Danilo Dueñas is an artist from Cali and he will soon be exhibiting his work in the esteemed Casas Riegner Gallery in Bogota. His latest presentation uses “objet trouvés” or objects that he has found and combined to create a piece of art according to his aesthetic criteria which he bases on rationality and experimentation – but not chance.
According to Dueñas, even the dust on his objects is art and he has asked the gallery director, Catalina Casas, to guard the dust along with the objects that eventually have to be placed in storage. Strange indeed!
Again, this type of “art” begs the question as to whether behind its presentation there is sufficient seriousness and rationality as the artist claims.
Having fixed an old table to a wall with its top placed against the flat surface and its legs sticking out perpendicularly it might be claimed that where a mere mortal such as ourselves might only see an old piece of furniture, Dueñas percieves lines, light that cuts across the object and shadows that create figures.
Dueñas has had an eclectic way of life because it went from studying law to the theater and from there to paint. His studies were not in a classroom but tirelessly visiting s museum, believing that a good artist should profoundly know the history of art. Ha has also enjoyed the freedom of creative license, and the ability to be decisive and aggressive through being a self-taught artist.
Today he teaches in several universities, which allows reciprocity and interesting insight into how his students understand things. Today his work is in constant motion, in flux, as a manifesto against boredom and a celebration of life.
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Casas Riegner
Calle 70A #7-41
Bogota
Tel: 249-9194
Art & Artists From Colombia 