Henry Bermúdez
Henry Bermúdez (born 1951 in Maracaibo) is a Venezuelan artist. He studied at the School of Visual Arts of Julio Árraga in Maracaibo 1966–72. After graduation he taught art at a high school in a small village called Bobures. It was here where he began to develop his early drawings.
His art has been defined by his involvement in the African–Caribbean culture. From the people of Bobures he learned their dance and rituals used to celebrate their patron saint San Benito. All of these added to the tropical characteristic of the region and influenced him to develop his magical and mythical concepts found in his art.
In 1977 he went to Mexico, where he lived for 2 years. There he studied the Aztec mythology and simultaneously created a series of drawings with mythological elements of the Aztec culture as well as some images of Porfiriana’s architecture ( Colonia Roma). After his return to Maracaibo he made a series of drawings inspired by the presence of Maracaibos' post colonial heritage.
1981–83, receiving a travel grant from the Venezuelan government, he moved temporarily to New York where he learned about the characteristics of the international art market. His deep interest in African art was reawakened after his multiple visits to the Metropolitan Museum.
Upon his return from New York, he began a series of paintings (oil on canvas) called “The Snake Charmer”. Within this series he incorporated elements of the Aztec mythology. The feathered serpent Quetzalcoalt as well a wrinkled face bore influences from the African masks and the bark of some trees found in the Amazon jungle.
In this same year he was invited to participate at XVII Venice’s Biennial along with another two artists, Carmelo Nino and Angel Pena. In 1985 Bermudez went to Rome for the year to work in preparation for this event.
These new paintings revealed a new concept, that being a mix of influences garnered from Catholicism combined with Magical and Mythical visions from his previous travels and experiences.
In 2003 Bermudez moved to Philadelphia USA. Since 2006 his work has been technically influenced by his new surroundings within the Philadelphia art scene. It is here that he learned how to use paper in different ways. Branching out, he hand cut paper and reassembled the pieces to create large scale painted collages and small objects.
In 2004, he was contracted to work with the Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia on several major projects.
His work has been placed in public and private collections throughout Latin America, Europe, Central and North America. Some of these include the museums of contemporary art in Caracas, Maracaibo, Mérida and Maracay in Venezuela, the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico, DF. [?], Museum Rally, Uruguay, sches Museum Gelsenkirchen, Germany. check that these are spelled correctly.
His work has been the subject of numerous articles and has been included in exhibition catalogs such as the X International Print and Drawing Exhibition of China as well as in books on the subject of Venezuelan art. In 2011, he was one of a handful of artists selected to work with Philagrafika, a print collaborative in Philadelphia. He currently teaches art at the Career Academy Developing Institute (CADI) and at Fleisher Art Memorial. He is co-director of HOUSEGallery1816 in Fishtown and maintains an active studio and exhibition schedule.
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2014 Current/Approaching: at bahdeebadu, an exhibition celebrating 15 years of InLiquid, Philadelphia, PA 2014 Flight Plan: Drawings on paper and leaf: Henry Bermudez & Michelle Marcuse at Denise Bibro Fine Art, NY, NY 2013 Solo exhibition: Mason Murer Fine Art, Atlanta, GA 2012 Solo exhibition at The Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2012 Sum of All Parts: Henry Bermudez, Michelle Marcuse at The Leonard Perlstein Gallery, Phila PA 2011 Philadelphia International Airport, Terminal C, Philadelphia, PA 2010 Pen.Ink.Paper at Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2010 Encantamientos/Enchantments, The Painted Bride, Philadelphia, PA 2010 The Garden Of Earthly Delights, West Chester University, PA 2009 A Silver Touch In My Dreams, Hard Core Gallery, Wynwood Art District, Miami, FL 2008 Con la Mirada en el Cielo, Mason Murer Atlanta, GA
