Jose Gomez-Sicre
Encyclopedia
José Gómez-Sicre was a noted Cuban lawyer, art critic and author.
in 1941 with degrees in Consular Law and Politics, and later took courses in art history at New York University
and Columbia University
. Although he was a lawyer by trade, his professional career was spent working promoting Latin American artists and their art for 50 years. Gómez-Sicre was a critic, researcher and writer, publishing numerous reports and articles on Latin American artists. Most importantly, Gómez-Sicre provided Latin American artists with an introduction to the audience in the United States and the world.
) in New York City
, putting together an exhibition of Cuban paintings that traveled across the United States for the next two years.
Gómez-Sicre began his influential work for the Pan-American Union's Visual Arts Unit in 1946 as a Specialist (the Pan-American Union later became the Organization of American States
, OAS, in 1948. In 1948, Gómez-Sicre was promoted to the position of Chief in the Visual Arts Unit and remained in that post until 1976. Under his leadership, the Visual Arts Unit began to actively collect works of Latin American art beginning in 1957 with financial support of O.A.S., instead of relying solely on donations. Gómez-Sicre served as editor for Boletin de Artes Visuales, an illustrated documentation of exhibitions throughout North America, which published from 1957-1973. The Art Museum of the Americas
was established in 1976 by the O.A.S. Permanent Council
and Gómez-Sicre served as its founder and director.
In 1951, he married Lucila Ballerin, but later divorced her in 1955. His nephew is also a lawyer and writer and a collector of art, Clemente Guillermo Gomez-Rodriguez. His personal and professional papers repository is at the Benson Latin American Collection, at the University of Texas at Austin
.
Education
Dr. Gómez-Sicre graduated from the University of HavanaUniversity of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
in 1941 with degrees in Consular Law and Politics, and later took courses in art history at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Although he was a lawyer by trade, his professional career was spent working promoting Latin American artists and their art for 50 years. Gómez-Sicre was a critic, researcher and writer, publishing numerous reports and articles on Latin American artists. Most importantly, Gómez-Sicre provided Latin American artists with an introduction to the audience in the United States and the world.
Involvement in the arts
José Gómez-Sicre's involvement in the world of art began early. In the 1940s, he was responsible for organizing exhibitions of Cuban art that traveled to various Latin American countries in his position as Director of Exhibits of the Institución Hispanocubana de Cultura (Hispano-Cuban Institution of Culture). In 1944, he served as an advisor to Alfred H. Barr, Jr., of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMAMoma
Moma may refer to:* Moma , an owlet moth genus* Moma Airport, a Russian public airport* Moma District, Nampula, Mozambique* Moma River, a right tributary of the Indigirka River* Google Moma, the Google corporate intranet...
) in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, putting together an exhibition of Cuban paintings that traveled across the United States for the next two years.
Gómez-Sicre began his influential work for the Pan-American Union's Visual Arts Unit in 1946 as a Specialist (the Pan-American Union later became the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, OAS, in 1948. In 1948, Gómez-Sicre was promoted to the position of Chief in the Visual Arts Unit and remained in that post until 1976. Under his leadership, the Visual Arts Unit began to actively collect works of Latin American art beginning in 1957 with financial support of O.A.S., instead of relying solely on donations. Gómez-Sicre served as editor for Boletin de Artes Visuales, an illustrated documentation of exhibitions throughout North America, which published from 1957-1973. The Art Museum of the Americas
Art Museum of the Americas
AMA | Art Museum of the Americas is an art museum located in Washington, D.C., primarily devoted to exhibiting works of modern and contemporary art from Latin America and the Caribbean. The museum was formally established in 1976 by the Organization of American States...
was established in 1976 by the O.A.S. Permanent Council
Permanent Council of the Organization of American States
The Permanent Council is one of the two main political bodies of the Organization of American States, the other being the General Assembly.The Permanent Council is established under Chapter XII of the OAS Charter. It is composed of ambassadors appointed by the member states , and it meets regularly...
and Gómez-Sicre served as its founder and director.
Published works
José Gómez-Sicre published many books, both for O.A.S. and on his own, some which include: Mario Carreño (1943), Cuban Painting Today (1944), Spanish Master Drawings XV to XVIII Centuries (1951), Four Artists of the Americas (O.A.S., 1957), Guide to Public Collections in Latin America (O.A.S., 2 vols., 1956, 1968), Leonardo Nierman (1971), and Jose Luis Cuevas: Self-Portrait with Model (1983). He also wrote and co-directed the scripts of more than twelve films on art in Latin America for the O.A.S. Articles he wrote appeared in publications like Norte, Art News, Art in America, Americas, Art International, Le Connoiseur, Social Education, L’oeil, Boulletin of the Dade, Vision, Lampara, Vandidades, Hombre de Mundo, Miami Replicas.Family
Dr. Gómez-Sicre was the son of Clemente Gómez and Guillermina Sicre (his mother, was a significant presence in his life, living with him in Washington D.C. until she died in 1974).In 1951, he married Lucila Ballerin, but later divorced her in 1955. His nephew is also a lawyer and writer and a collector of art, Clemente Guillermo Gomez-Rodriguez. His personal and professional papers repository is at the Benson Latin American Collection, at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.