Oswaldo Vigas traveling exhibition
By Sara Kafrouni
Revista Z
Caracas, Venezuela. July 2015
Venezuelan art is restless and is also looking to become well known throughout the whole American continent. The most recent stop is Bogota, with a traveling exhibition of the Venezuelan artist Oswaldo Vigas, who died in 2014.
In regards to the exhibition "Oswaldo Vigas 1943-2013", which opened in Colombia on July 16th at the Museum of Modern Art of Bogota (MAMBO) and which has a sample of 70 paintings and 6 sculptures that offers an extensive tour of the Master's work, Janine Vigas and his son Lorenzo spoke exclusively to Zeta on future goals of the Oswaldo Vigas Foundation and the importance of the making of this exhibition throughout different Latin American countries.
The filmmaker Lorenzo Vigas, son of the master, in addition to highlighting the efforts made by the foundation, explained that the art exhibitions are necessary because they somehow serve to publicize the art of Venezuelans: "I think that Venezuelans have not given the importance to the exhibition that it deserves. This effort that the exhibition is doing, in a moment, a time where the country is increasingly isolated from the cultural point of view, this effort has a special value. We all fell in love with the integrationist policies which were presented to us recently, but we have realized that we have become more and more isolated and less integrated with the continent and also, that not only we do not go out to expose in other countries, but also fewer exhibitions are being held nowadays in Venezuela.
It means that we are bringing the work of all Venezuelans to the most important museums in Latin America and that's a job that the foundation is doing alone. And at this moment in Venezuela, it has an historical value, it has a very important value."
Lorenzo Vigas explained that they did not know whether they would continue with the exhibition, but because it has been well received, they already have the confirmation of the Museum of Contemporary Art in São Paulo in March, explaining that because each exhibition generates so much interest, they already have a project to continue to Mexico and several US cities, so the project for the exhibition will extend approximately for 7 or 8 more years. Lorenzo Vigas explained that for the Foundation is very important to have a social and cultural role, so they plan to create an award for young Latin American painters, with which they hope to help promote young talents.
Among other proposed plans, the Oswaldo Vigas Foundation announced that a documentary on the subject and also of a book, written by five international critics, will be released next year.