Con la Mirada en el Cielo, Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2007 Fragmented Dream, Mason Murer Projects, Atlanta, GA 2006 Fragmented Dream, Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2005 El Camino de Los Dioces, Museum of Contemporary Art, Maracaibo, Venezuela 2004 Totally Mythological @ , Qbix Art & Design, Philadelphia, PA
Endless Dream, Perfect Touch Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2003 Differencias en la Continuidad, Contemporary Art Museum “Mario Abreu”, Maracay, Vz
Drawings, Dimaca Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela
2001 Nude Landscape, Art and Space Gallery, Maracaibo, Venezuela 1998 Irma Parra and Henry Bermudez, Art and Space Gallery, Maracaibo, Venezuela 1997 Enconter – Begegnung, Dietmar Jakel and Henry Bermudez, Hardberg-Bonn, Germany 1996 Gelsenkirchen Contemporary Art Museum, Germany 1993 God, Man and Nature, Simon Bolivar University Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 1991 The Embassy Gallery, Miami, FL 1988 Euroamerican Center Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 1984 Arch Gallery, New York, NY 1983 Euroamerican Center Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 1981 Heyward Robinson Gallery, New York, NY 1979 Estudio Actual Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 1977 San Angel Art Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico 1975 Estudio Actual Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 1973 Estudio Actual Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 1972 Gaudi Art Gallery, Maracaibo, Venezuela
GROUP SHOWS 2010 Suenos: Latin American Contemporary Art, Noyes Museum, NJ
Toronto International Art Fair (represented by Projects Gallery of Philadelphia), Toronto, CA Red Dot Art Fair (represented by Projects Gallery of Philadelphia), Miami, FL
2009 The Urban Show, Inliquid 10th Anniversary, Philadelphia, PA
Toronto International Art Fair (represented by Projects Gallery of Philadelphia), Toronto, CA
Red Dot Art Fair (represented by Projects Gallery of Philadelphia), Miami, FL
To Be Or Not To Be/ A Painter’s Dilemma, Rutgers University Dept. of Fine Arts, Camden, NJ
Obama Rama, Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Sage Arts, South St. Philadelphia, PA
African Influence in Latin American Art, Silvana Facchini Gallery, Wynwood Art District,
Miami, FL
2008 Red Dot NY represented by Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2007 Bridge Art Fair Miami ( represented by Projects Gallery of Philadelphia), Miami, FL
Red Dot Miami Art Fair (represented by Projects Gallery of Philadelphia), Miami, FL
Red Dot Chicago represented by Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Altered Landscapes” Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Obras Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2006 International Art Fair, Maraciabo, Venezuela
Black & White, Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Nova Art Fair, Chicago, IL exhibited by Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2005 The Second International Art Fair of Maracaibo, Venezuela
Back from Miami, Hyder Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Art Miami 2005, Miami, FL, exhibited by Hyder Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2004 Between the Lines, Hyder Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Hanging Garden, Hyder Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Spirits…Seen and Not, Hyder Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2003 The Box, Goldie Paley Gallery, Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia, PA 2002 Labyrintum Art Gallery, Gelsenkirghem, Germany 2001 Caribbean Winds”, Galica Contemporary Art Gallery, Milan, Itlay
X Biennale International of Drawing, Tai Pei, Republic of China
F.I.A. 2000” (International Art Fair of Caracas), Sal Ocre Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela
1999 Venezuelan Artists at the Contemporary Art Museum of Caracas Sofia Imber, Caracas
XIII Artists for the Recuperation of the Maracaibo Lake, Contemporary Art Museum of
Maracaibo, Maracaibo, Venezuela
1998 The Drawing, Venezuelan Art Center, Bogotá, Colombia
The Infinite Signs of the Sun, Contemporary Art Museum, Maracaibo, Venezuela
1997 Hierofania, Art and Mirror, Simon Bolivar University Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela-
“Animals in the Art of Venezuelan Collections, The Americans House, Palacio Linares,
Madrid, Spain
