Luis Filcer
Luis Filcer (December 4, 1927 – July 19, 2018 in San Miguel de Allende)[1] was a Mexican Expressionist painter, whose works generally deal with themes of injustice and struggle. His family fled Ukraine for Mexico after the Russian Revolution to escape Jewish persecution and Filcer grew up in Mexico City. Although his interest in painting came early, he had to sell a painting before his family would accept his vocation. Strongly influenced by Van Gogh’s life, he began to draw and paint the struggles of everyday people, something he has continued since. His work has been exhibited in various countries of the world and has been recognized with several medals and membership in the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana.
Life
Filcer was born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine in 1927 to a Jewish family.[2][3] When he was only six months old, the family fled the country because of Jewish persecution after the Russian Revolution. No one in his family would talk about horrors they experienced in the Ukraine. After arriving to Mexico City, the family settled in the La Lagunilla neighborhood. His father was able to speak only a few words in Spanish and sold clothing in the streets. He later formed a partnership with other immigrants to open a sweater factory. Since childhood, Filcer disliked school but learned to draw. He also studied accounting in order to help his father. He stated that although working at the family business was hard, he was able to meet many people in this way, for whom he often drew pictures for fun.[4]
When he was sixteen he entered the Academy of San Carlos to study painting, attending class in the morning and working in the afternoon. Each evening after the close of business, he painted. He later studied at the workshop of Spanish painter José Bardasano for three years, focusing on drawing and painting.[2][4]
At age seventeen, Filcer read the biography of Van Gogh, and after observing the poverty of the market workers began to draw them. He then decided to travel to Guanajuato to learn and draw miners and the difficult conditions under which they worked.[2][3]
Although his art instructors encouraged him, his father saw painting as nothing more than a hobby. Filcer had decided to make painting a career but could not convince his father to approve until he had sold his first painting at the Galería Romano.[4]
An award at the Círculo de Bellas Artes allowed Filcer to obtain a scholarship to live and study for two and a half years in Paris and Rome, beginning at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.[4] However, in addition to spending hours of his own time drawing models at the academy, he also drew and painted common people such as fishermen, peasants, stevedores, factory workers and beggars.[2][3][4] He did this activity with a friend named Juvenal Sansó, which whom he went to Rome to continue his studies. However, a teacher there asked him why he did not paint more bohemian people, which angered him. He left the Italian school after only a month. While in Europe, Filcer spent time traveling and visiting museums in London, Madrid, Amsterdam, Rome and Florence, studying the paintings there.[3][4] He stated that he learned more in this way, with his first views of works by Francisco de Goya changing his life. Van Gogh's work also strongly affected him.[2][3]
Career
Over his career, Filcer has had over 300 exhibition around the world, especially Mexico, the Netherlands, the United States, Belgium, Japan, France, Israel, Italy and Germany.[4][5]
