“HAPPY: essays on the artistry of Jorge Pineda” opens in Madrid

Madrid, Spain.- The Alberto Cruz Foundation, in collaboration with the León Center, has launched the exhibition “HAPPY: Essays on the Work of Jorge Pineda,” marking the first major retrospective of Pineda’s art in Spain. Running from January 23 to April 7 at the Art room of the Complutense University of Madrid, C Arte C, the exhibition comprises 69 works sourced from a large-scale display held between 2022 and 2023, showcasing Pineda’s talent, drawing from Dominican and Spanish private collections, as well as significant Spanish art institutions.

Various entities, including the Alberto Cruz Foundation, Centro León, Complutense University of Madrid, and Taller Jorge Pineda, collaborated on the exhibition, supported by Excel, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic. The exhibition offers a comprehensive look at Pineda’s career, aligning with the Caribbean-themed 43rd edition of ARCOmadrid.

The retrospective highlights Pineda’s storytelling prowess and artistic quality, emphasizing his ability to transform violence into beauty. The exhibition addresses the diverse production of this prominent Dominican artist, underscoring his significance as one of the main Latin American artists of his generation.

In addition to showcasing Pineda’s work, the exhibition aims to bring Dominican art and culture to international platforms. The retrospective in Spain coincides with the first anniversary of the artist’s death, and a public activity is planned on February 16, 2024, at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the UCM.

Jorge Pineda, a visual artist who passed away in 2023, studied Architecture at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and lithography at the Atelier Bordas in Paris. His contributions to art in the Dominican Republic are evident in his ability to transition from late modernity to contemporaneity, engaging with local and international art circuits. Pineda’s works are part of prestigious collections worldwide.

The Alberto Cruz Foundation, established in 2023, focuses on advancing Dominican art and culture. It aims to support the research, documentation, dissemination, and preservation of the work of master creators, fostering an inclusive appreciation of art through exhibitions, conversations, publications, and research activities.