1995 Special Guest by the Committee of F.I.A. 95 (Int’l Art Fair of Caracas), Caracas, Venezuela 1994 II Biennale Camilo Pizarro, Cultural Center Consolidado, Caracas, Venezuela 1993 F.I.A. 93 (Int’l Art Fair of Caracas), Minotauro Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 1991 Venezuela and American Friendship Association “IV Venezuela Art Festical”, Freites Art
Gallery, Caracas,Vz
Salon de Arte Wizo, Union Israeli, Caracas, Venezuela
1990 Venezuela Emergen Art, Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt A.M., Bremer, Gotting, Germany 1989 Invited to III Biennial International of Havana, Cuba 1987 Iberoamerican Cooperation Art Center, Madrid, Spain
United Nations Venezuela Art Center, New York, NY
Belle Art Museum, Caracas, Venezuela
Cultural Affair of the Regional Government, Maracaibo, Venezuela
1987 Grand Prize Contest Christian Dior, Caracas, Venezuela 1986 XLII Biennale di Venezia – Venezuela’s Pabellon, Venice, Italy
XX Triennial of Sacred Art, Milan, Italy
Salon of Art Alejo Carpentier”, Contemporary Art Museum Alejandro Otero
1984 Three Artists for a Biennial, Contemporary Art Museum Sofia Imber, Caracas, Venezuela 1981 Drawing is Thinking C.D.S. Gallery, New York, NY 1980 The Ancient Hands, Today Signs, C.A.N.T.V. Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 1978 Drawing, Ceramic, Etching, Cultural House, Puebla, Mexico 1976 X Paris Biennial
III Drawings, Biennial of Cleveland, OH
Line of Vision, International Exhibition, Washington, DC
1975 First National Contest of Drawing and Design, University of the Andes, Mérida, Venezuela 1972 First National Contest Salon Plaza, Caracas, Venezuela
MURALS COMMISSIONED BY THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA MURAL ART PROJECTS Honeys @ 4th and Brown St in collaboration with Frank Hyder, Philadelphia, PA 19123 South side of 11TH & Erie, Philadelphia, PA Mander Recreation Center 33rd & Diamond St., Philadelphia, PA, 19121 The Hanging Garden: collaboration with Paul Santoleri and Frank Hyder @ I-95, between Fairmont Ave and Green St. Mural @ Fitzwater and 12th: : collaboration with Michelle Ortiz
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS: Venezuela National Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela Venezuela Petroleum Company (P.D.V.S.A.), Maracaibo, Venezuela Museum of Contemporary Art Sofia Imber, Caracas, Venezuela Museum of Contemporary Art, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Museum of Contemporary Art A Juan @ , Mérida, Venezuela. Museum of Contemporary Art A Mario Abreu @ , Maracay, Venezuela. Moder Art Museum of Costa Rica, Costa Rica. Puebla Cultural House, Puebla, Mexico. Museum of Art A Ralli @ Punta Del Este Uruguay . Heinz Industry, Art Collection, Caracas, Venezuela. Hans Newman Art Collection, Caracas, Venezuela. Harry Manil Art Collection, Caracas, Venezuela Frederick D. Seely, New York, NY. Haig Garden Collection, New York, NY
BIBLIOGRAPHY: 100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic,2011, Author: E.Ashley Ro0ney with forward by Charles Yoder, published by Schiffer New American Paintings, 2010. The Open Studios Press. Juried Exhibition in Print – 15 Year addition Irreversible, 2010. publication out of Miami, FL New American Paintings, 2009. The Open Studios Press. Curator: Stephen Bennett Phillips, The Phillips Collection New American Paintings, 2007. The Open Studios Press. Curator: Stephen Bennett Phillips, The Phillips Collection. Venezuela Painting History, by Carlos Silva. Armitanos Editor. Caracas,.Venezuela Time and Space in the Venezuela Drawing, by Juan Calzadilla. Study of Visual Art in Venezuela by Juan Calzadilla, Mica Editor, Caracas, Venezuela. Singulars Paintings of Venezuela Art by Juan Calzadilla, Euzkoamericana of Editions C.A. and the Vasca Encyclopedic, Espane. The Collection of the Museum @ Contemporary Art Museum of Caracas Sofia Imber Venezuela Central Bank 1940 B 1996, Caracas. Henry Bermudez by Enrrique Viloria, Pavilo Editions, Caracas, Venezuela. El Quijote Latinoamericano @ Estampa Editions, Center for the Study of Cervante, Madrid. 1998. X International Print and Drawing Exhibition, Tai Pei, Republic of China
Rewards
- Second prize in the First National Salon of Puerto Ordaz of Bolívar in 1972
- Honorable mention on the 31st Arturo Michelena Meeting in Valencia in 1973
- Second prize in the First Hall University of Los Andes in Mérida in 1975.