• Yellow 873-94

    “Yellow 873-94”

    Date n.d.
    Dimensions 41 3/4" x 40"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
  • Yellow 20-4

    “Yellow 20-4”

    Date n.d.
    Dimensions 30" x 30"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
  • 90-I-81

    “90-I-81”

    Date n.d.
    Dimensions 72" x 48"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
  • Red 103

    “Red 103”

    Date n.d.
    Dimensions 66" x 58"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
  • 900-II-810

    “900-II-810”

    Date n.d.
    Dimensions 54" x 48"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
  • Equilibrium

    “Equilibrium”

    Date n.d.
    Dimensions 32" x 50"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
  • Blue-4-4-3042

    “Blue-4-4-3042 ”

    Date n.d.
    Dimensions 42" x 42"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
  • 900-x-87

    “900-x-87”

    Date n..
    Dimensions 48" x 54"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
  • Untitled [Still-Life]

    “Untitled [Still-Life] ”

    Date n.d.
    Dimensions 25" x 30"
    Category Painting
    Medium Pastel on paper
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
    Collection Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico Collection
  • 900–50–80

    “900–50–80”

    Date 1978
    Dimensions 58" x 66"
    Category Painting
    Medium Oil on canvas
    Genre Abstract
    Period 20th Century
    Collection Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico Collection

Olga Albizu

Ponce, PR, 1924 - New York, USA, 2005

Biography Details

Painter. Albizu studied drawing under Miguel Pou and painting at the University of Puerto Rico under Spanish painter Esteban Vicente. In 1948 she was awarded a scholarship by the University of Puerto Rico to study in New York under German painter Hans Hofmann. Albizu also studied under Morris Kantor, Carl Holty, and Vaclav Vytlacil at the Art Students League in New York. Albizu attended the legendary Parisian art school Académie de la Grande Chaumière in 1951, and in 1952 attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. In 1956 Albizu’s paintings began to be used for record-jackets for bossa nova albums produced by RCA and Verve Records. In 1958 she settled in New York City and her first solo exhibition was organized in Puerto Rico. She stopped painting in 1984. Albizu is the pioneer of Abstract Expressionism in Puerto Rican art, and her work has been described as lyrical.

Artist Statement

“To certain extent, I believe in art for art’s sake.  I believe in eternal art and eternal values, in Botticelli and Kandinsky, in the will to live.  I really don’t think an artist at this moment in time has to give a political or social interpretation to his work”.

Olga Albizu, 1969

Source: Friedman, Robert, City Side, El San Juan Star, 25 de noviembre, 1969.

Formation

Education

1952

  • Academia delle Belli Arti, Florence, Italy

1951-1952

  • Académie Grand Chaumiére, Paris, France

1949-1951

  • Studied with Morris Kantor, Carl Holly and Vaclav. Art Students League, New York, United States

1948-1949

  • Student of Hans Hoffman. Hans Hoffmann School of Fine Arts, New York, United States

1946

  • Bachelor’s  Degree. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1945-1947

  • Painting clases. Esteban Vicente, Puerto Rico

1943

  • Drawing classes. Miguel Pou, Puerto Rico

Exhibitions

Solo shows

2005

  • El Legado de Olga Albizu,  Biaggi & Faure Fine Art, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2004

  • Olga Albizu en Biaggi Faure, Biaggi & Faure Fine Art, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1999

  • Galería Petrus, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1998

  • Galería de Arte de la Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1971

  • Sweaarkingen-Byck Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky, United States

1969

  • Galería Santiago, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1966

  • Pan American Union, Washington, D.C., United States

1961

  • Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1959, 1960

  • Roldand de Aenlle Gallery, New York, United States

1957, 1958, 1961,1964   

  • Galería First Federal Savings, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Group shows

2019

  • Puerto Rico Plural, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
  • Art_Latin_America: Against the Survey Davis Museum, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States
  • Nexos, Museo de Arte de Bayamón, Bayamón, Puerto Rico

2017

  • 99 + 1= la centena, Galería de Arte de la Universidad Sagrado Corazón, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2015-16

  • Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art, Utah Museum of Fine Arts-Salt Lake City, Utah; Arkansas Arts Center-Little Rock, Arkansas; Delaware Art Museum- Wilmington, Delaware; Allentown Art Museum, Pennsylvania, United States

2013-14

  • Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C., United States

2012-19

  • Interconexiones: Lecturas Curatoriales de la Colección del Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2007

  • Contexto puertorriqueño: del rococó colonial al arte global, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2006

  • Pintura, Escultura y Cerámica: Obras Recientes de Artistas Representados, Biaggi & Faure Fine Art, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2005

  • Colectiva de Navidad, Biaggi & Faure Fine Art, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Arte Puertorriqueño: Imagen de una Cultura, 25 Aniversario de la Colección de Arte Puertorriqueño Contemporáneo de la Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples de Puerto Rico, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2004

  • Colectiva de Navidad: Pintura, Escultura, Cerámica y Fotografía, Biaggi & Faure Fine Art,  San Juan, Puerto Rico

2004

  • III/XVI Colectiva de Verano, Biaggi & Faure Fine Art, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2001

  • Exhibición inaugural: Los tesoros de la Pintura Puertorriqueña, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1988

  • The Latin American Spirit: Art and Artists in the United States 1920-1970, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, United States

1985

  • Pintura y Gráfica de los Años 50, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1978-79

  • Bridge Between Islands, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York;  Museo del Barrio, New York, United States; Henry Street Settlement, Louis Abrons Arts for Living Center, New York, United States

1973

  • Art Heritage of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States

1967

  • Pintura en Puerto Rico, Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1966

  • Painting on the cover of the studio album ‘Getz/Gilberto Vol. 2’ by Stan Getz and João Gilberto

1965

  • Young Artists of Latin America Esso, IBM Gallery, New York, United States

1964

  • Painting on the cover of the studio album ‘Trio 64’ by Bill Evans
  • Painting on the cover of the studio album ‘Getz/Gilberto’ by Stan Getz and João Gilberto

1963

  • Casa del Arte, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Painting on the cover of the studio album ‘Jazz Samba Encore!’ by Stan Getz and Luiz Bonfá

1962   

  • Casa del Arte, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Painting on the cover of the studio album ‘Jazz Samba’ by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd
  • Painting on the cover of the studio album ‘Big Band Bossa Nova’ by Stan Getz and the Gary McFarland Orchestra

1960

  • Grand Street Settlement, New York, United States

1958

  • I Bienal Interamericana de Pintura y Grabado, Mexico City, Mexico

1957

  • Puerto Rican Painting, Riverside Museum, New York; Stable Gallery, New York, United States

1956

  • New York City Center, New York, United States

1957-1958   

  • Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico   

1956

  • Panora’s Gallery, New York, United States

Awards, Distinctions and Achievements

1997

  • Two works auctioned at Sotheby's. Sotheby’s, New York, United States

1967

  • Second Prize. Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico

1964

  • Second Prize. Salón Esso de Artistas Jóvenes, San Juan, Puerto Rico  

1948

  • Students’ scholarship. New York City Scholarship, NewYork, United States

Collections

  • Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Chase Manhattan Bank, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico 
  • Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico 
  • Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico 
  • Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico 
  • Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Museo Nacional de Israel, Israel

Bibliography

Books

Hermandad de Artistas Gráficos de Puerto Rico. "Puerto Rico Arte e Identidad". San Juan, P.R.: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 1998.

"Los tesoros de la pintura puertorriqueña". Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. San Juan, P.R. 2000.

Websites

MAPFRE. “Cultura y ambiente: el Puerto Rico de hoy”, Terranova Editores, Cuartel de Ballajá, San Juan. https://www.mapfre.pr/seguros-pr/images/cultura-y-ambiente_tcm1084-172224.pdf 

Exhibition Catalogue. “Bridge Between Islands: Retrospective Works by Six Puerto Rican Artists in New York”, 1978-79. https://www.elmuseo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/1978-1979_emdb_exh-cat_bridge-between-islands.pdf