Nocturnos
Gerardo Murillo “Dr. Atl”, Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Nahui Olin, Roberto Montenegro,
Tina Modotti, Tufic Yazbek
Galerie Pepe is pleased to present Nocturnos an exhibition of works by artists Gerardo Murillo “Dr. Atl”, Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Nahui Olin, Roberto Montenegro, Tina Modotti, Tufic Yazbek. A project by Rodrigo Ortiz Monasterio. June 20th - August 24th, 2024
Los Contemporáneos, an avant-garde Mexican literary and artistic group active in the 1920s and 1930s, sought to push the boundaries of Mexican art and literature by incorporating modern techniques and themes. The group included notable painters such as Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, Roberto Montenegro, and Nahui Olin, as well as influential writers such as Xavier Villaurrutia, Salvador Novo, and Jorge Cuesta, among other important figures. A recurring motif in their work was the Nocturne, which served as a powerful symbol of introspection, mystery, and the subconscious. In the paintings of Rodríguez Lozano, Montenegro, and Olin, the nocturne provided a backdrop for exploring deep emotional states and existential themes. Similarly, in the poems of Villaurrutia, Ortiz de Montellano and Cuesta, the nocturne was a space for delving into the complexities of human experience, particularly around themes of solitude, love and despair.
Xavier Villaurrutia’s "Nocturnos" are perhaps the most notable examples of the use of the nocturne in poetry and in Los Contemporáneos' literary output. His poems are filled with images of night, shadows, and silence, exploring themes of mortality and love and are often dedicated to members of the group. Elías Nandino, Salvador Novo and Jorge Cuesta also employed the nocturne in their work, using the motif to express their own existential musings and emotional turmoil. Novo’s poetry often combined wit and melancholy, while Cuesta’s work delved into themes of intellectual and emotional conflict within. For these poets, the nocturne was not just a setting but a state of being, a way to explore not only the night but the darker aspects of the human psyche.
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano’s use of the nocturne is particularly notable for its haunting, dream-like quality. His works often depicted solitary figures or dark, desolate landscapes bathed in the eerie glow of moonlight, evoking a sense of melancholy and introspection. Montenegro’s paintings, while also embracing the nocturne, were characterized by their vibrant use of color and intricate patterns, which created a surreal, almost fantastical atmosphere. Nahui Olin’s paintings, meanwhile, combined sensuality with a deep sense of mystery, often featuring ethereal female figures in vibrant and expressive colors set against dark, moody backgrounds. These nocturnal scenes not only highlighted the artists' technical prowess, often self-taught, but also reflected their inner worlds against melancholic landscapes.
The influence of the French literary and artistic scene on Los Contemporáneos was profound. This fascination with French modernism and symbolism often led to their portrayal of being elitist, as they distanced themselves from the more politically charged, nationalist art movements in Mexico during this time. Their works often grappled with themes of impossible and tragic love, both within their art and in their personal lives. The relationships among the members of the group were marked by intense emotional and intellectual bonds, as well as by heartbreak, longing and suicide. This blend of personal and artistic passion imbued their work with a sense of foreboding, making Los Contemporáneos a unique and influential force in the landscape of Mexican modernism.
Los Contemporáneos, an avant-garde Mexican literary and artistic group active in the 1920s and 1930s, sought to push the boundaries of Mexican art and literature by incorporating modern techniques and themes. The group included notable painters such as Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, Roberto Montenegro, and Nahui Olin, as well as influential writers such as Xavier Villaurrutia, Salvador Novo, and Jorge Cuesta, among other important figures. A recurring motif in their work was the Nocturne, which served as a powerful symbol of introspection, mystery, and the subconscious. In the paintings of Rodríguez Lozano, Montenegro, and Olin, the nocturne provided a backdrop for exploring deep emotional states and existential themes. Similarly, in the poems of Villaurrutia, Ortiz de Montellano and Cuesta, the nocturne was a space for delving into the complexities of human experience, particularly around themes of solitude, love and despair.
Xavier Villaurrutia’s "Nocturnos" are perhaps the most notable examples of the use of the nocturne in poetry and in Los Contemporáneos' literary output. His poems are filled with images of night, shadows, and silence, exploring themes of mortality and love and are often dedicated to members of the group. Elías Nandino, Salvador Novo and Jorge Cuesta also employed the nocturne in their work, using the motif to express their own existential musings and emotional turmoil. Novo’s poetry often combined wit and melancholy, while Cuesta’s work delved into themes of intellectual and emotional conflict within. For these poets, the nocturne was not just a setting but a state of being, a way to explore not only the night but the darker aspects of the human psyche.