He began his career in Mexico, where he sold his first painting and in 1949 worked at the Taller de Gráfica Popular.[5] He represented Mexico in biennales in Chile, Japan and England, which led to a scholarship to study in Paris and Rome. His work was also part of an exhibition organized by the Palacio de Bellas Artes called Jewels of Mexican Art which traveled the world for fifteen years.[5]
In 1957, Filcer returned to Mexico and at first worked on paintings for the Galería Havre. Success at this showing allowed the artist to return to Europe and visit Jerusalem. He also traveled to various cities in the United States.[4] Filcer married a Dutch woman and stayed in the Netherlands for twenty years, with many individual exhibitions in the country including the Heart Ripper, De Beyerd, Van Bommel-van Dam and Frans Hals museums, as well as the Grand Palais in Paris in 1988.[4][5]
He then returned to Mexico where he had exhibitions in 1990 and 1991 at the Museo de Arte Moderno, the Museo Contemporáneo de Arte at UNAM in 1994, the Museo de la Estampa in Mexico City in 1998, in 2000 he had exhibitions at the Centro Cultural Mexiquense and the Museo Casa del Risco.[4][5] In 2001, he had exhibitions at the Museo Francisco Goitia in Zacatecas and the Jaski Gallery in Amsterdam.[4]
Recognitions for Filcer's work include gold and silver medals from the Círculo de Bellas Artes in 1949 and 1950 and the José Clemente Orozco gold medal in 1953.[4][5] In 1998, he was named a Knight of the City of Maastricht.[5] He is also a member of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana.[6]
Artistry
Filcer settled on an aesthetic early, primarily in the use of chiaroscuro to express drama and strong Expressionism.[4][5] He is inclined towards thick brushstrokes for strong, sudden effect.[4] He declares himself a “fervent admirer of Van Gogh, Goya and José Clemente Orozco.”[2] He was influenced by the works of Van Gogh which depicted the hard life of miners as well as Goya's depictions of war.[3] Influence from José Clemente Orozco is evident in some of his works, especially in sarcasm.[4] He stated “I paint all that I experience including my fantasies and demons; I am an Expressionist and I paint what stirs my emotions.[2]
His work does not depict idealism, but rather explores themes of justice and injustice to provoke change.[2][4] He is concerned with the “decadent communication” that dominates among people and he mocks indifference, intolerance and misunderstanding. His figures show experience, faces and emaciated bodies struggling to survive. His topics are frank and defined.[4] He has done works related to the Tlatelolco massacre, casinos in Las Vegas, the Mexican Revolution and the Mexico City Metro.[3]
References
- ^ "Explore Luis Filcer". rkd.nl. Archived from the original on 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Algunos 'Tracos'acerca de Luis Filcer" (in Spanish). Luis Filcer. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g Margarita Ladrón de Guevara (January 24, 2010). "Lo que me interesa es la vida: Luis Filcer" (in Spanish). Diario de Querétaro. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Vision de México y sus Artistas (in Spanish and English). Vol. II. Mexico City: Qualitas. 2001. pp. 241–244. ISBN 968 5005 58 3.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Luis Filcer, Mexican (1927 - )". Ro Gallery. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- ^ "Lista de miembros". Salón de la Plástica Mexicana. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
- v
- t
- e
- Gilberto Aceves Navarro
- Luis Acosta
- Aurea Aguilar
- Ignacio Aguirre
- Rodolfo Aguirre Tinoco
- Lourdes Alaniz
- Ernesto Alcántara
- Rosa María Alfonseca
- David Alfaro Siqueiros
- Ramón Alva de la Canal
- Ernesto Álvarez Cortés
- Jesús Álvarez Amaya
- Lola Álvarez Bravo
- Manuel Álvarez Bravo
