RAFAEL SORIANO’S RETROSPECTIVE. THE ARTIST AS A MYSTIC

Rafael Soriano's work is linked to that of other international artists of Latin American origin, such as Roberto Matta, Rufino Tamayo and Wifredo Lam. Because of the Cuban Revolution, Soriano emigrated to the United States in 1962. This exhibition is an unprecedented examination of his entire oeuvre, focusing on the multiple influences that nurtured his style where, in his own words, "the intimate and the cosmic converge".

Featuring twenty-nine paintings and pastels from the Soriano family collection and other private collections, The Artist as Mystic begins with Soriano's works within Cuban geometric abstractionism. From there it moves to his experimental, transitional works executed during the 1960s and 1970s, reminiscent of surrealist biomorphism. The exhibition concludes with the luminous and mystical images of Soriano's mature period paintings. This is the first retrospective of Soriano's work in Madrid.

Organized by the McMullen Museum in conjunction with the Fundación Rafael Soriano and Casa de América, Elizabeth Thompson Goizueta has curated the exhibition.