The Legacy of Campeche

The second half of the Eighteenth century was a period of radical changes in the European and in the colonies of the "New World". Politics, Science, society, the economy and the arts all saw important changes. The mid 1700's is the time when the seed of a major revolution in human consciousness was being planted and the age of enlightenment was about to be born. The modern ideas of democracy, freedom and industrialization were about to launch us into a brave new world in the arts, science, politics and society as whole. While Francisco Goya was becoming a successful painter in Madrid and Amadeus Mozart a famous court musician in Salzburg, a young painter named Jose Campeche was actively working in the Spanish colony of Puerto Rico. Born in 1751, a self-taught mulatto artist, Campeche adquired a high level of mastery in the art of painting that soon became legendary in the region. Today he is considered by many as best painter of his time living in the Americas.

Portrait of Jose Campeche

Commemorating the life and work of Campeche and bringing new light into his work, The Art Museum of Puerto Rico recently opened the exhibition: "Campeche: Myth and reality",  In this exhibit we may find original works from the first known Puerto Rican painter, from his early works to his later more mature works after the influence of Luis Paret, a Spanish court painter who was exiled in the island for a short period. The collection is truly outstanding although it may be disappointing in some respects. For instance some of the works in display are not originals but prints that do not make justice to Campeche's work. But overall the work gathered for this display gives a very good sense of this colonial master's achievements. This temporary exhibition will be open to the public all year.

Virgen del Carmen con niño por Jose Campeche

 The Art Museum of Puerto Rico has also organized a parallel exhibition titled "Campeche: 200 years later". In this group show, twelve contemporary artists have re-interpreted the work of Campeche in what can be seen as an homage to the master but at the same time bringing up contemporary issues into his work. Rafael Trelles, Carlos Mercado, Garvin Sierra, Rigoberto Quintana, Antonio Martorell, Carlos Irizarry, Jorge Soto Sánchez, Jorge Zeno, Josué Pellot, Lorenzo Homar, Rosa Irigoyen and myself  are the artists participating with our work in this exhibition. We all share in common being contemporary Puerto Rican artists that have a deep admiration for  the work of Jose Campeche.

Sanctus Mater Silicona by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

   One of the paintings I am exhibiting at the Museum is titled "Sanctus Mater Silicona". This oil on triptych panel is an appropriation of the many images of Madonna with child  that Jose Campeche would have painted in his time. In this piece as well as in many others I have painted after this one, I have been inspired in the different perceptions of female beauty from colonial times to our own. 

In a smaller painting "Allegory to Patriotism" I appropriate a piece from Campeche "Retrato del niño Juan Pantaleon" and imbue it with a new meaning relevant to the current prevailing imperialist pursuits. Since my thesis art project "Iconsumer" in 2006, I have been studying the work of Campeche and other Spanish colonial painters as I see an interesting connection between their times and our own. It is always good to look back at the past and not only learn how these great painters worked but also learn from the times they lived in and how they responded to it. Eventually with much study and reflection one can find many similarities between our time and theirs.  Beyond the obvious colonial paradigm of Puerto Rico, the whole world is subject to  a new colonization by consumerism, the corporate media and Imperialist exploration. As a painter living in a Neo-colonial age I always find much inspiration in painters as Jose Campeche and hope more people re-discover his magnificent work.

"Campeche: 200 year later" will be on display until May, 8th 2011 so try not to miss it. For more information on Museum location and hours visit the Museum homepage at: http://www.mapr.org/Informacion-General/Informacion-al-Visitante.aspx

To see more of Jose Campeche's work online you can visit the ICP National Gallery webpage

If you wish to see more of my work online please visit my official website at www.retabloarts.com

"Know Thyself" The most important art lesson of all

According to the 2nd century AD  Greek traveler and writer Pausanias, there was an important inscription on the forecourt of the temple of Apollo at Delphi. The inscription could be read by anyone who came on their long religious pilgrimage searching for answers and a look into the future. The inscription read: γνῶθι σεαυτόν "Gnothi Seauton" In Latin it would be "Nosce te Impsum" or "Temet Nosce" which translated to English means: "Know Thyself". This aphorism appeared on an inscription over the Oracle's door in the Matrix film series.

  Over 18 centuries later many philosophical schools commemorate these words of wisdom. As an artist, a self-portrait comes to mind. Many artists in the past were aware of the importance of knowing oneself, not just on the outside but in the inside as well. At the moment we create art, we make a psychological self-portrait, whether we are aware of it or not.  By being aware of it, the creative act can become an act of healing and self-realization.  It is to no surprise that the famous inscription "Know Thyself" would be found on the ancient temple to the god Apollo, god of healing, inspiration and solar illumination. The inscription did not end there and there would be no room for misunderstanding as the complete sentence would read: "Know thyself and thou shalt know all the mysteries of the gods and the Universe." (Σαυτὸν γνοὺς καὶ πάντα γνώσει τὰ τῶν θεῶν τε καὶ τοῦ κόσμου μυστήρια).

