Armando Marino
May 8 – June 27, 2014
532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel is pleased to announce the second solo exhibition by contemporary Cuban artist Armando Mariño.
Composing a whimsical wintry mash up of abstract and figurative art to provide us all a rather philosophical light on the freedom of art, no matter what eye the perspective is derived from. “A work of art doesn’t have to be explained. If you do not have any feeling about this, I cannot explain it to you. If this doesn’t touch you, I have failed.” -Louise Bourgeois or perhaps more simply put, “Art for art’s sake” as best muttered by James McNeill Whistler, and as best served as Armando Mariño’s inspiration in his latest solo exhibition.
In the case of New Paintings After The Long Winter Mariño’s color moods range greatly, both portraying play on the exhibition’s title literally and figuratively. Gloomy colors with such depth within the strokes its almost impossible not to feel the arctic angst of Mariño’s artistic struggles. With that said, there are also many radiant colors that are rather jubilant, piercing through said New Paintings After The Long Winter like spring time. Mariño painted his pieces upon both large canvas and paper with oil paint, paper in his opinion allows him to dwell on the composition and subject more accurately. Paper gives him the opportunity to paint fast and keep up with the fast pace of his mind as he organizes colors and concepts.
His works are held in numerous public and private collections including: Deutsche Bank Collection, USA. 21C Museum Hotels, Kentucky. Coca Cola Foundation Spain. Shelly and Donald Rubin Private Collection, New York.
Armando Mariño (b. Santiago de Cuba) lives and works in New York.
Education: MFA Pedagogical Institute of Arts, Havana, Cuba and Rijksakademie of beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam, Holland
Marino’s work is included in these current exhibitions:
Post Picasso-Contemporary Reactions, Museu Picasso, Barcelona, Spain
Without Masks: Contemporary Afro Cuban Art, The von Christierson Collection /Watch Hill Foundation
Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Canada