Black and white photographs that reveal the various facets and aesthetic searches of the legendary Colombian photographer, recognized as the creator of memorable realistic, abstract and avant-garde images. They turned Leo Matiz into one of the most original and innovative personalities of universal photography in the 20th century.
Polygon, Caracas, Venezuela, 1950
Polygon, Caracas, Venezuela, 1950
Modern Selenium Toned Gelatin Silver Print
Dimensions: 13 H x 8.5 W in.
Signed, titled, dated in pencil on verso. Stamped.
1950, reprinted in 1995
Leo Matiz summarized his artistic pursuits by saying: “I am a painter because of activism, photographer because of hunger, and crazy because of talent.” Indeed, Matiz began his career as a caricaturist for political and literary publications, with a keen eye for gesture, features, and scathing humor. These illustrations were particularly influenced by the work of Gustave Doré, George Grosz, Nadar, and Guadalupe Posada. He later began working as a photojournalist in Mexico for a number of international publications, but began to use the medium to explore more artistic themes. His keenness for caricature served him well in his photographic portraiture, for which he is best recognized today. Matiz’s subjects included Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, José Clemente Orozco, Marc Chagall, and Pablo Neruda.
