157B First St., Jersey City, New Jersey
Booth 414
11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
www.artfair14c.com
CSB Fine Arts proudly presents the Campomar Collection at Art Fair 14C, marking this significant collection's first United States presentation. Donated initially by philanthropist Marta Campomar to Argentina's Museo Histórico del Norte in Salta, Argentina, the collection offers a rare and powerful encounter with African art through a Latin American lens. It reflects a profound journey into the spiritual and aesthetic realms of ancestral African cultures, tracing the echoes of African influence throughout the Americas, where African heritage, once overshadowed by European immigration, is now rediscovered and revalued. This collection is a compelling testament to the deep, complex layers of identity that define South American culture and history.
For this special presentation, CSB Fine Arts will exhibit artistic photographs by Andrés Barragán and serigraphs by the late Eduardo Mac Entyre; these works offer a contemporary interpretation of the collection's spiritual essence. Barragán, who created the official photographic documentation of the Campomar Collection, also produced a series of artistic images that use light and shadow to evoke the mysticism in the original sculptures.
Eduardo Mac Entyre-one of Argentina's most celebrated artists, known for his generative art style-created visual interpretations of the African sculptures, capturing their symbolic energy through geometric abstraction. While the original paintings will not be exhibited, the show features limited-edition serigraphs by renowned Argentine printmaker Guillermo Mac Loughlin. These works, signed by Mac Entyre before his passing in 2014, serve as a lasting legacy to his vision, blending indigenous influences with modernist aesthetics in a powerful act of cross-cultural storytelling.
Three Visions, One Dialogue:
A Multi-Layered Cultural Experience
The Campomar Collection's heart lies in a fascinating conversation across time, medium, and cultural traditions. This exhibition presents a three-tiered approach to understanding African art's profound influence and spiritual significance, beginning with traditional African sculptures, continuing through Barragán's photographic lens, and culminating in Mac Entyre's abstract interpretations. As Marta Campomar herself notes,
"Universal Art should generate from within a comprehensive sensibility towards the 'modus vivendi' emerging from the origins of humanity. African Art offers a special dimension to this universal understanding."
The Original Sculpture
Nkisi Nkondi, a ritual figure from the Kongo people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Made of wood and embedded with nails and ritual materials, it serves as a spiritual intermediary-each nail symbolizing a prayer, vow, or request. These powerful objects reflect the complexity and depth of African ceremonial traditions.
The Artistic Photograph
In Magia del Fetiche Congo, Andrés Barragán reimagines traditional sculptures through striking photography. Using dramatic lighting and composition, he highlights their mystical presence and transforms them into powerful reflections on cultural memory and sacred symbolism.
The ARTISTIC INTERPRETATION
Eduardo Mac Entyre, a leading figure in Argentine art, contributes geometric abstractions that capture the spiritual energy of the sculptures. His limited-edition serigraphs, printed by Guillermo Mac Loughlin, fuse African symbolism with Latin American modernism-showing how ancient forms inspire contemporary expression.
This multi-layered presentation invites viewers to consider how cultural exchange shapes our understanding of art across time and geography. By tracing the journey from traditional African ritual objects to their contemporary artistic interpretations, the Campomar Collection reveals the often-overlooked African influences in Latin American cultural identity. This exhibition offers an opportunity to reconnect with aspects of the heritage that European immigration narratives have historically overshadowed. Through this thoughtful curation, CSB Fine Arts creates a space for dialogue about cultural legacy, artistic inspiration, and the universal human impulse toward spiritual expression.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Architect Rafael Barrios, whose vision and support transformed obstacles into opportunities to enhance and elevate the exhibition’s design.
by Carolina Santiago
Exhibition Curated by Marta Campomar
