"Twenty years is nothing" (*) Year 2018
Whoever reads these lines probably does not know that Abel Fernández is from Mendoza. And in truth that condition of origin would not have any importance for the purposes of this exhibition if it were not because that "being from Mendoza" places his work in a recognizable territory, and outlines his belonging to a school that has given other artists such as Carlos Alonso or Luis Scafati, to name two of the greats.
Abel Fernandez's striking, subtle, blurred, suggestive drawing line is the daughter of that school, and is the first element of his work that provokes deep admiration. About 25 years ago, when he made his first exhibition in Río Cuarto, the subtlety ofthat loose line showed a forceful capacity to load the figures with drama.
That impressive essential faculty, to which he adds the naturalness with which he works various materials and supports, then subordinated color as a surviving element, although used with careful adaptation to its expressive purpose. But the Abel Fernandez of this exhibition, makes him advance to the foreground, and without becoming a colourist, he adds to his baggage a palette that, although not very wide, is indeed overwhelmingly expressive.
By calling this exhibition "20 Years is nothing", an obvious allusion to "Volver", the famous tango by Gardel and Le Pera, the artist makes more than a numerical reference to his prolonged absence from the exhibition halls: since his series ("Tango y Músicos", "Los Cóndores", "Las Frutas" - dead natures, "Bailarinas y nudes" and "Que se commission el otro" (originated in the wonderful "Los Niños Primero" time), they revisit images of the past, the title is almost an ironic resource. Because, 20 years later, Abel Fernandez not only continues to be the remarkable artist he was then, but these "remodeling", these "retouching", these "revisions" allow us to experience the splendid empowerment of your creative condition. So this exhibition that you admire, instead of staging that return with withered forehead to which tango alludes, shows it fully, and with a shocking enrichment of his faculties of always.
Text of the presentation of the journalist and critic Ricardo Sánchez
(*) "Twenty years is nothing" is the name of Abel Fernandez's exhibition, inaugurated on November 9, 2018 at Casa de la Cultura Córdoba, in the City of Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina
YOUR COMPLETE BIOGRAPHY
Abel Fernandez, was born in Mendoza in 1950.
He currently lives in Villa del Dique, Córdoba province in Argentina.
He graduated as Master in Plastic Arts from the Provincial Academy of Fine Arts of Mendoza in 1977.
He exhibited his work more than 300 times collectively invited by Official and Private Organizations of the Country and abroad.
He has exhibited 32 times individually in the Country.
His work has been awarded 23 times in National, Provincial and Private Salons of Argentina.
Invited by the Directorate of Culture of Mendoza, he has planned and executed Courses for artists from the South of the Province of Mendoza.
Professor of Graphics, Visual Arts and Advertising Illustrator at the Higher School of Propaganda and Advertising of Mendoza.
Illustrator in Advertising Agencies.
Invited by various Official and Private Entities, he has carried out selection and award tasks as a Jury for important Salons.
He took Specialization courses in Printing Systems applied to the Arts in Barcelona-Spain.
Silkscreen printing courses specializing in the reproduction of Artworks in Spain.
His work can be found in museums and private art galleries in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Canada, Spain, France and Israel.
Since 1991 he has lived in the City of Río Cuarto, where he has carried out extensive artistic activity:
He exhibited collectively at:
ARP - Riocuartense Association of Plastics
Jockey club
Esc. Thompson's Ladybug
Mariano Moreno Library
Museum of Fine Arts.
He also exhibited individually at:
Riocuartense Association of Plastics.
Mascia Gallery.
Municipal Museum.
Vieyra Gallery.
Invited by the National University of Río Cuarto, he participates as a Jury of the 1993 PROCEDER Art Hall.
He represents the Riocuartense Association of Plastics as a Jury in various Salons and Competitions.
Some Individual Samples that stand out:
1979 - San Rafael Museum of Fine Arts - Mendoza
1981 to 1985 - Zulema Zoiref Showroom - Mendoza
1981-82 - Museum of Modern Art of Mendoza
1983 - Museum of Fine Arts Emiliano Guiñazú -Casa de Fader- de Mendoza
1983 - Praxis Gallery - Mendoza Branch
1983 - Congress of the Nation- Buenos Aires
1983-1985 - Praxis Gallery - Buenos Aires.
