Gogy Farías

Gogy Farías
Gogy Farías in her studio (1988)
Born	(1943-11-16)16 November 1943 Mexico City
Died	17 June 2023(2023-06-17)(aged 79) Hamburg
Style	monumental bronze sculpture

Gogy Farías(16 November 1943 – 17 June 2023) was a Mexican sculptor, painter, and visual artist. She is considered one of the first woman sculptresses of contemporary Mexico,her primary focus beingmonumental bronze sculpture.Her work is permanently exhibited in Mexico City (Bosque deChapultepec),Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua,theRalli MuseumCesarea, Israel,and inRouen, France.Over 50 of her monumental sculptural works are displayed in public and private squares, churches, and cathedrals in various countries, including eight in the United States: Chicago, Illinois, Florida, California, New Jersey, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

Biography

Farías was born inMexico Cityon November 16, 1943, into an artistic family with Mexican roots on her father's side and Greek heritage on her mother's side. She grew up surrounded by poets, painters, sculptors, and architects who shaped her childhood. Her artistic talent was discovered at the age of 13 when she won first place in an art competition at her school.

Mujer Con Arpa (Woman With Harp),Gogy Farías, Andador Libertad,Querétaro City,México

In 1958, she enrolled in the School of Plastic Arts at theUniversidad Iberoamericanain Mexico City, whereMathías Goeritzwas the rector. During this time, she worked and learned from 20th-century Mexican artists such asManuel Felguérez,Julio Santamaría,Pedro Preuxand Kathy Horna. Simultaneously, she began working in the studio ofEdgardo Cohlan,a renowned Mexican watercolorist, and attended the National School of Painting, Sculpture, and Engraving at theInstituto Nacional de Bellas Artes en México.

However, her experience in sculpture came from practical learning, working with foundries and artisans in the Valley of Xochimilco, where she could directly engage in casting and the application of patinas. Through this hands-on work, she also learned to sculpt in marble and carved stone.

Her prolific artistic work is exhibited in more than 30 countries, encompassing ecclesiastical art, figurative work, and monumental art, with over 300 pieces. She employed various techniques, including pencil drawing, watercolor, oil painting, ink engravings, lithography, bronze sculpture, onyx stone sculpture, marble sculpture, and bronze murals.

Gogy Farías died inHamburgon 17 June 2023, aged 79.

Artwork

1965–1975

The first ten years of Farías' artistic production primarily consisted of figurative art based on biblical themes, customs, landscapes, and Mexican flora and fauna.

From 1965 to 1975, Farías created monumental female figures that, in the eyes of art criticBerta Taracena,showcased a "skillful summary of pre-Hispanic and Greek forms, with an incredible synthesis of values ranging from the primitive (Fertility Goddess) to the refined (Star Seller, 1982)".

1976–1985

The years following 1976 were characterized by a maturation of concepts that the artist deemed significant in the art of the time. These concepts included themes such as motherhood and family, nature and the cosmos, and the human capacity to overcome life's challenges. "La Familia"(1980) expresses the importance of living harmoniously with a partner and children.

The Importance of Women

Continuing with this theme, the artist created a series inspired by the significance of ordinary Mexican women, incorporating customs and traditions. Examples include "La Vendedora de Sandias"(Woman Selling Watermelons, 1984), the series titled"Maternidad"(Maternity, 1981), and"Homenaje a Diego"(Hommage to Diego, 1984). The" Maternidad "series depicts various scenes of interaction between mothers and their children, such as Teaching, Protection, Support, and Tenderness, emphasizing the importance of the early years of life, as the artist believed that" childhood is destiny. "

Nature and The Cosmos

Her series of works dedicated to nature and the cosmos question humanity's place in the universe. In her series titled"Del Caos al Cosmos" (From Chaos to Cosmos)(1983-1984), humans are depicted engulfed in the whirlwind of primitive chaos, emerging from this turbulent stream as masters of their destiny and means. This series echoes the famous works of the 20th century, such as "El hombre controlador del universo"byDiego Riveraand "Catarsis"byJosé Clemente Orozco.The works in this series refer to two forms: that of man subjugated by negative forces and that of liberated man emerging from the labyrinth as a triumphant figure. Real and mythical elements are blended, using undulating forms, folds, and cavities that contribute to a highly personal sculptural language.

The Challenge of The Human Condition

The pinnacle of this period was titled"Rompiendo el Círculo" (Breaking the Circle),and "Psiquis se Libera"(Psyche is Freed), a series of sculptures that narrate the transition through difficult moments to psychological resurgence and renewal faced by individuals during periods of depression. The series also provides a philosophical analysis of humanity. PhilosopherErich Frommand his book "The Art of Loving" were her main guide in this series, drawing inspiration from realizing that the capacity to love is humanity's greatest gift.

The figure of "El Gobernante"(The Ruler), a rider mounted on a three-headed horse made of bronze, evokes the allegory that rulers must be able to tame their ego, public opinion, and power to lead a good government. The work received a prize fromBanamexin 1980 and was donated to Mexico's City government by the bank, which is currently found in Chapultepec Park.

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  Hommage to Van Gogh,part of the collection of theMusée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
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  La Familia(1980), Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City
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  "The Ruler," Gogy Farías (1980). Exhibited in the third section of Chapultepec Park in Mexico City
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  The print series "Caos al Cosmos" (From Chaos to Cosmos) won second place in the International Print Competition in Paris (FIEST, 1986)

Awards

She stood out by receiving various recognitions,including:

• Second place in the National Onyx Carved Sculpture Contest, Mexico.
• Second place awarded by FIEST'86 (International Print Fair in Paris) for woodcut engraving work, Paris, France.
• Award from the Honorable Advisory Council of Mexico City for "Homenaje al Árbol" (Homage to the Tree), a collection of 70 works inspired by the sacred and universal symbolism of the tree, Mexico.