ARTIST

JOSE MIJARES

Born in Havana, Cuba (1921 - 2004)

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BIOGRAPHY

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Listed Master artist Jose Maria Mijares Fernandez began his artistic studies in 1936 at the (San Alejandro National School of Fine Art) in Havana, Cuba, is the oldest, and most prestigious fine arts school in Cuba. It is located in Marianao, a suburb of Havana. It was founded in 1818 at the Convent of San Alejandro by the French artist and painter Jean Baptist Vermay, who was its first director. It is located today in a monumental building built in the early 1940s. 

 

At the San Alejandro National School of Fine Art, Mijares professors included: artist Romanach, Menocal, Valderrama, Ramon Loy and Caravia, among others. Jose Mijares credits one of his most influential professors, artist Ponce with helping him develop his own style of expression. Jose Mijares left Cuba but Cuba never left Mijares. "In my subconscious there is an inner landscape that is Cuba. Since I was exiled at an older age that landscape cannot be erased." Mijares stated in an interview in 2001 "Indeed, the images of my native country, blossomed frequently, on my canvases".

 

Jose Mijares is world renowned for his mastery of oil painting and his pioneering exploration of geometric abstraction in Cuban art of the 1950's; which let to his neo-baroque compositions developed during his exile period out of Cuba. Mijares influential career placed him in the group of Master artist like Carlos Enríquez, René Portocarrero and Cundo Bermúdez.

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BACKGROUND

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His first major showing was in 1944, at a national exhibition in Havana's Capital building. There, he won second prize with a painting titled La Alameda, English translation: The Boulevard. His style at the time was figurative but in the 1950's changed to his signature style, which he referenced as "concrete forms." The arts scene during the 50's was grim, he recalled in an interview, "There were no galleries, they all went broke. The only places where one could exhibit were the Fine Arts Circle and the Lyceum Lawn Tennis Club."
Despite these hindrances, Mijares continued to procure a reputation that would lead to world-wide recognition.

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CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

 

Jose Maria Mijares Fernandez taught for 2 years in San Alejandro after his win at the national exhibition. He resigned when Fidel Castro came to power and ultimately left Cuba in 1968, establishing himself in Miami, Florida. His geometric style then changed in its new surroundings. "I went back to figurative painting: people and landscapes." he's stated. A prolific painter, even during his waning years, Jose Maria Mijares Fernandez worked six hours a day beginning at sunrise daily. He resided in Miami since 1968, until his death in 2004. 

 

Jose Maria Mijares Fernandez is listed artist in the renown published book of influential Cuban artist "Memoria Cuban Art of The 20th Century" (2001). Located in the Library of Congress # 2001135668 (Washington, D.C.) 

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PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

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1958-1961 Member. Grupo Diez Pintores Concretos, Havana, CUBA                                 

1959‑1960 Professor. Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro, Havana, CUBA.   

1968‑1973 Member. Grupo Gala, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.                                                              

1970 Art Director. Magazine Alacrán Azul, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

 

SOLO EXHIBITS

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1944 Conservatorio Nacional Hubert de Blanck, Havana, CUBA.

1947 Mijares [August 8‑14]. Lyceum, Havana, CUBA.*

1952 [June 4‑24]. Asociación de Reporteros, Havana, CUBA.*

1965 Mijares [June 22‑?]. Lyceum, Havana, CUBA.*

1979 Palimpsestos de las tintas [September]. Galería Durban, Caracas, Venezuela/Meeting Point Art Center, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.

1980 Mirajes de Mijares. Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.

1984 Mijares [September 14‑30]. Edificio de los Arquitectos Bellón Pérez y Pérez, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.

1987 Mijares. Exposición retrospectiva. Asociación de Médicos (P.A.C.H.A.), Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

1989 Recordando el grito de Yara. Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

1992 El mundo de José Mijares. Marpad Art Gallery, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.*

1994 Celebrando a Mijares. 50 Años de creación [April 29‑July 24]. Museo Cubano de Arte y Cultura, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

1996 Mijares en grande [September 6-October 1]. Alfredo Martínez Gallery, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.

2017 Cernuda Arte, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A. 

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITS

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1942 XXIV Salón de Bellas Artes [February]. Círculo de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.

