National Gallery adds Ciria painting to permanent collection

The National Gallery of Jamaica has received a painting by the internationally renowned Spanish artist, José Manuel Ciria, which was donated to its permanent collection by the artist.

The handover of this work, which took place at the residence of Spanish Ambassador HE Celsa Nuño recently, was received for the National Gallery by its chairman Wayne Chen.

José Manuel Ciria was born in Manchester in the United Kingdom in 1960 but received his artistic formation in Spain. He is one of the most active and internationally recognised contemporary Spanish artists, known for his dramatic abstract and semi-abstract paintings. His work is represented in Spain's most important museums, including the Museo de Arte Reina Sofía and the Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno. Ciria currently resides in New York City.

The painting Ciria has now donated to the National Gallery of Jamaica - titled 'The Dream of Inam', from the La Guardia Place Series, New York (2006) - is a large, gestural abstract characteristic of his recent work. Ciria terms these postmodernist works "post-genre", essentially meaning that they transcend genre by referencing different modernist genres, from abstract expressionism to constructivism.

He also calls them "rare" paintings - though a better translation might be 'raw', as by "rare" he means 'crude and unfinished - a clear reference to the celebrated rawness of the abstract expressionists and of the matter painters.

Ciria had visited the National Gallery of Jamaica in 2008 when the exhibition Ciria: Rare Paintings was brought to Jamaica and the National Gallery by the Fundación Internacional de las Artes and the Embassy of Spain to Jamaica.

Commenting on the presentation, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Olivia Grange, said that Jamaica was "very grateful to José Manuel Ciria for this important donation to the National Gallery of Jamaica's International Collection".

She added, "This gift builds on the recent cultural exchanges between Jamaica, Spain and with Spanish artists. We look forward to further collaborations in art with our colleagues in Spain in the forthcoming year. I wish to thank former Spanish Ambassador Jesus Silva and current Ambassador Celsa Nuño for their role in facilitating the donation of this painting."

The National Gallery of Jamaica is located at 12 Ocean Boulevard, Block C, Kingston Mall - entrance on Orange Street. Parking is available at the adjoining UDC parking lot.

José Manuel Ciria - 'The Dream of Inam', from the La Guardia Place Series, New York (2006).

Gallery hours are:

Tuesdays-Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Fridays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed on Sundays, Mondays and Public Holidays.

Gallery admission:

Adults: $250

Teachers accompanying students and senior citizens: $100

School children and students with ID enter free.

Guided tours: $2500 (general) and $1800 (schools).

National Gallery adds

to permanent collection