Huxley-Parlour has just opened the inaugural solo exhibition in the UK of the acclaimed Colombian artist, Ana Mercedes Hoyos. Titled “Los Fragmentos,” the exhibition showcases a collection of twelve canvas works spanning from 1988 to 2014. These pieces delve deep into Hoyos’ extensive exploration of the still-life genre.
An influential figure in Colombia’s cultural landscape during the politically charged 1960s, Hoyos, alongside contemporaries like Luis Caballero, Beatriz González, and Bernardo Salcedo, pioneered a transformative movement. Inspired by diverse Western art movements such as Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, the Colombian artists redefined their country’s plastic arts, infusing them with a unique Colombian perspective shaped by history and culture.
Hoyos’ innovative approach is most vividly articulated in her still-lifes. Blending the graphic allure of Pop Art with the fractured perspectives of Cubism, her opulent canvases reexamine the Baroque traditions of Francisco de Zurbarán and Caravaggio. In a departure from the allegorical studies often found in Western still-lifes, where objects symbolize wealth and worldly sensibilities, Hoyos roots her compositions in Colombia’s geography and local culture.
During the 1980s, Hoyos turned to the still-life genre, drawing inspiration from the customs of the coastal village of San Basilio de Palanque. Historically a haven for freed and escaped slaves, the village’s traditions, especially the practices of women vendors on sandy beaches, heavily influenced Hoyos’ artistic vision. Her still-lifes, unlike the dark and ambiguous settings of historical Western paintings, overflow with light, directly connecting to their inspirational sources.
One standout piece, “Untitled, 2004,” offers a close-up of a metal bowl brimming with assorted fruits, the San Basilio coastline’s rolling tide visible on the horizon. Other works in the exhibition feature details of beach umbrellas along the shore and glimpses of the vendors’ bodies. Hoyos coined the term “naturaleza viva” to describe her works, emphasizing their dynamic nature. Far from frozen moments, her paintings exude movement and action, with neatly sliced fruits hinting at prior consumption and knives poised for future cuts.
Despite the fragmentation into geometric forms and vibrant colors, Hoyos’ works convey a sense of ripe fullness and monumentality. The brightness of her paintings contrasts with their robust physicality, capturing the vitality of the compositions and the diverse peoples and cultures they represent.
“Los Fragmentos” stands as a testament to Hoyos’ enduring innovation and influence, solidifying her position as one of Colombia’s foremost artists through her reinvention of the still-life. Ana Mercedes Hoyos, who received numerous international awards, including recognition at the National Artist’s Salon in Bogotá, is the focus of this major retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Bogotá, which opened in late 2024.
Ana Mercedes Hoyos: Los Fragmentos, 1st Dec 2023 – 13th January 2024, Huxley-Parlour
About the artist
Ana Mercedes Hoyos (1942-2014) explored the complexities of the culture and multiculturalism in Colombia through her works. Working across painting and sculpture, Hoyos engaged with art historical motifs and the European avant-gardes, which she re-interpreted to incorporate the cultures and landscapes of her native Colombia.
Born in 1942, Hoyos studied at the National University in Bogotá. The recipient of numerous international awards throughout her career, including an award at the National Artist’s Salon in Bogotá for the Ventanas series, Hoyos’ work has been the subject of over 50 solo exhibitions throughout Europe, Asia, the United States and South America. Her works are held in permanent collections including at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, the Fuji Art Museum, Tokyo, the Ibercaja Collection, Spain, and the Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City. Hoyos will be the subject of a major retrospective exhibition in Colombia in late 2024. Hoyos died in 2014.
