Jose Marie Mijares Fernandez (1921 - 2004) Cuban

Jose Marie Mijares Fernandez (1921 - 2004) Cuban
Title: Habanera
Lithograph Hand Signed Artist Proof and Dated 1989
Measure 33"in H x 26"in W. No Frame

Biography: Jose Maria Mijares Fernandez was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1921, in the neighborhood of Santos Surez. He took up drawing as an adolescent and, in 1936, at the age of 16, he entered the San Alejandro School of Fine Arts in Havana on a scholarship. His influences there where of the painters of the "Havana School" including his professors Ponce, Romanach, Menocal, Valderrama, Ramon Loy, and Caravia. Mijares himself credits one of his most influencial professors, Ponce, with helping him develop his own style of expression. After finishing his academic studies and with a solid professional foundation, he painted prolifically in a figurative style throughout the 1940s. His first major exhibition was in Havana in 1944 that the Capitol Building. There, he won second prize with a painting titled La Alameda, The Boulevard. In 1947, he exhibited his works again, this time at the Lyceum Lawn Tennis Club. He was awarded First Place in the National Paintings Prize, from the IV National Paintings, Engravings and Sculptures Salon, at the age of 29, an event that was an important milestone in his career. His style at this time was figurative but in the 1950s changed to what he described as "concrete forms," or geometric abstraction. In fact, he became one of the pioneers of geometric abstraction in Cuba. By the late1950s, artists were having a difficult time in Havana, all of the galleries had closed and there were few places to exhibit, so, in 1957, he returned to School of Fine Arts of San Alejandro to teach art, resigning after two years when Fidel Castro came to power. In 1968, after surviving eight years of Fidelista communism, he fled to exile in Miami, where he abandoned his geometric style in favor of a fluid decorative one, to signify his emotional state at the abrupt and disheartening but at the same time freeing change in location. Despite fleeing Cuba, he stated that "in my subconscious there is an inner landscape that is Cuba. Since I was exiled at an older age, that landscape cannot be erased. In 1998, Mijares was interviewed for the Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Mijares was awarded an honorary Doctorate from Florida International University in 2001. In 2002, he opened the Mijares Gallery in Coral Gables, FL to exhibit his works. He died in Miami, FL in 2004

Condition

Coral Gables Auction strongly encourages bidders to inspect all items in person prior to bidding. Statements made by Coral Gables Auction regarding the condition of any object are provided as a courtesy and for general guidance only. Such statements should not be relied upon as statements of fact and do not constitute a representation, warranty, or assumption of liability by Coral Gables Auction

All lots are offered and sold “AS IS, WHERE IS”, with all faults and imperfections, whether visible or not

For additional condition information or to request a condition report, please contact Coral Gables Auction at info.coralgablesauction@yahoo.com prior to bidding.

Important Payment Information:
All invoices exceeding $5,000, including the Buyer’s Premium and any applicable fees, must be paid by check or wire transfer. If payment for an invoice exceeding $5,000 is processed through the online platform by credit or debit card, the payment will be automatically refunded to the card, and the buyer will be required to complete payment by check or wire transfer.

Storage & Abandoned Property:
Any lot remaining on Coral Gables Auction premises for more than 30 business days following the sale will incur a storage and handling fee of $5.00 per lot, per day.
Any fully paid item remaining uncollected for more than three (3) months will be considered abandoned property and may be disposed of at the discretion of Coral Gables Auction.