Esteban Alvarez

Poncho—

» By proposing an anthropological root to Fontana’s conceptual plastic manifesto in ‘Poncho’, imposed expectations and limitations are brought face to face. One often needs to elude opposition, by using humour, or choosing somewhat surreptitious signs. «

Ticket—

Alvarez’s approach to authenticity engages with national identity as well as art history. His unique perspective on artistic imagery comes from an ongoing intellectual interest in the position of Argentina and Argentinean artists in the art world. His working practice is broad and a knowing wit is always present.

Ticket Open—

Whilst, visually, Poncho is strikingly simple, the ideas it addresses are intriguing and complex. The slit canvases of the artist Lucio Fontana are transcribed onto textile, questioning both the high status given to painting and the dominance of a Eurocentric view in art history. Both Italy, where he was born, and Argentina, where he spent his formative years, claim Fontana as their own.

Work Permit—

By combining the ‘high art’ of minimalism with the perceived ‘ethnic’ culture of Argentina, Alvarez forces us to engage with a more rounded view of Latin America’s art history.

@ Artist's Website

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