict of Joaquín Torres García, who, following the absolute principles of universal constructivism, immersed himself in an abstract language that led him—through each of his works—to “unity as the pure principle of the whole.”

Equally essential is the recognition that the exhibited works were created over seven decades, years marked by social adversities that foreshadowed the darkest omens. No one at the time could have envisioned the hope that each of these works reveals today. Each piece stands as an eloquent witness that heralded the arrival of a promising and optimistic future, now made evident through its presence.

Jorge Riveros is an artist of international significance, a visual philosopher, and an art theorist, as demonstrated by the decades he has spent teaching at Colombia’s most prestigious institutions. A rigorous mentor to those who are now among the leading representatives of a new generation of young artists, shaped under the strict discipline of his tutelage. He embodies the austerity that abstraction demands and the sublimity required of any work deemed immanent. Abstract in essence, constructivist in spirit and form, geometric by nature, a painter’s painter in every sense, sculptor, muralist, founder of a school of thought—yet, above all, a human being who champions resilience and carries an undeniably timeless message. By merit alone, his presence commands our admiration and reflects the artistic pride of Colombia.

Francisco Arévalo