Tony Bechara
San Juan, PR, 1942
Biography Details
Painter, printmaker. Bechara attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and the School of Jurisprudence and Diplomacy at that same university. He spent one year at the Sorbonne in Paris and, finally, entered New York University. Later, he attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Since 1977 he has taken part in numerous group and solo exhibits in Puerto Rico, the United States, Europe, and Latin America. In 2006 he was awarded first prize by the California Museum of Latin American Art. His conceptual interest, in his own words, centers on the dynamics of color and the expressive possibilities of Pointillism and abstract geometry. Each painting is constructed in a predetermined number of colors, distributed systematically but applied at random as countless dots and daubs. The general pattern that results is, then, unpredictable. His work is related to “automatic painting” and the uncontrolled gestures of Dadaists such as Hans Arp and Surrealists such as André Masson.
Artist Statement
“For nearly three decades my paintings have focused on the dynamics of color and the optical and expressive possibilities of pointillism and geometric abstraction. Each painting is constructed with a predetermined number of colors, systematically distributed and randomly applied as small quarter inch dabs of color that cover the whole canvas as a grid of thousands of points or pixels. The resulting color combinations and whatever patterning occur is unpredictable and to a great degree, due to chance. The painting process is obsessive and repetitive, yet the final work is an exuberant and spontaneous celebration of light and color. It is a direct reference to automatic painting and to the free and uncontrollable gestures of Arp and Masson. The system is governed by a rigid adherence to a deterministic structure yet the results are as free as any chaotic, poured or splashed painting process can generate”.
Formation
Education
- Georgetown University , Washington DC, United States
- Law School, Georgetown University , Washington DC, United States
- University of Paris, Sorbonne, Paris, France
- Graduate School of International Relations, New York University, New York, United States
- Visual Arts School, New York, United States
Professional Experience
2006
- Moderator. Ballet of Monterrey, Guggenheim Museum, New York, United States
2003
- Board of Trustees. Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, United States
- Board of Trustees. El Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
2002
- Visual Arts Juror. Roma Award, American Academy of Rome, New York, United States
1999 - 2002
- Board of Trustees. Studio in a School Association, New York, United States
1987- 1998
- Board of Trustees and Vice President. INTAR, Hispanic Theatre and Visual Arts Center, New York, United States
1993
- Visual Arts Panelist. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
1990
- Visual Arts Panelist. South Florida State Council for the Arts, Florida, United States
1989
- Visual Arts Panelist. State of Illinois Council for the Arts, Illinois, United States
1986-1988
- Visual Arts Panelist. Westchester Council for the Arts, New York, United States
1988
- Visual Arts Panelist. Massachusetts State Council for the Arts, Massachusetts, United States
1987-1989
- Visual Arts Panelist. Expansion Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, United States
1986, 1988, 1994
- Visual Arts Panelist. New Jersey State Council for the Arts, New Jersey, United States
1985
- Artist Dialogue and Reading. Whitney Museum, New York, New York, United States
1982-1984
- Visual Arts Panelist. New York State Council for the Arts, New York, United States
1981-1984
- Art Instructor. Rutgers University, New Jersey, United States
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2010
- Frederico Seve / Latincollector Gallery, New York, United States
2009
- Geometría y color, Galería Petrus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2008
- Mínima Visibilia: pinturas grises, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Grand Canyon, Lehman College Art Gallery, New York, United States
- Obra reciente, Galería Petrus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2006
- Galería Ramis Barquet, Monterrey, Mexico
- Andre Zarre Gallery, New York, United States
- Recent Paintings, Latincollector Gallery, New York, United States
2003
- Andre Zarre Gallery, New York, United States
- Latincollector Gallery, New, York, United States
2002
- Latincollector Gallery, Miami,Florida, United States
2001
- Latincollector Gallery, New York, United States
1997
- The Century Association, New York, United States
1993
- Artist Space, New York, United States
1989
- Alternative Museum, New York, United States
1986
- Hubert Humphrey Building, Main Gallery, Department of Education, Washington DC, United States
1985
- Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
1984
- Georgetown Artists Space, Washington DC, United States
1982
- Yves Arman Gallery, New York, United States
1981
- Yves Arman Gallery, New York, United States
1980
- Bild & Rahmen Gallery, Munich, Germany
- Cayman Galley, New York, United States
- Apollon Galerie Die Insel, Munich, Germany
1979
- Andre Zarre Gallery, New York, United States
- Apollon Galerie Die Insel, Munich, Germany
Public Commissions
1988
- Mural, Cooper Square Development Corporation, New York, United States
1982
- Art Across the Park, Central Park, New York City Deptartment of Cultural Affairs, New York, United States
Group Shows
2012
- Interconexiones: Lecturas curatoriales de la Colección del MAPR, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2010
- Then & Now: Abstraction in Latin American Art, 1950 to Present, Deutsche Bank, New York, United States
- The Machine Eats, Latincollector, New York, United States
- Geometric Illusion, Latincollector, New York, United States
- CPN: Retorno, Galería Petrus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2009
- Voces y Visiones, El Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