Ancient temple at Delphi, Greece

There is much wisdom in these words and when one reflects on the Hermetic philosophy of correspondences, everything comes together making perfect sense. The Hermetic axiom "As above, so below" refers to the relation between the stars and the heavens with man and Earth. We are a microcosmic reflection of the microcosmic Universe. If we study and learn more from ourselves, we will surely know more about the Universe as a whole. If the practice of astrology has been seen for centuries as the alchemy of the stars and alchemy as the astrology of earthly materials then we may say that by knowing ourselves we will know more about the gods. In a way the gods live in us and its up to us to discover them by looking deep within ourselves.. Call them gods, great spirits, archetypal energies, they are very real and are as much alive in us as they are in the whole Universe. God is the many in one and the one in many. God cannot be limited by one number, therefore God and gods are in my view essentially the same.

"A tribute to Venus: Peace and Love"  By Patrick McGrath Muñiz 

24" x 26" Oil and gold leaf on carved wood 2010
Work Available at Mindy Solomon Gallery, St Pete, FL

When it comes to the so called "Contemporary art world" I have to wonder how much are contemporary artists aware of  their own identity.  How often do they question who they are, their past and where they come from?  Plagued by a consumerist trend driven society and a sensationalist media culture mentality , what many call "contemporary art" seems to be playing the same illusory capitalist game of fame and fortune that determines whats "in" and whats "passe". They use prejudiced modernist assumptions of whats contemporary and whats not. "Originality" has lost its original meaning when its associated with hyped ultra-sensational shocking and disturbingly unique works that cry out for media attention. Spanish Architect Antoni Gaudi would have known better. "Originality" derives from the word "Origin". Originality is a search for our origins, it is to know who we are and where we come from.  Originality is also about questioning the hidden presumptions about ourselves. History is constantly revised.

"Divine Inspiration" by Patrick Mcgrath Muñiz

23" x 15" Egg Tempera on amate paper 2010

What are the artist's motivations in art and in life? Is he or she doing art  to gain celebrity status, or for the money (must be crazy), to "fit in" or be different, "original", create controversy and call the attention of the masses? Consider these questions. An artist who's just looking for recognition will have great disappointments in life when their work is rejected at an art show or when their Warholian "15 minutes of fame" are over.  On the other hand if you make art because it calls you, because you feel deeply inspired or because there is an important mission you must carry out, those gods within you will guide you. If you make art in order to understand the meaning of life, the Universe will open up to you. Art created for deeper convictions other than to please the public and profit will have a much larger reward in the long run, keeping the artist's work alive in history.

Detail of "A Tribute to Venus: Peace and Love" by Patrick McGrath Muñiz
Work available at Mindy Solomon Gallery, St Pete, Fl

2010 had many lessons for me as an artist. All of my experiences in art have been good because even those one could call "bad" aren't because they taught me something valuable. We learn from our mistakes and we are learning from experiences all the time.   Every experience in the life of an artist becomes a lesson when you think about it. From all the lessons I have learned so far I'm convinced there is a Master lesson above the rest.This Master lesson applies not only to art but to life as a whole. I still find myself learning from it everyday. The Master lesson is: "Know thyself". Because if you do, you will create art that is true to yourself and at the right time you will choose the right gallery, get into the right shows and even if you are not chosen or win any award, you will be happy because you know who you are and you know how good you are and you will just keep making art.  There will be no doubt in your mind that you were born for this. 

"Arcana 21"  by Patrick McGrath Muñiz

18" x 24" Oil on canvas 2010

I agree one should not make art to "fit in" but I think it is important to visualize yourself in the right places and with the right people, the ones you identify the most. If you study yourself long enough, you will notice that there is progress  in your work every, month, every year, every decade. Whenever I think of what lies ahead of me, I am very pleased because it keeps me focused. I try to do better each time and compare myself not with others but with myself before and I know when Im getting better. Dont' expect outside support and approval. Find it in yourself. By knowing yourself you also see your own limitations. You will eventually find ways of dealing with and overcoming those limitations. But remember: If you truly know yourself, you will know that the gods live within you. The Universe will open up to you if you take time to really know who you are and with the gods on your side, there are no limitations. 