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano’s use of the nocturne is particularly notable for its haunting, dream-like quality. His works often depicted solitary figures or dark, desolate landscapes bathed in the eerie glow of moonlight, evoking a sense of melancholy and introspection. Montenegro’s paintings, while also embracing the nocturne, were characterized by their vibrant use of color and intricate patterns, which created a surreal, almost fantastical atmosphere. Nahui Olin’s paintings, meanwhile, combined sensuality with a deep sense of mystery, often featuring ethereal female figures in vibrant and expressive colors set against dark, moody backgrounds. These nocturnal scenes not only highlighted the artists' technical prowess, often self-taught, but also reflected their inner worlds against melancholic landscapes.
The influence of the French literary and artistic scene on Los Contemporáneos was profound. This fascination with French modernism and symbolism often led to their portrayal of being elitist, as they distanced themselves from the more politically charged, nationalist art movements in Mexico during this time. Their works often grappled with themes of impossible and tragic love, both within their art and in their personal lives. The relationships among the members of the group were marked by intense emotional and intellectual bonds, as well as by heartbreak, longing and suicide. This blend of personal and artistic passion imbued their work with a sense of foreboding, making Los Contemporáneos a unique and influential force in the landscape of Mexican modernism.
Manuel Álvarez Bravo
, Xavier Villaurrutia, ca. 1930
Stamped by Archivo Manuel Álvarez Bravo
Gelatin silver print
, vintage
20.3 x 25.4 cm
, 8 x 10 in
(MAB001)
Roberto Montenegro,
Untitled, 1961
Oil on canvas
49 x 64 cm
, 19 5/16 x 25 3/16 in
(RM001)
Manuel Álvarez Bravo,
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, ca. 1930
Stamped by Archivo Manuel Álvarez Bravo
Gelatin silver print
, vintage
20.3 x 25.4 cm,
8 x 10 in
(MAB003)
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
, Estudio de dos cabezas, n.d.
Oil on canvas
37 x 48.5 cm,
14 9/16 x 19 1/16 in
(MRL002)
Tufic Yazbek, Autorretrato en Nueva York, 1938Gelatin silver print16 x 23.5 cm, 6 5/16 x 9 1/4 in(TYK005)
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
, Rostro femenino, 1936
Ink on paper
22.5 x 19.5 cm
, 8 7/8 x 7 11/16 in
(MRL003)
Nahui Olin,
Carlos Landi, 1940
Oil on photograph
20 x 15 cm,
7 7/8 x 5 15/16 in
(NO002)
Manuel Álvarez Bravo
, Salvador Novo, ca. 1930
Stamped by Archivo Manuel Álvarez Bravo
Gelatin silver print
, vintage
20.3 x 25.4 cm,
8 x 10 in
(MAB002)
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano,
Mujer desnuda en la playa, 1939
Oil on canvas
111 x 201 cm
, 43 3/4 x 79 1/8 in
(MRL005)
Gerardo Murillo "Dr. Atl"
, Untitled, n.d.
Atl colors on masonite
40 x 60 cm
, 15 3/4 x 23 5/8 in
(ATL001)
Tina Modotti
, Untitled, n.d.
Gelatin silver print
, stamped
17.6 x 23.3 cm,
6 15/16 x 9 3/16 in
(TM001)
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano,
Los amantes, 1953
Oil on canvas
47 x 72 cm
, 18 1/2 x 28 3/8 in
(MRL001)
Edward Weston,
Nahui Olin, 1923 / 1981
Gelatin silver print
25 x 20 cm
, 9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in
(EW001)
Nahui Olin
, La taquera y los catrines, ca. 1940
Oil on paperboard
40.5 x 29.5 cm
, 15 15/16 x 11 5/8 in
(NO001)
Courtesy Fundación M
Manuel Álvarez Bravo
, Jorge Cuesta, ca. 1930
Stamped by Archivo Manuel Álvarez Bravo
Gelatin silver print
, vintage
20.3 x 25.4 cm,
8 x 10 in
(MAB004)
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
, Paisaje urbano, 1938
Oil on canvas
54 x 49 cm,
21 1/4 x 19 5/16 in
(MRL004)
Antonio Garduño, Nahui Olin, 1927Gelatin silver print, signed on front26.6 x 16.5 cm(AG001)
Tufic Yazbek,
Disrupción, 1939
Héliogravure on paper
54 x 37.5 cm
, 21 1/4 x 14 3/4 in
(TYK004)
Tufic Yazbek,
Escena en el lago, 1936
Héliogravure on paper
54 x 37.5 cm
, 21 1/4 x 14 3/4 in
(TYK003)
Martín Ortiz, Nahui Olin, 1928Silver bromide print, signed on front23.5 x 17 cm, 9 1/4 x 6 11/16 in(MO001)
Amsterdam 123 B, Col. Hipódromo CondesaMexico City, Mexico 06100