- The Line is a Sign, Latincollector, New York, United States
- The Object is Illuminated, Latincollector, New York, United States
- Desnudos y otras revelaciones, Galería Petrus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2008
- ArteAmericas Art Fair, Latincollector, Miami, United States
2004
- Prismatic Spaces, Andre Zarre Gallery, New York, United States
2003
- Estrictamente Geométrico, Galería Ganza, Miami, Florida, United States
2002
- Highlights of the Collection, Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
1999
- New Graphics, Taller Frances Wu, Lima, Taller Boricua Gallery, New York, United States
1997
- Colors: Contrasts and Cultures, Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States
1996
- Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1994
- Reaffirming Spirituality, Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
1992
- Museo Cautiño, Guayama, Puerto Rico
1990
- Luiggi Marrozzini Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, New Jersey, United States
1988
- Geometry and Structure, Robeson Center Gallery, Rutgers University, New Jersey, United States
- Mira!, Los Angeles Municipal Museum, Los Angeles, California, United States
1987
- Arte Abstracto, Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1986
- Art, New York, Sneed Gallery, Rockford, Illinois, United States
1985
- Art of the 1970's & 1980's, Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States
1983
- Surfaces, Creiger Sesen, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
1981
- Patterns & Systems, Yellowstone Art Center, Billings, Montana, United States
- Recent Directions, Rutgers University, New Jersey, United States
- Shaped Field; Eccentric Format, P.S.1, New York, United States
1980
- Islamic Allusions, Alternative Museum, New York, United States
1979
- Latin American Painters, Queens Museum, New York, United States
- Fifteen New Talents, Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Connecticut, United States
- Criss-Cross Patterns, Fine Arts Center, Boulder, Colorado, United States
- Five New Painters, Soho Center for Visual Arts, , New York, United States
1978
- Bridges, Henry Street Settlement House, New York, United States
- Resurgence '78, Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
1977
- Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, United States
1976
- Magnet; New York, Center for Inter-American Relations, New York, United States Unidos
Awards, Distinctions and Achievements
2006
-
Award. Museum of Latin American Art, California, United States
-
Latinos of the Year. El Diario La Prensa, New York, United States
1980
-
Fellowship. National Endowment for the Arts, New York, United States
Collections
- Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States
- Albright Museum, Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
- Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
- Harlem Art Collection, New York State Office Building, New York, United States
- Violy Byorum & Partners, United States
- Stairs,Dillinbeck and Merle, New York, United States
- The Brodsky Organization, New York, United States
- Goya Foods Inc., Seacaucus, New Jersey, United States
- Winn Dixie Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, United States
- Chiquita Brands Inc., Cincinnatti, Ohio, United States
- AETNA Corporation, Hartford, Connecticut, United States
- Continental Can Corporation, United States
- Southeast Banking Corporation, Miami, Florida, United States
- Country Federal Savings, Westport, Connecticut, United States
- California Mart, Los Ángeles, California, United States
- Entax Corporation, Portland, Oregon, United States
- Chermayeff & Geismar Associates, Inc., New York, United States
- United Banks, Rockford, Illinois, United States
- Owens Corning Fiberglass Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Bibliography
Newspapers
Genocchio, Benjamin, “At Lehman Gallery, Getting a Feel for the Abstract”, The New York Times, October 24, 2008.
Rivera, Carlos Rubén, “Artista de la Experiencia”, Primera Hora, February 14, 2008.
Clavijo, Raisa, “ArteAmericas”, Primera Hora, March 27, 2008.
Trelles Hernández, Carmen, “Sumergidos en un juego gris”, El Nuevo Día.com, 25 de septiembre de 2008.
Cotter, Holland, “Bulletins From a Bustling ‘Undiscovered’ Land”, The New York Times, November 19, 2007.
Glueck, Grace. The New York Times, 26 de enero de 1979.
Glueck, Grace. The New York Times, 28 de junio de 1985.
Karlins, N.F. Battery News, 1 de febrero de 1988.
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Villamil, Alejandra. El Diario La Prensa, Nueva York, Estados Unidos, 14 de mayo de 2006.
Zambrano, Lourdes. El Norte, México, 26 de septiembre de 2006.
Magazines
Álvarez Lezama, Manuel. “Tony Bechara - Galería Petrus”, Arte al Dia Online, April 8, 2010.
Drucks, Achim. “Then & Now”, DB Art Mag. May 24, 2010.
Kartofel, Graciela. “Elizabeth Jobim and Tony Bechara”, Art Nexus v. 8 no. 73, (June/August 2009) p. 112-13.
Herrero, Esther. “El Triunfo de Tony Bechara”, Selecta Magazine. May 5, 2009.
Sanz de Arellano López, Isabel, “Colorido Espectro de Pasiones”, Imagen – Nuestra Revista, August 15, 2008.
Christian Science Monitor, 21 de enero de 1976.
Szeeman, Harald. Du Magazine, Zurich, Suiza, junio 1979.
Criss-Cross Magazine, Boulder, Colorado, Estados Unidos, diciembre de 1979.
Criss Cross Magazine, Boulder, Colorado, Estados Unidos noviembre, 1981.
Larson, Kay. Village Voice, 4 de febrero de 1980.
Die, Zeit. Color on Maximilianstrasse: Helmut Schneider, Alemania, 10 de abril de 1980.
Buonagurio, Edgar. Arts Magazine, abril 1980.
Nadelman, Cynthia. ARTnews, junio 1980.
Larson, Kay. Village Voice, 26 de octubre de 1980.
McConnel, Gordon. Art Space, verano de 1982.
Brown, Thomas. Dial Magazine, agosto de 1985.
Valdes, Gustavo. Ars Magazine, febrero de 1996.
Turner, Grady. Art News, septiembre de 2003.
Piccard, Charmaine. Art Nexus, noviembre de 2003.
Weil, Rex. Art News, octubre de 2006.
Calirman, Claudia. Art Nexus, octubre de 2006.
Goodman, Jonathan. Art in America, noviembre de 2006.
Stroh, Adele. In Profile, Studio Space, SIAS, 2006.