SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 6 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
On Monday, the Cabildo of Tenerife unveiled ‘Óscar Domínguez. Two that intersect’ at TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, an exhibition showcasing eighty pieces by the Tenerife artist, a prominent figure in the surrealist and avant-garde movements of the 20th century.
During the presentation of this new exhibition, an itinerary through the artist’s creative journey depicting different phases, techniques, and styles, details were disclosed by Lope Afonso, the Vice President of the Cabildo and Minister of Tourism; José Carlos Acha, the Minister of Culture and Museums of Tenerife; and Isidro Hernández, the exhibition’s curator and custodian of the TEA Collection.
‘Óscar Domínguez. Two that intersect’ marks the seventh exhibition dedicated to Óscar Domínguez (Tenerife, 1906-Paris, 1957) at TEA since the art centre opened sixteen years ago. The exhibition showcases a significant collection of the international artist’s paintings – mostly from the TEA Collection – including four iconic self-portraits: Self-portrait (1926), Parisian Self-portrait (1928), Suicidal Self-portrait (1933), and Self-Portrait with a Bull’s Head (1941), of which two were not displayed in the previous exhibition.
Acha stated during the exhibition presentation that “it is a crucial moment, as we are fulfilling TEA’s dedication to always feature Domínguez on its walls.” The majority of the pieces from private collections exhibited in this showcase, including several paintings from Domínguez’s pre-surrealist era, such as the oil on canvas The Musicians (1928) or the Parisian Self-Portrait (1928) dedicated to his friend, the poet Domingo López Torres, have rarely been displayed publicly.
The Minister of Culture reiterated the importance of having a permanent space at TEA for Óscar Domínguez, where new interpretations and readings can be established. Apart from the pieces from the TEA Collection, ‘Óscar Domínguez. Two that intersect’ includes artworks from various institutional and private collections, for which collaboration was appreciated.
The exhibition is supported by the Government of the Canary Islands, the CajaCanarias Foundation (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the Municipal Museum of Fine Arts (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the Grupo Numero Uno (La Laguna, Tenerife), the Canarian Training Foundation and Patronage (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), the José de la Mano art gallery (Madrid), LM Arte Comunicación (La Laguna, Tenerife), the Westerdahl Collection (Madrid), as well as several private collections.
“A Cultural Landmark”
Regarding this exhibition, Lope Afonso mentioned that it opens on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. and will be accessible for free until 24 November, marking “the most significant cultural event on the island this year.”
The Cabildo’s Vice President added that this showcase is a pivotal step to solidify Óscar Domínguez’s connection to his island and this space. He highlighted that with this exhibition, TEA is joining the celebrations of the centenary of the first Manifesto of Surrealism published in Paris in 1924.
Lope Afonso also detailed that this exhibition, where Domínguez’s works converse with creations by surrealists like Eileen Agar, Hans Bellmer, Claude Cahun, Georges Hugnet, Marcel Jean, Dora Maar, Gordon Onslow Ford, Man Ray, Yves Tanguy, Raoul Ubac, along with creators close to surrealism such as Eugène Atget, Anton Prinner, Maud Bonneaud, and Pablo Picasso, sheds light on this creator, whom the island can be proud of as he stands amongst the names Spain contributed to surrealism alongside Dalí and Miró.
On a different note, the emphasis was put on the free access to the exhibition, ensuring art and culture are accessible to all.
Isidro Hernández, curator of the TEA Collection and the exhibition ‘Óscar Domínguez. Two that intersect’, explained that “the first section of the exhibition showcases various works from the late 1920s, created under the influence of the young Óscar Domínguez’s fascination for Paris, his host city, and everything it symbolised for an aspiring painter: freedom, bohemianism, modernity, and love”.
Continuing, Hernández noted that “several pieces by Álvaro Fariña, Néstor de la Torre, and Ismael de la Serna capture the essence of that vibrant era, while the second and third sections invite the visitor on a biographical journey incorporating unpublished works of the painter and some photographs.”
3D Video Club and Sculptural Works
The exhibition includes a variety of works by Óscar Domínguez such as The Musicians (1928), Afternoon of Love (1933), Surrealist Composition (1933), The Red Ball (1933), Le Papillon (1949), Battle (1955), The Mouches (1947), Woman on a Divan (1942), Le dimanche or Rut marin (1935), The Bridge (1937), The Siphons (1938), The Flying Saucers (1939), The Comet (1940), Airplanes (1945), Atelier (1950), The Abduction of Europe (1952), and Delphes (1957). Additionally, the exhibition features sculptural works from the TEA Collection dedicated to Domínguez by José Abad and María Belén Morales.
The exhibition’s title, according to Isidro Hernández, is derived from the motto selected by Óscar Domínguez for the poetic notebook ‘The two who cross’, published in 1947 by Henri Parisot under the Parisian Fontaine editions (L’âge d’or Collection).
In some aspects, ‘The Two Who Cross’ encapsulates the painter’s persona, always embracing extreme irony and bohemianism, simultaneously fierce and melancholic, dissatisfied in his continual exploration of painting.
Symbolising the painter’s inherent duality or signifying the contradiction ingrained in every human condition, Óscar Domínguez’s paintings often blend opposing elements or conflicting paths, as exemplified in the 1935 painting, Le dimanche, which serves as the poster for the exhibition, featuring two horses divided in halves by a mirrored imaginary line, with a note from the Cabildo included.
Additionally, the exhibition will feature a series of lectures covering various aspects of Óscar Domínguez’s work.
Moreover, the TEA Video Club will present an educational resource demonstrating 3D recreations of Óscar Domínguez’s compositions.