1943 III Exposición Municipal de Pintura y Escultura [December 29/1943‑January 20/1944]. Palacio Municipal, Havana, CUBA.*

1945 XXVII Salón de Bellas Artes [February‑March]. Círculo de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.*

1946 III Exposición Nacional de Pintura y Escultura [March 2‑17]. Salón de los Pasos Perdidos, Capitolio Nacional, Havana, CUBA.*

1948 Pintura y escultura [May 24-June 2]. Lyceum, Havana, CUBA.

1949 Exposición de pintura de artistas contemporáneos [March 23‑29]. Palacio Municipal, Havana, CUBA.*

1949 Exposición de cuadros de pintores cubanos [May 20-?]. Salones del Ateneo de Cienfuegos, Cienfuegos, CUBA.*

1950 An Exhibition of Cuban Paintings [January 28‑February 2]. The Woman’s Club of Havana, Havana, CUBA.*

1950 Exposición de pintura de artistas cubanos contemporáneos [March 23‑29]. Asociación de la Prensa, Havana, CUBA.*

1950 IV Exposición Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado [July 4‑20]. Centro Asturiano, Havana, CUBA.*

1950 24 Artistas Cubanos ante la UNESCO [December 10‑23]. Lyceum, Havana, CUBA.*

1950 Galería de Artes Plásticas. Inauguración [December 12-?]. Sociedad Nuestro Tiempo, Havana, CUBA.*

1951 Art Cubain Contemporain [February 28‑March]. Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris, FRANCE.*

1951 Exposición de dibujos [May 8‑31]. [Plastic Arts Gallery], Nuestro Tiempo, Havana, CUBA.*

1951 V Salón Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado [July‑August]. Centro Asturiano de Havana, Havana, CUBA.*

1952 XXVI Biennale di Venezia [June 14-October 19]. Venice, ITALY.*

1952 [Cuban Painting. Héctor de Ayala Collection]. Deauville, FRANCE.

1953 VI Salón Nacional de Pintura y Escultura [January 10‑25]. Salones del Capitolio Nacional, Havana, CUBA.*

1953 Pintura, escultura, cerámica [July 18‑August 2]. Retiro Odontológico, Havana, CUBA.*

1953 II Bienal do Museu de Arte Moderna de Sâo Paulo [December 8/1953-February/1954]. Parque Ibirapuera, Sâo Paulo, BRAZIL.*

1954 Plástica cubana contemporánea. Homenaje a José Martí [January 28‑February 14]. Lyceum, Havana, CUBA.*

1954 Primer Festival Universitario de Arte [May 20-June 4]. Universidad de La Habana, Havana, CUBA.

1955 II Festival Universitario de Arte. Exposición plástica cubana contemporánea [July 7‑23]. Escuela de Derecho, Universidad de La Habana, Havana, CUBA.*

1955 Sala Permanente de Artes Plásticas en Cuba [July 22-?]. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.*

1956 Exposición Homenaje en Memoria de Guy Pérez de Cisneros [January 12‑29]. Lyceum, Havana, CUBA.*

1956 El paisaje en la pintura moderna cubana [July 27‑August 14]. Lyceum, Havana, CUBA.*

1956 Recent Paintings from Cuba [October 5-25]. Roland de Aenlle Gallery, New York, U.S.A.*

1956 VIII Salón Nacional de Pintura y Escultura [November 28‑December 28]. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.*

1957 IV Bienal do Museu de Arte Moderna de Sâo Paulo [September-December]. Parque Ibirapuera, Sâo Paulo, BRAZIL.

1957 Exposición inaugural. Pintura y escultura cubana [October 31-?]. Galería de Arte Color-Luz, Havana, CUBA.*

1958 Exposición Aniversario. Pintura y Escultura 1958 [December 12/1958‑ January 12/1959]. Galería de Arte Color-Luz, Havana, CUBA.*

1959 Exposición pintura contemporánea cubana [September 12‑22]. Universidad de Santo Tomás de Villanueva, Havana, CUBA.*

1959 5a. Bienal de Sâo Paulo [September-December]. Parque Ibirapuera, Sâo Paulo, BRAZIL.

1959 Salón Anual 1959. Pintura, escultura y grabado [October 10‑November 10]. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.*

1960 Pintura contemporánea cubana (See chapter “The Exhibitions,” No.511).

1961 Exposición de pintura, grabado y cerámica. Primer Congreso de Escritores y Artistas Cubanos [August 18‑22]. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.*

1961 “A”/Pintura Concreta [August 18-22]. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.

1961 VI Bienal de Sâo Paulo Museu de Arte Moderna [September-December]. Parque Ibirapuera, Sâo Paulo, BRAZIL.

1962 Primera Exposición de Obras de Arte Recuperadas, Pinturas, Dibujos y Grabados [December 12/1962‑January 13/1963]. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.*

1963 1913‑1963 Cincuentenario del Museo Nacional [February 23-May 7]. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.*

1968 Cuatro generaciones de pintores cubanos 1895‑1940. Koubeck Memorial Center, University of Miami, Division of Continuing Education, Cuban Culture Program, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.

