by Margaret Failoni

Returning from the opening of his major exhibition in the Museo de Arte Abstracto Manuel Felguérez in Zacatecas, Pascual Hijuelos went immediately to work on a new series of paintings. But unlike his usual, fantastically dramatic, hard edge, color field works, these new creations have taken on a softer dimension. The beautifully rendered colors are still there, but the hard edge geometric shapes have given way to soft and equally dramatic curves. At a quick glance, some of the curves seem to move.

Proud of his Cuban heritage, Hijuelos seems to cull from the land of his parents; his work has rhythm, is sensuous and seems to live at its own joyful beat.

Having apprenticed with some of the New York School of Art artists in those intoxicating decades after the war, Hijuelos learned well. The artist eventually moved to Mexico after successful exhibits in the New York Art scene, traveling throughout Europe, and avidly soaking in the diverse genres of post war contemporary art. The move seems to connect him more to his Latin roots. The artist counts savvy New Yorkers and Mexico City sophisticates as his collectors. There are occasional visits to Miami and New York, Art Fair and museum visits to Mexico City, and a planned visit to Fiji to visit his daughter, but San Miguel de Allende is now home.

Catalogs from the Zacatecas exhibition are now available at the Interseccion Gallery here in San Miguel.

Website

BIOGRAPHY

Cuban-American José Pascual Hijuelos was born and raised on the Upper West Side of New York City. After serving four years of military service in England, he returned home and went on to complete an MFA in Painting. He studied with Philip Pearlstein, Lucas Samaras, Jimmy Ernst, Lee Bontecou and Alan D’Arcangelo, and was the assistant to Al Held for several years.

An abstract painter, Mr. Hijuelos was nurtured on Postwar American Abstract Painting, influenced by such notables as Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, Ben Nicholson and Al Held.

Mr. Hijuelos has traveled extensively. For many years, he worked as an archaeological site supervisor and illustrator in Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus. He now divides his time between San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and New York.

RESUME:

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024: El Museo de Arte Abstracto Manuel Felguérez, Zacatecas, Mexico
2023: Intersección Arte Contemporáneo, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2022: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2021: Skot Foreman Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
2020: Skot Foreman Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
2019: Skot Foreman Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
2018: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2017: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2015: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2013: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2011: La Galería de Arte Rosewood, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2010: Museo De La Ciudad de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
2005: Jadite Gallery, New York, New York, USA
2005: Marymount Manhattan College, New York, New York, USA
2004: Marymount Manhattan College, New York, New York, USA
2004: Jadite Gallery, New York, New York, USA
2003: Jadite Gallery, New York, New York, USA
2002: Jadite Gallery, New York, New York, USA
2001: Jadite Gallery, New York, New York, USA
1996: Caggiano Gallery, Rockport, Massachusetts, USA
1992: DTW Gallery, New York, New York, USA
1984: Caggiano Gallery, Rockport, Massachusetts, USA
1982: Blackburn Gallery, Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA
1977: Sixth Estate Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA
1975: Sixth Estate Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2021: Skot Foreman Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
2020: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2019: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2018: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2017: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2016: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2015: Bellas Artes, Cuatro Artistas/Cuatro Geometrías, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2014: Skot Foreman Gallery, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
2011: Galería Rosario Sánchez de Lazada, Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
2011: Galería De Arte Contemporáneo, San Miguel De Allende
1990: The Wall Gallery, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, New York, USA
1989: Lowenstein Gallery, Fordham University, New York, New York, USA
1988: Macy Gallery, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
1981: Staten Island Zoological Society, Staten Island, New York, USA
1981: Henry Hicks Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA
1976: Sixth Estate Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA
1975: Sixth Estate Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA
2001: Latin American Art Museum, Miami, Florida, USA
2000: MMC Gallery, (Three Persons), New York, New York, USA
1993: One Square Mile Gallery, Sea Cliff, New York, USA
1992: One Square Mile Gallery, Sea Cliff, New York, USA
1991: Art Windows, New York, New York, USA
1991: Cash Performance Space, New York, New York, USA
1991: Cork Gallery, Lincoln Center, New York, New York, USA
2004: Jadite Gallery, New York, New York, USA
2003: Jadite Gallery, New York, New York, USA

BIBLIOGRAPHY

La Jornada Zacatecas no.603 December 2023
"Pascual Hijuelos en el Museo de Arte Abstracto Manuel Felguérez", MAAMF
Architectural Digest, Mexico November 2016, page 182
Atención, October 10, 2014, "Four Artists, Four Geometrics", John Yau
Atención, September 27, 2013, "Soul Connections: Artists and Their Art", Marcia Wolff
Atención, February 18, 2011, "Jose Hijuelos in Queretaro", Lulu Torbet
Atención, April 8, 2011, "Language of Abstraction", Susan Abbott
A.M. Querétaro, January 27, 2011, Muestra "Pasaje", Escarlett Ruiz
New York Times, January 17, 1993, "Political Winter"
Appearances, Number 19, 1992, Guest Editor Nicholas Maffei
Arts Magazine, September 1997, Jose Hijuelos, Reviewer Margaret Pomfret
Phoenix Magazine, November 27, 1975, "Hijuelos’ Structured Void" Reviewer Eileen Blair

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Margaret Failoni

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