- Colette Álvarez Urbajtel
- Jorge Alzaga
- Pablo Amor
- Raúl Anguiano
- Anibal Angulo
- Chappie Angulo
- Luis Y. Aragón
- Gustavo Arias Murueta
- Gabriela Arévalo
- Javier Arévalo
- Rolando Arjona
- Luis Arenal
- Gerardo Murillo ("Dr. Atl")
- Abelardo Ávila
- Oscar Ávila Soberanes
- Alfonso Ayala
- Héctor Ayala
- Ignacio Asúnsolo
- Octavio Bajonero
- Santos Balmori
- Pedro Banda
- Silvia Barbescu
- Osvaldo Barra Cunningham
- Sofía Bassi
- Feliciano Béjar
- Arnold Belkin
- Valerio Bello
- Angelina Beloff
- Alberto Beltrán
- Félix Beltrán
- Luis Beltrán
- Roberto Berdecio
- Ignacio M. Beteta
- Helen Bickham
- Ángel Bracho
- Adrian Brun
- Ángel Boliver
- Enrique Bostelmann
- Bruno Pablo Bresani
- Alejandro Caballero
- Rocío Caballero
- Geles Cabrera
- Yolanda Cabrera
- Celia Calderón
- Gloria Calero Sierra
- Susana Campos
- Alfonso Campos Quiroz
- Federico Canessi
- Federico Cantú
- Gerardo Cantú
- Francisco Cárdenas Martínez
- Alfredo Cardona Chacón
- Angélica Carrasco
- Julio Carrasco Bretón
- Leonora Carrington
- Jorja Carreño
- Beatriz Caso
- Pilar Castañeda
- Isidro Eduardo Castellanos Paredes
- Rosa Castillo
- Fidencio Castillo
- Carmen Castilleja
- Guillermo Castrejón
- Antonio Castro López
- Fernando Castro Pacheco
- Vita Castro
- Elizabeth Catlett
- Alberto Cavazos
- Guillermo Ceniceros
- Pedro Cervantes
- Enrique Climent
- Arnaldo Coen
- Vladimir Cora
- Flaviano Coral
- Pedro Coronel
- Álvaro Cortés
- Erasto Cortés Juárez
- Francisco Corzas
- Olga Costa
- Hugo Covantes
- Christa Cowrie
- José Víctor Crowley
- Héctor Cruz
- Marco Antonio Cruz
- Dolores Cueto
- Germán Cueto
- Alejandro Chacón Pineda
- Blanca Charolet
- Carlos Antonio Chávez
- José Chávez Morado
- Tomas Chávez Morado
- Maria Eugenia Chellet
- Julio Chico
- Chungtar Chong López
- Azteca de Gyves
- Myriam de la Riva
- Alberto de la Vega
- Gonzalo de la Paz Pérez
- Javier del Cueto
- Antonio Díaz Cortés
- Francisco Díaz de León
- María Elena Delgado
- Olga Dondé
- Roberto Donis
- Francisco Dosamantes
- Guillermina Dulché
- Armando Eguiza
- Evangelina Elizondo
- Laura Elenes
- Augusto Escobedo
- Jesús Escobedo
- Arturo Estrada
- Manuel Echauri
- Enrique Echeverría
- Alfredo Falfán Vivanco
- Gabriel Fernández Ledesma
- Javier Fernández Helguera
- Luis Filcer
- David Flores
- Leopoldo Flores
- Pedro Friedeberg
- Manuel Fuentes Estrada
- Mario Fuentes
- Dina Frumin
- Guillermo Gadda
- Byron Galvez
- Jesús Gallardo
- Mario Gallardo
- José Gama González
- Vicente Gandía
- José Julio Gaona
- Andrés Garay
- María García
- Arturo García Bustos
- Arturo García Campos
- Héctor García Cobo
- Carlos García Estrada
- José García Narezo
- José de Jesús García Gil
- Adalberto García Ordaz
- Luis García Robledo
- Antonio García Vega
- Mauricio García Vega
- Elva Garma
- Andrea Gómez
- Mauro Gómez
- Esther González Gómez
- Jorge González Camarena
- Melquiades González
- Silvia H. González
- Gregorio González
- Consuelo González Salazar
- Ignacio Granados
- Irma Grizá
- Alfredo Guati Rojo
- Arturo Guerrero
- Carlos Guerrero
- Jesús Guerrero Galván
- Lorenzo Guerrero
- Xavier Guerrero
- Ángela Gurría
- Luis Gutiérrez
- Jesús Gutiérrez Martínez
- Olivia Guzmán
- José Hernández Delgadillo
- Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin
- Miguel Hernández Urbán
- Cuauhtémoc Hernández Landa
- Víctor Manuel Hernández Castillo
- Manuel Herrera Cartalla
- Elena Huerta Muzquiz
- Rodolfo Hurtado
- Francisco Icaza
- Xavier Iñiguez
- María Izquierdo
- Tania Janco
- Carlos Jaurena
- Abel Jiménez
- Sarah Jiménez
- Alberto Jiménez Quinto
- Heriberto Juárez
- Juan Carlos Juárez Arreola
- Carlos Jurado
- Jazzamoart
- Frida Kahlo
- James Key
- Macrina Krauss
- Pablo Kubli
- María Lagunes
- Carlos Lamothe Silva
- Carmen Lang Merino