1968/1970 Grupo Gala. Bacardi Art Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

1971 Grupo Gala. Gloria Luria Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

1973 4th Annual Exhibition GALA. Grupo de artistas latinoamericanos [April 30‑May 18]. Bacardi Art Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1976 Retrospectiva de pintura cubana. Reencuentro cubano [June 25‑30]. Centro Comunitario de la Pequeña Habana, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1977 Reencuentro Cubano 1977 [June]. Museo Cubano de Arte y Cultura, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1978 Contemporary Latin American Art: The Esso Collection of the Lowe Art Museum and Latin American Artists of the Southeastern U.S. [September 14-October 8]. Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.*

1978 Hispanic‑American Artists of the United States: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Uruguay [November 7‑December 7]. Museum of Modern Art of Latin America, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.*

1979 The Cuban Exhibition [March 9-May 11]. De Armas Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1979 Opening Exhibition [March 23‑April 20]. Meeting Point Art Center, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.*

1979 Gala 79 [December]. Galería Bacardi, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1980 Art Sale & Auction [August 11‑16]. Bacardí Art Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1981 The Figure in Latin American Art [January 22‑March 1]. The Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.A.*

1983 2nd Latin American Exhibition [April 29‑?]. De Armas Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1983 Latin American Selections [May 2‑?]. Bacardí Art Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1983 Cuba y su semblante [July 1‑August 15]. Museo Cubano de Arte y Cultura, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1985 Arte hispanoamericano de hoy. Galería de Armas, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1985 Le Petit Format [December 20/1985‑January 20/1986]. Siler Art Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1987-1989 Outside Cuba/Fuera de Cuba (See chapter “The Exhibitions,” No.545).

1987 Latin American Treasures from Miami’s Private Collections [October 8-November 8]. Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

1988 Twentieth Century Cuban Art from the Collection of Ramón Cernuda and Nercys Ganem [February 5‑March 30]. Interamerican Art Gallery, Interamerican Center, Mitchell Wolfson New World Center Campus, Miami‑Dade Community College, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1989 Cintas Fellows Revisited: A Decade After [October 1/1988-January 15]. Main Library, Metro Dade Cultural Center, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.*

1990 Leading Hispanic Artists of South Florida [?-October 25]. Northwood Institute, West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A.

1991 Cuban Masters [June 1‑10]. Ana Shlar Gallery, Bay Harbor, Florida, U.S.A.

1991 Yesterday and Today. Latin American Art [August 23-?]. Marpad Art Gallery, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.

1994 Cuban Artists: Expressions in Graphics [March 3-5]. Jadite Galleries, New York, U.S.A.*

1994 Orígenes. Revista de Arte y Literatura... las flechas de su propia estela [June]. Galería Latinoamericana, Casa de las Américas, Havana, CUBA.

2017 Cuba Nostalgia, Plaza de los Artistas, Miami, Florida U.S.A  

2017 La Galeria Fine Art, Miami, Florida, U.S.A. 

2018 Miami Lakes Town Hall, Miami Lakes, Florida, U.S.A. 

2018 La Galeria Fine Art, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

2019 La Galeria Fine Art, Miami, Florida, U.S.A. 

 

AWARDS

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1946 2nd Prize. III Exposición Nacional de Pintura y Escultura, Salón de los Pasos Perdidos. Capitolio Nacional, Havana, CUBA.

1950 National Prize in Painting. IV Exposición Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado, Centro Asturiano, Havana, CUBA.

1951 2nd National Prize in Painting. V Salón Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado, Centro Asturiano, Havana, CUBA.

1953 Stimulation Award. VI Salón Nacional de Pintura y Escultura, Salones del Capitolio Nacional, Havana, CUBA.

1954 Honorable Mention. Pittsburgh International Exhibition, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

1956 Honorable Mention. VIII Salón Nacional de Pintura y Escultura, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.

1970/1971 Cintas Foundation Fellowship, New York, U.S.A.

2001 Florida International University awarded him an honorary doctorate in fine arts.

 

PRINCIPAL COLLECTIONS

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Cintas Foundation, New York, U.S.A.

Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.

Marpad Art Gallery, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.A.

Miami‑Dade Public Library System, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA.

Museum of Modern Art, New York, U.S.A.

Museum of Modern Art of Latin America, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

 

MAIN PUBLIC WORK

1960 Mural, Teatro del Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, CUBA