1984 - Cilol - Mendoza showroom.
1984 - Pozzi Gallery - Buenos Aires.
1985 - Banco BUCI - Mendoza - San Luis and Buenos Aires
1986 - Banking Association - Mendoza
1987 - BUCI Bank - San José - Mendoza
1988 - Kalton Hotel Gallery - San Rafael
1991 - 1992 AND 1993 Riocuartense Association of Plastics - Córdoba
1994 - 1995 - 1997 - Mascia de Río Cuarto Art Room - Córdoba
Outstanding Collective Exhibitions: More than 300 group exhibitions organized by Private and Official Entities in the country and abroad.
They stand out:
Vintage Hall 1978-79-80 and 81 - Mendoza.
Hall of the Wine Provinces 1979 - Mendoza.
Young Painting Salon 1980 - Mendoza.
José Hernández Museum 1980 - Buenos Aires - Mendoza Painting.
Provincial Youth Hall 1981 - Mendoza.
Emiliano Guiñazú Museum 1981 "30th Anniversary" - Mendoza.
National Hall 1981 – Buenos Aires.
Visiones Cuyanas 1981 - San Luis.
XIV Municipal Art Biennial of Mendoza 1981.
Museum of Modern Art 1982 - Current Trends - Mendoza.
Emiliano Guiñazú Museum "Awarded 80-81" 1982 - Mendoza.
Museum of Modern Art XV Anniversary 1982 - Mendoza.
National Salon of Plastic Arts 1982 - Buenos Aires.
National Blue Show 1982 - Prov. Buenos Aires.
Hall of Economic Sciences 1982 - Mendoza.
Autumn Salon 1982 - Mendoza.
Salta National Hall 1982.
National Salon of Plastic Arts 1983. Galería Pacifico Bs.As.
Gallery PRAXIS 1983 - Buenos Aires.
Pozzi Art Gallery 1983 - Buenos Aires.
Salon Cuyano de Pintura ALBA S.A 1985.
National Hall of Entre Ríos 1985.
National Exhibition of Banking Artists 1985 - Córdoba.
National Hall of Banking Artists -Awards- Buenos Aires.
Hall of Economic Sciences 1985 - Mendoza.
National Flower Show 1985 - Buenos Aires.
Itinerant Samples Directorate of Culture of Mendoza 1985/90.
Riocuartense Association of Plastics 1991-1992-1993-1994 Córdoba.
Museum of Fine Arts 1992 - Rio Cuarto.
Art Workshop 4 - 1992 -Barcelona Spain.
Inauguration of the Trapalanda Cultural Center - 1993
Museum of Fine Arts of Rio Cuarto 1993
Regional Hall of Rio Cuarto 1994 - Museum of Fine Arts Rio Cuarto
AWARDS
1976 - First Prize Painting INV. Mendoza
1978 - Tout Petite Salon Painting First Prize. San Rafael
1979 - First Prize Painting Youth Prov Hall - Mendoza.
1979 - First Prize (Drawing) Provincial Youth Hall - Mendoza
1980 - Special Mention Young Painting Salon - Mendoza.
1981 - Mention Harvest Painting Salon - Mendoza
1981 - First Prize in Autumn Salon Painting - San Rafael Mendoza
1981 - First Prize -Drawing- Provincial Youth Hall. Mendoza.
1981 - First Prize in Municipal Painting of Aries Plásticas - Mendoza
1982 - First Prize Painting Economic Sciences Hall - Mendoza
1982 - Second Prize for Painting Salón Cuyano ALBA S.A.
1985 - First Prize for Painting in the Mendoza Economic Sciences Hall.
1985 - First Prize - Area Whose National Banking Artists Salon.
1985 - First Prize - Lower Selection - Banking Artists Room - Córdoba
1985 - First Prize Painting National Salon of Banking Artists - Buenos Aires
1986 - First Prize Painting National Banking Association - Buenos Aires
2017 - Second Prize (Drawing) 50th Anniversary of the Riocuartense Association of Plastics.
2017 - Third Prize (Painting) 50th Anniversary of the Riocuartense Association of Plastics.
2019/20 - Selected in the National Small Format Salon - Municipal Museum of Fine Arts of Tandil - Buenos Aires.
He lives in Villa del Dique, Córdoba Argentina since 2018.
