Rosemberg Sandoval: “Dibujos sobre lona, video e instalación”

April 29 – May 22 2009

Casas Riegner Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the exhibition “Dibujos sobre lona, video e instalación” (Drawings on Canvas, Video & Installation) by Colombian contemporary artist Rosemberg Sandoval.

For more than twenty years, Rosemberg Sandoval has been exploring a variety of media as a way to reflect upon themes relating to Colombia’s socio-political reality. Showcasing drawings on canvas, installation and video performances, Sandoval’s most recent exhibition explores the themes of ostracization, displacement, exile, and death.

In a dimly lit gallery hall sits a display case containing a pair of black rubber boots lacerated with splinters of human bones taken from a communal grave. Besides dealing with notions of death and banishment, the installation Emberá – Chamí (2008) points to the current situation faced by the Colombian indigenous community that has been forcibly displaced from its land as a result of the ongoing conflict in Colombia. Sandoval uses the Embera’s critical situation as a starting point for which to address such complex issues as the violation of human rights and territory conflicts.

In addition to the installation, the artist presents “Dibujos en rojo” (Drawings in Red) made with red oil pastel on canvas, that through their vigorous and forceful execution, evoke rejection and defiance towards key milestones from the history of western art. The exhibition also features two video performances “MUGRE” (1999-2004) and “ROSE ROSE” (2001-2004), both of which seek to provoke strong reactions in the spectators.

Rosemberg Sandoval, born in 1959 in Cartago, Colombia, studied at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Cali and at the Universidad del Valle where he currently teaches at the Department of Visual Arts. He has participated in numerous exhibitions both on a local and international level. His wok has been exhibited in countries like Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Ecuador, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Czech Republic. Sandoval has participated in three editions of the Salon Nacional de Artistas de Colombia, and has exhibited in important local venues like the Museum of Modern Art (MAMBO) and La Tertulia in Cali. His work is in important international and national art collections such as Daros (Zurich), Prometeo (Italy), and MAMBO (Bogotá) among others.