Alfredo Ramos Martínez: On Paper — an intimate exhibit of works from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s (SBMA) permanent collection — opens Oct. 27 at SBMA. This exhibit from SBMA’s include drawings, as well as two serigraphs created by the artist’s wife María Sodi de Ramos Martínez after his death.
The display showcases Ramos Martínez’s extraordinary draftsmanship, revealing the layered sensibility in his chosen themes. It will be presented in the Works on Paper room of SBMA’s Ridley-Tree Gallery.
Ramos Martínez (1871-1946) was a pivotal figure in the modernist development of Mexican art. He spent his formative years immersed in the artistic life of Paris, returning to Mexico in 1910 on the eve of the country’s revolution.
After becoming director of the famed Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, he established the nation’s first open air schools and encouraged his pupils to create work that captured observations of daily life.
In 1929, Ramos Martínez and his family moved to Los Angeles. For the next two decades, his subject matter focused on the people and culture of Mexico, with the artist receiving notable mural commissions throughout Southern California. His canvases depict indigenous traditions, local crafts, and religious icons painted in striking hues of umber and sienna accented by bold highlights of color.
While Ramos Martínez was celebrated as a painter, some of his most iconic works were created on paper. Said to have always carried a Conté crayon in his pocket, the artist frequently drew on newspaper — the printed columns of text supporting totem-like figures of flower vendors.
Working in combinations of gouache, charcoal, Conté crayon, and watercolor, Ramos Martínez perfected a signature style in which forms were reduced to essentials to create a structural scaffolding across the paper’s surface.
Curated by Rachel Heidenry, curatorial assistant, contemporary art, Alfredo Ramos Martínez: On Paper is presented in English and Spanish.
Related programming:
Sunday, Oct. 27, 1-4 p.m. – Free
Día de los Muertos: For the 30th year, SBMA honors the Mexican tradition of remembering the dead with a variety of family festivities in the galleries, Family Resource Center, and back plaza including music, dance performances, art-making activities, a special display of altars created by school and community groups, and traditional refreshments.
Sunday, Nov. 10, 1:30-4:30 p.m. – Free
Bilingual tours. Guided exhibit tours conducted in Spanish and English during the museum’s Studio Sunday activities in the Family Resource Center. Also featuring live music by Jorge Pokok Mijangos and refreshments.
Thursday, Nov. 14, 6-6:30 p.m. – Free
Curatorial walkthrough. Learn more about the artist’s life and work in a curator-led tour of the exhibition. RSVP required, space is limited. To reserve a spot, email community programs.sbma.net.
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2-3:15 p.m.
Santa Barbara Cemetery Mural Tour. Learn about Ramos Martínez’s murals in a guided tour at the chapel of the Santa Barbara Cemetery. Designed by architect George Washington Smith, the chapel tells a story about early art patronage in Santa Barbara. Ramos Martínez was invited to paint a mural in the chapel in 1934. The resulting work is an example of his style and thematic interests.
The presentation includes a brief talk on the history of the chapel by David Petry, historian and author of The Best Last Place: A History of the Santa Barbara Cemetery, followed by a discussion of the murals by Heidenry. RSVP required; space is limited. Event will happen rain or shine, with time subject to change based on cemetery schedule.
Cost is $5 for SBMA members and students, $10 for non-members. Buy tickets at tickets.sbma.net.
Visit www.sbma.net/events for updated information.
— Katrina Carl for Santa Barbara Museum of Art.