Andrés Fischer Muñoz
Encyclopedia
Andrés "Andreas" Fischer Muñoz (1965 - ) is a Colombian-American realist
painter living in Switzerland
.
, to a Colombian
father and an American
mother. He studied art at the University of the Andes, Colombia
(Arts and Humanities School), where he exhibited at its Marta Traba Gallery and obtained his bachelor's in 1990. He also exhibited at other institutions, and his graduate thesis and first solo exhibition was "A partir de la poesia" at the Gartner-Torres Gallery. In July 1991, he moved to New York
; he performed postgraduate work at the nondegree fine arts college Art Students League of New York
, for four years, earned a master's in fine arts at Pratt Institute
, and held twelve exhibitions in New York
, Chicago
, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic
. He continued his career by moving to Bern, Switzerland, in 2004; he speaks Spanish, English, and German. He is also a yoga
practitioner, and has adopted German painter Gerhard Richter
's slogan, "Painting is dead, but who cares?"
, whom he considers the "poeta del desasosiego" (poet of disquiet).
His one-month solo ultrarealist art exhibition, "Parejas" ("Couples"), at the Beatrice Brunner Gallery in Bern in 2006, displayed seven diptych
paintings depicting seminude individuals in pairs but separated deconstructively by whitespace, staring at the viewers. One half of one of the diptychs was stolen prior to the exhibition. Inspired by Fischer's study of the historical artistic representation of relationships in society and painted over the course of five years, the enigmatic paintings emphasize the necessity of individuality in all relationships; the relationship between the couples is left unstated. Fischer explained, "It was intended that the couple needs a space and that that space contains a distance between the two individuals, and that that space is important."
Paintings in the photorealist series include Carolina and Juan (2004), in which Juan, on the edge of the painting, appears indecisive about remaining in the image or abandoning the common space; Lauren and Dean; Maria and Deuxchevs (2006); Ralph (2003); and Sarah and Michael. They were painted according to photos taken of the model couples early in the morning, shortly after waking, to obtain intimate portraits. The whitespace was inspired by Wanderer above the Sea of Fog
, by Caspar David Friedrich
, while the distance between each couple was inspired by royal portraiture such as Francisco Goya's painting The Family of Charles IV. Curator Beatrice Brunner stated that reception was "magnificent": patrons included Berner Zeitung
journalist and critic Konrad Tobler, and painter and philosopher Angelica Baum.
These paintings were re-exhibited when Fischer, and three older Colombian artists who had immigrated to Switzerland since 1972, participated in a joint exhibit commemorating the centennial of the Colombian-Swiss peace treaty of March 14, 1908. Colombian ambassador Claudia Jimínez sponsored the exhibit, and critic Tobler stated that Fischer's art focuses much more on the psychological aspect than the photographic, in the photorealist tradition.
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
painter living in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Biography
Fischer was born into an artistic family in 1965 in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, to a Colombian
Colombians
Colombians may refer to:* Citizens of Colombia, a country in South America.* Ethnic Colombians** Colombian people, persons from Colombia or of Colombian ancestry...
father and an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mother. He studied art at the University of the Andes, Colombia
University of the Andes, Colombia
The University of the Andes , is a coeducational, nonsectarian private university located in city centre Bogotá, Colombia. Founded in 1948, the University has 9 faculties: Administration, Architecture and Design, Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, Law, Economics, Engineering and...
(Arts and Humanities School), where he exhibited at its Marta Traba Gallery and obtained his bachelor's in 1990. He also exhibited at other institutions, and his graduate thesis and first solo exhibition was "A partir de la poesia" at the Gartner-Torres Gallery. In July 1991, he moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
; he performed postgraduate work at the nondegree fine arts college Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
, for four years, earned a master's in fine arts at Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
, and held twelve exhibitions in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. He continued his career by moving to Bern, Switzerland, in 2004; he speaks Spanish, English, and German. He is also a yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
practitioner, and has adopted German painter Gerhard Richter
Gerhard Richter
Gerhard Richter is a German visual artist. Richter has simultaneously produced abstract and photorealistic painted works, as well as photographs and glass pieces, thus undermining the concept of the artist’s obligation to maintain a single cohesive style.- Biography :Gerhard Richter was born in...
's slogan, "Painting is dead, but who cares?"
Art
During the Colombian period, he stated that each of his works were inspired by a poem of Fernando PessoaFernando Pessoa
Fernando Pessoa, born Fernando António Nogueira de Seabra Pessoa , was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language.-Early years in Durban:On 13 July...
, whom he considers the "poeta del desasosiego" (poet of disquiet).
His one-month solo ultrarealist art exhibition, "Parejas" ("Couples"), at the Beatrice Brunner Gallery in Bern in 2006, displayed seven diptych
Diptych
A diptych di "two" + ptychē "fold") is any object with two flat plates attached at a hinge. Devices of this form were quite popular in the ancient world, wax tablets being coated with wax on inner faces, for recording notes and for measuring time and direction.In Late Antiquity, ivory diptychs with...
paintings depicting seminude individuals in pairs but separated deconstructively by whitespace, staring at the viewers. One half of one of the diptychs was stolen prior to the exhibition. Inspired by Fischer's study of the historical artistic representation of relationships in society and painted over the course of five years, the enigmatic paintings emphasize the necessity of individuality in all relationships; the relationship between the couples is left unstated. Fischer explained, "It was intended that the couple needs a space and that that space contains a distance between the two individuals, and that that space is important."