Defining purpose for young artist's today

"There is no escaping reason, no denying purpose, because as we both know without purpose we would not exist."

-Agent Smith from the film Matrix Reloaded

In this postmodern age of mass information and globalization, often young artists find themselves lost without a clear sense of purpose or any guiding light to their art creation. We are bombarded with so much information through the internet, that we often feel overwhelmed and  don't know where to start. During the Renaissance, young artists entered a guild and learned their craft by assisting a master. During the Baroque and Neoclassical periods, artists could enter an Art academy where they would follow very strict directions  on how to draw, sculpt and paint. The purpose of an artist was defined mainly by the Church and State. 

After an industrial revolution, the fall of the European monarchies, Independence in the Americas, democracy  and two world wars, we entered into the modern age. Artists became revolutionaries with manifestos searching for hidden meaning in themselves and their art. The art world started to recognize artists not much by their effort, adherence to the rules and talent but by their originality, individuality and novelty. Culture decayed as one "ism" was replaced by another "ism" and many got their "15 minutes of fame". As progress and technology rapidly advanced, the arts had to catch up with the fast paced  modern society and grab  the immediate attention of the elite art connoisseurs. This attention usually had a very short memory span and as a consequence, art lost its substance and became a pure label and marketed logo. The shock value had replaced the transcendent value while deep meaning and direction was lost. Artists today are free to to whatever they wish as everything is accepted in this eclectic global age art world, as long as there is a market and audience for it. With so many options, materials, techniques and information at their disposal, artists naturally feel blocked and confused.    

I find the so called "post-modern" age that we live in, most fascinating and full of possibilities where an artist is free to choose what to say and how to say it. At the same time there are so many artists and so many people who do not care about art at all. It seems there is not enough time, patience or serious thought given to art today. Consumer culture has taken care of the way we appreciate and interpret art. It has now become as disposable and trivial as any other consumer commodity. What could be the purpose for making art today? Here I have suggested just a few for those young artists who struggle to find purpose for making art today. Below I have listed seven ways of being an artist with a specific purpose.

An artist as a searcher for truth

Many artists consider themselves to still be searching for the ideal form or ideal art. They are non-conformist who constantly seek new ways of making art. They are eternal students and challenge themselves with each and every step. To search for truth in the world is a philosopher's job and an artist's one too. 

An artist as a visionary/prophet

With much imagination, intuition and study, an artist can have the right sensibility to foretell the future and warn others about preventable disasters to come. As a visionary, the artist lives ahead of his time and recreates in his art what there is to come. Leonardo Da Vinci had such an intense vision of the future and he reflected much of this in his drawings.

An artist as a healer

The Chilean artist and author, Alejandro Jodorowsky once said: "Art that doesn't cure is not art." This is to say that art that transcends and becomes a memorable masterpiece is the kind of art that can move a soul and cure it. The artist who sees him or herself as a healer does not create art for selfish or trivial motivations.  The artist healer may see our current postmodern condition as an illness and art is the cure.

An artist as a mystic

An artist that considers him or herself as a mystic, finds in art a way to understanding the hidden mysteries of the cosmos. Creating art is a spiritual ritual that connects the artist with the creator and with all of creation. Every movement, every color and every brush stroke carries a special energy that transcends the material level and speaks the language of the spirit.

An artist as a Myth maker

As Joseph Campbell would say, contemporary artists are the myth-makers of our age. Myths are beautiful stories that explain the nature of the Universe in terms that are easily grasped by a mind free from the chains of the logical reason and science. An artist that works motivated by mythology, constructs myths that are often relevant to his or her own time and culture. These myths are vital for any society as they provide the creative material that satisfies the need to find meaning for life and its cycles.

An artist as a revolutionary

An artist that thinks outside the box and questions the assumptions of those in power, is indeed a revolutionary. This kind of artist creates art that does not conform to the given rules or mainstream art world. His or her work is audacious and it shows us a different way of understanding art and the world around us. These agents of change often have a hard time getting accepted but their will is strong and their art eventually gets noticed.

An artist as a Chronicler/historian

This kind of artist looks more like a journalist that takes pictures and captures the crude reality of the world around him making a statement about it. By telling the story of his or her own time, this artist will aid future generations remember history and see past time through the lens of art. Every artist in a way makes history with every mark he or she makes whether it is figurative work or abstract. As Kandinsky would put it "Every art is a child of its time".

You may find yourself identified with one, some or all of these particular ways of being an artist. Feel very fortunate if you do for that means you are full of purpose and purpose is the heart and soul of every creation. Purpose defines creation.

All text on this blog entry is copyrighted material© by the artist and author Patrick McGrath Muñiz