Beatriz Zamora
Beatriz Zamora’s “El Negro” (The Black)
Beatriz Zamora is a radical figure in the landscape of contemporary painting, which spans from the modern and contemporary art movements of Malevich to Rodchenko, and from Alberto Burri to Lucio Fontana, including Ad Reinhardt, Frank Stella, and the minimalists, as well as Piero Manzoni, Umberto Mariani, and Pierre Soulages. Gérard-George Lemaire has noted that this history continues to grow, characterized by a pursuit of a specific experience through the exploration of monochrome, …and the sublime. Beatriz Zamora has devoted her life to this pursuit, with “El Negro” being a testament to her dedication.
“El Negro” by Beatriz Zamora represents a long-term historical inscription, initiated in Mexico in 1977. Prior to this, the notion that ‘black is beautiful’ resonated beyond the realm of art. Zamora’s work is remarkable for transcending the patriarchal taboos of the West and its associated sense of obtuse vacuity. Her radical aesthetic has permeated global consciousness, highlighting the profound human connections within our expansive, cosmic environment.
Beginning with her series “La Tierra” as an endearing and iconoclastic precursor in 1976-1977, Zamora initiated an ethical dialogue with the ancient civilizational roots of Mexico and our deep Latin America. She has lovingly nurtured this dialogue throughout the historical period that began then and is now drawing to a close, with all its attendant consequences. This perspective allows “El Negro” to engage in a profound dialogue with other peoples and cultures worldwide, who have always been there, caring for it and conversing with it, reflecting a collective, planetary human response in the present.
Francisco Hernández Zamora.
03-06-2024