Living Legacies

Inspired by the recent retrospective of Alvar Suñol’s works in his native country of Spain, R. Alexander presents Living Legacies, an upcoming exhibition of works by the prolific artist to recognize his distinguished contributions to modern art. The show will be on display at R. Alexander from February 3- 25, 2017.

Alvar’s appeal to large audiences stems from his ability to harmonize recognizable everyday objects with mythology and spirituality, thus creating scenes that both analyze the world around us while offering a sense of otherworldliness. Important in Alvar’s themes is the human experience, and the idea that despite diversities such as ethnicity, culture, age, or religion, all living beings are affected by the passage of time. He frequently uses symbolism throughout his works to communicate these messages to his audience, and common motifs include female muses to signify inspiration and maternity, Mediterranean villages to represent culture and community, and computers to symbolize contemporary culture. Living Legacies traces the evolution of Alvar’s aesthetic styles, media, and narratives by exhibiting a variety of examples from particularly notable artworks in his portfolio.

Throughout his long career Alvar continues to remain an emblem for creativity in contemporary art. Recognizing his status as a living legacy, the Calonge Castle in Girona, Spain presented a retrospective of his works with Una Vida Pintant (A Life of Painting) which featured a chronological view of approximately sixty oil paintings and drawings to highlight the evolution of Alvar’s career from 1954 to the present day. As one of Catalan’s most acclaimed painters, the exhibition was promoted and organized by the Town Council on the occasion of the inauguration of the exhibition halls in the Calonge Castle (ca. 1019) after its refurbishing. The Castle stands as a new emblem of culture, and the creativity of Alvar was deemed by the Department of Culture to be the best visual representation of Catalonia’s vibrant art scene. Una Vida Pintant garnered widespread attendance and critical acclaim, including praise by Catalonia’s mayor Jordi Soler as well as Santi Vila I Vicente, the Minister of Culture of Catalonia.

A Picasso, 20" x 23" Oil on Board with Drawing