Gutierrez, Kimberly ( Magdalena Suarez Frimkess Draft)

 Magdalena Suarez Frimkess born in 1929 is a Venezuelan artist who works in ceramics and is known for her sculpture-like cartoon characters and advertisement pieces. 

 

Early Life and Education

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1929. As a result of her mother’s passing, Magdalena was redirected to an orphanage center at the age of seven. Her father was not able to provide her with financial stability. She received her education at the School of the Plastic Arts during her teenage years where she found a passion for the arts. Magdalena then moved to Chile when she was eighteen years old and met her first partner who remains anonymous. After the birth of her two children, she then attended Catholic University Santiago, Chile to rediscover her love for sculpture as well as painting.

After Chile, she was offered a fellowship to the Clay Art Center in New York, NY where she met her husband Michael Frimkess who is also a ceramist and artist. They both then resided in Venice, California as they collaborate and work together in their studio.

 

Art

Suarez creates sculpture-like cartoon characters, vases, and mugs that often involve slogans and advertisements. One of her most famous works is of Popeye, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and other Disney characters.

Suarez appropriates Aztec and Mayan imagery into her work of vessels.

She works with her husband, Michael Frimkess who have been working together since 1963. Magdalena glazes each pot as Michael works in throwing pottery traditionally. They have had exhibitions together like at The Hammer Museum and many more.

Magdalena will have an upcoming solo exhibition at LACMA in 2022.

 

 Exhibitions

·        At 84 years old, Magdalena had her first solo exhibition in 2013 that took place at South Willard, Los Angeles. The exhibition displayed a mixture of traditional pottery and cartoon and slogan body of works.

·        Magdalena Suarez Frimkess was part of a group exhibition in 2013 at the David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles with her husband Michael Frimkess and other artists. The title of the exhibition was named “Grapevine~.”

·        Magdalena had her second solo exhibition at the White Columns gallery located in New York titled “Project Room: Magdalena Suarez Frimkess.” The exhibition was current between March 4 – April 19 of 2014.

·        The Hammer Museum Made In L.A. 2014 exhibition features the work of Magdalena Suarez Frimkess and Michael Frimkess of their traditional vases titled, My Mother, My father, My Brother, and Me (2001), Venice Cana Vase (2001), and Throwing Standing-Up Teapot (1972). 

·        Magdalena’s The Frimkess Collection curated by The Nevica Project gallery features a collaboration with artist Michael Frimkess showcasing sculpture-like cartoon characters and vases. It is a body of work that they have developed over the past years of working together.

·        Magdalena Suarez Frimkess will be having an upcoming exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in 2022. Her work is a part of the LACMA collections.

·        Magdalena Suarez Frimkess has had two solo exhibitions at Kaufmann Repetto, Milan. In 2016, she exhibited works of her sculptural cartoon characters. The following year in 2017, Suarez exhibited traditional pottery work with slogans and cartoon characters. 

 

References

1.    ^ David Kordansky Gallery. (2013) Grapevine ~ curated by Ricky Swallow, July 13-August 17, 2013. Los Angeles, CA. https://www.davidkordanskygallery.com/exhibitions/grapevine

2.    ^ Repetto, Kaufmann. (2020) magdalena suarez frimkess: opening 7^th, 6pm. Kaufmann Repetto. New York. https://dailyartfair.com/events/download_press_release/7268

3.    ^ Repetto, Kaufman. (2020) a conversation with magdalena suarez frimkess. Kaufmann Repetto. New York. https://kaufmannrepetto.viewingrooms.com/viewing-room/5-a-conversation-with-magdalena-suarez-frimkess/ 

4.  ^ South Willard. (2013) Magdalena Suarez Frimkess: August 24 through September 20, 2013, Opening Reception Saturday: August 24, 4-6pm. South Willard Press. 2021. http://www.southwillard.com/collections/shop-exhibit/magdalena-suarez-frimkess/

5.     ^ Swallow R. (September 17, 2019) Magdalena Suarez Frimkess. South Willard Press.

6.   ^ The Hammer Museum. (2014) Made In L.A. Magdalena Suarez Frimkess & Michael Frimkess. The Hammer Museum. Los Angeles, CA. 2021. https://hammer.ucla.edu/made-in-la-2014/magdalena-suarez-frimkess-michael-frimkess 

7.    ^ The Nevica Project. (2021) Magdalena Suarez Frimkess & Michael Frimkess. The Nevica Project. 2021. https://www.thenevicaproject.com/magdalena-suarez-frimkess-and-michael-frimkess  

8.    ^ White Columns. (2014) Project Room: Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, March 4-April 19, 2014. New York, NY. https://whitecolumns.org/exhibitions/magdalena-suarez-frimkess/#press-release

 

 

Further reading

·        Finkel J. (2014). Biennial’s Bright Young Things, Ages 77 and 84. The New York Times, New York, NY.

·        Holte Ned M. (2020). Condorito Has Answers for Everything: Magdalena Suarez Frimkess. Mousse Magazine. Milan, Italy.

·        Swallow R. (2019). Magdalena Suarez Frimkess. South Willard Press. Los Angeles, CA. ISBN-10-1942884516.

 

External links

·        http://magdalenafrimkess.blogspot.com/

·         https://hammer.ucla.edu/made-in-la-2014/magdalena-suarez-frimkess-michael-frimkess