- Marisa Lara
- Gerardo Lartigue
- Paulina Lavista
- Agustín Lazo
- Rina Lazo
- Paula Lazos
- Fernando Leal
- Miguel Ledezma Campos
- Alfredo León Gil
- Rosa Lie Johansson
- Armando López Becerra
- Julia López
- Nacho López
- Amador Lugo
- Catherine Mac Deville
- Leonel Maciel
- Maridel Macluf
- Elsa Madrigal
- Francisco Magallán
- Maka
- Tosia Malamud
- Salvador Manzano
- Maria Luisa Martin
- Francisco Marín
- Arturo Márquez
- Ofelia Márquez Huitzil
- Mary Martín
- Héctor Martínez Arteche
- Gustavo Martínez Bermúdez
- Magdalena Martínez Franco
- Pedro Martínez Osorio
- Jesús Martínez
- Ricardo Martínez de Hoyos
- Ángel Mateos Benavides
- Daniel Manrique
- Rafael Mazón
- John Mc.Ghee
- Jody Mc.Grath
- Arturo Mecalco
- Ramiro Medina
- Jaime Mejía
- Patricia Mejía Contreras
- Deyanira África Melo
- Eliana Menassé
- Olga Méndez
- Leopoldo Méndez
- Antonio Mendoza
- Carlos Mérida
- Oscar Merino
- Rafael Merino
- Benito Messeguer
- Adolfo Mexiac
- Guillermo Meza
- Alfonso Michel
- Flor Minor
- Raúl Monje Poo
- José Monjaraz
- Roberto Montenegro
- Gustavo Montoya
- Francisco Mora
- Vicente Jesús Montes
- Aliria Morales
- Virginia Morales
- Alejandro Moreno
- Francisco Moreno Capdevila
- Nicolás Moreno
- Carlos Nakatani
- Rogelio Naranjo
- Eduardo Nasta Luna
- Antonio Nava
- Nefero
- Ignacio Nieves Beltrán
- Leonardo Nierman
- Claudia Nierman
- Rodolfo Nieto
- Luis Nishizawa
- Isidoro Ocampo
- Juan O'Gorman
- Pablo O'Higgins
- Froylan Ojeda
- Carlos Olachea
- Armando Ortega
- Ignacio Ortiz
- Trinidad Osorio
- Carlos Orozco Romero
- Mario Orozco Rivera
- Luis Ortiz Monasterio
- Javier Oteiza
- Fernando Pacheco
- Javier Padilla
- Sandra Pani
- Uriel Parker
- Mariano Paredes
- Tomás Parra
- Héctor Pérez Cruz
- Antonio Peláez
- Aida Petit Jean
- Feliciano Peña
- Ángel Pichardo
- Luz María Pizá Núñez
- Salvador Pizarro
- Enrique Pontones
- Pedro Preux
- Antonio Pujol
- Alejandro Quijano
- Yolanda Quijano
- Francisco Quintanar
- Adolfo Quinteros
- Fanny Rabel
- Alice Rahon
- Abel Ramírez Águilar
- Antonio Ramírez
- Everardo Ramírez
- Noemí Ramírez
- Jorge Germán Ramírez Nieto
- Mario Rendón Lozano
- María Luisa Reid
- Walter Reuter
- Maria Antonieta Reyes
- Jesús Reyes Ferreira
- Mario Reyes
- José Reyes Meza
- Antonio Reynoso
- Diego Rivera
- Elvia Rivero Chavero
- Gilberto Rodríguez
- Antonio Rodríguez de la Serna
- Antonio Rodríguez Luna
- Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
- Ignacio Rodríguez
- José Julio Rodríguez
- Oscar Rodríguez
- Tránsito Rojas Santamarina
- Rosa Rolanda
- Mario Romero González
- José Luis Rueda Leal
- José L. Ruíz
- Antonio Ruiz El Corcito
- Froylan Ruiz
- Juan Manuel Salazar
- Cecilia Sanchez Duarte
- Carlos Sánchez
- Sergio Sánchez Ramos
- Herlinda Sánchez Laurel
- Sebastián
- Alfredo Serrano Lara
- Victor Scareño
- Naomi Siegmann
- Sikuame
- Adriano Silva
- Adriano Silva Pantoja
- Waldemar Sjölander
- Luz Maria Solloa Junco
- Elena Somonte
- Juan Soriano
- Hermenegildo Sosa
- Rosendo Soto
- Valetta Swann
- Eduardo Talledos Sánchez
- Rufino Tamayo
- Leticia Tarragó
- José Guillermo Téllez Brun
- Silvia Tinoco
- Luis Toledo
- Elena Tolmacs
- Maria Teresa Toral
- Ángeles Torrejón
- Gerardo Torres
- Jorge Tovar
- Guillermo Toussaint
- Paulina Trejo
- Lucinda Urrusti
- Cordelia Urueta
- Luis Valsoto
- Sergio Valadez Estrada
- Ángel Vallarta
- Nancy van Overveldt
- Aniceto Vargas
- Zalathiel Vargas
- Octavio Vázquez
- Reynaldo Velázquez
- Gabriel Vergara
- Fernando Vilchis
- Alfonso Villanueva
- Luis Vizuet
- Vlady
- Barry Wolfrid
- Héctor Xavier
- Mariana Yampolsky
- Moisés Zabludovsky
- Alfredo Zalce
- Ángel Zamarripa
- Beatriz Zamora
- Álvaro Zardoni
- Gerardo Zarr
- Nahum B. Zenil
- Francisco Zúñiga
- José Zúñiga
- Celso Zubire