Paintings in the photorealist series include Carolina and Juan (2004), in which Juan, on the edge of the painting, appears indecisive about remaining in the image or abandoning the common space; Lauren and Dean; Maria and Deuxchevs (2006); Ralph (2003); and Sarah and Michael. They were painted according to photos taken of the model couples early in the morning, shortly after waking, to obtain intimate portraits. The whitespace was inspired by Wanderer above the Sea of Fog
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog is an oil painting composed in 1818 by the German Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich. It currently resides in the Kunsthalle Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany.-Description:...
, by Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
, while the distance between each couple was inspired by royal portraiture such as Francisco Goya's painting The Family of Charles IV. Curator Beatrice Brunner stated that reception was "magnificent": patrons included Berner Zeitung
Berner Zeitung
Berner Zeitung is a regional newspaper in the canton of Berne, Switzerland. With a distribution of 165,700 , it is number four of the daily newspapers in Switzerland and the leading newspaper in the Canton of Berne...
journalist and critic Konrad Tobler, and painter and philosopher Angelica Baum.
These paintings were re-exhibited when Fischer, and three older Colombian artists who had immigrated to Switzerland since 1972, participated in a joint exhibit commemorating the centennial of the Colombian-Swiss peace treaty of March 14, 1908. Colombian ambassador Claudia Jimínez sponsored the exhibit, and critic Tobler stated that Fischer's art focuses much more on the psychological aspect than the photographic, in the photorealist tradition.
Exhibitions
- Seventh Salón Séneca, University of the Andes, ColombiaUniversity of the Andes, ColombiaThe University of the Andes , is a coeducational, nonsectarian private university located in city centre Bogotá, Colombia. Founded in 1948, the University has 9 faculties: Administration, Architecture and Design, Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, Law, Economics, Engineering and...
, 1988. - "Traspies" (video), Art Faculty Meeting, University of Nariño, PastoPastoPasto, officially San Juan de Pasto, is the capital of the department of Nariño, located in southwest Colombia. The city is located in the "Atriz Valley", on the Andes cordillera, at the foot of the Galeras volcano, at an altitude of 8,290 feet above sea level...
, 1988. - "Dance" (stage scenery for video), Karim Noack, director, 1988.
- Marta Traba Photography Salon, University of the Andes, ColombiaUniversity of the Andes, ColombiaThe University of the Andes , is a coeducational, nonsectarian private university located in city centre Bogotá, Colombia. Founded in 1948, the University has 9 faculties: Administration, Architecture and Design, Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, Law, Economics, Engineering and...
, 1988-1989. - Eighth Salón Séneca, University of the Andes, ColombiaUniversity of the Andes, ColombiaThe University of the Andes , is a coeducational, nonsectarian private university located in city centre Bogotá, Colombia. Founded in 1948, the University has 9 faculties: Administration, Architecture and Design, Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, Law, Economics, Engineering and...
, 1989. - Ceramics Exposition, National University of Medellin, Colombia, 1989.
- "La Prensa, One Year" (illustrator), Museum of Modern Art, Bogotá, 1990.
- "A partir de la poesía" (solo), Gartner-Torres Gallery, Colombia, December 6-7, 1991.
- Art Students League of New YorkArt Students League of New YorkThe Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
Gallery, New York, 1993. - "Dumbo Art Festival", K2 Studio, Brooklyn, 1995.
- "Art-Iberoamerica 96", Chicago Cultural CenterChicago Cultural CenterThe Chicago Cultural Center, opened in 1897, is a Chicago Landmark building that houses the city's official reception venue where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed Presidents and royalty, diplomats and community leaders. It is located in the Loop, across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park...
, Chicago, 1996. - "Exploring the North", Stendhal Gallery, New York, 1996.
- "Generación intermedia", Luís Ángel Arango Museum (Banco de la Republica), Colombia, 1998.
- "Bodies in Transit" (solo), Steuben West Gallery (Pratt InstitutePratt InstitutePratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
), New York, 1999. - "Fall Artist Series", Element AG Art Space, Chelsea, 2000.
- "The Alchemical Body", Williamsburg Cultural Art Center, Brooklyn, 2001.
- Caribbean Biannual, Santo Domingo, 2002.
- New York Art Expo, Peter Rose Gallery, New York, 2002.
- "Expansive Wave: Eight Years", Lyle O'Reitzel Gallery, Dominican Republic, 2003.
- "Urbes Interiores", BLAA Museum, Colombia, 2004.
- "Porträt", PROGR and Kunstkeller, Bern, 2005.
- Art Zürich International, Zürich, 2006.
- "Parejas" ("Couples", solo), Beatrice Brunner Gallery, Bern, August 26 to September 23, 2006.
- "1, 2, 3, 4 Pintores Colombíanos en Suiza", Park Gallery (Franz Gertsch Museum), Burgdorf, 2008.
- "Fil Rouge 08", Steiner Gallery, Switzerland, November 23 to December 21, 2008.
Honors
- Member of Sociedad Colombiana de Arquitectos (Colombian Society of Architects).
- First prize, "Manitas Libres" Painting Contest, Cuban Embassy, 1978.
- Second prize (mural), Architectonic Project of Iglesia Ciudad Salitre, National Society of Architects of Colombia, 1991.
- First runner-up, Travel Grant, Art Students League of New YorkArt Students League of New YorkThe Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
, 1994. - Fellowship Grant, Organization of American StatesOrganization of American StatesThe Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, District of Columbia, 1996. - Nomination, Royal AcademyRoyal AcademyThe Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, The Starr FoundationThe Starr FoundationThe Starr Foundation was established in 1955 by Cornelius Vander Starr, founder of the American Insurance Group. Upon his death in 1968 his estate was passed on to the foundation...
, London, 1997. - Excellence Prize, Pratt InstitutePratt InstitutePratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
, New York, 1997.