Kusunoki refers to the 1999 exhibition and book titled «Elena Izcue: pre -Columbian art in modern life». The sample was in charge of Natalia Majlufthen curator in chief of Mali, and for the historian and art critic Luis Eduardo Wuffardenand constitutes the only posthumous exposure Dedicated to Elena Izcue. «Luis Eduardo Wuffarden first saw the archive that Elba de Izcue, Elena's niece, who was looking to publicize her aunt's work,» Director of Mali From 2002 to 2018. “We knew, as many, the name of Elena from her book and period documents, but no one could imagine the dimension of her work, largely produced outside Peru. I think it was a discovery for everyone to see that job, practically unknown. For me it was a real revelation, ”said the art historian.
For Majluf, the most extraordinary of the figure of Elena Izcue is, first, her «enormous importance» as a figure Pioneer in the aesthetic assessment of pre -Columbian art. «It was not the first to recognize it, nor would it be the last to make use of that legacy as a source of inspiration, but the truth is that, at the design level, nobody has overcome their work,» said the Peruvian researcher. «Secondly, there are the extreme refinement of their work, the rigor and originality of their designs,» he added.
Hand stamped sheep wool fabric (1928-1936). Lima Art Museum. Elba donation of Izcue Jordán.Digital Archive Courtesy of the Lima Art Museum
The validity of his work
The more than a thousand pieces that were carefully preserved and, later, generously donated to the Mali by Elba de Izcue, the artist's niece, were the corpus that allowed to organize that great sample. From then on, interest in their work has been fueled. He Lima Museum He has pieces like his first works at the School of Fine Arts, his illustrations and his silks. It is a very delicate type of material and what can be exhibited is little.
Excellent news will allow Elena Izcue's work to bring an audience that needs to meet her. The Mali has presented a New Peruvian Art Platform: a Digital Catalog that has started a systematic digitalization process «In order to preserve such a fragile heritage, put it in value and above all to ensure public access to documentary sources.» In a first stage, he wanted to start with three women artists: Elena Izcue is one of them, as well as Cristina Gálvez and Teresa Burga.
All content is available in Free digital and access format on the project platform.
This initiative is of great importance because it has not yet been understood The dimension of the figure of Elena Izcueand the deep urgency of his work That it can be explained, perhaps, in his own words: «get to obtain beautiful things with Peruvian art, perfect knowledge and put them into practice, it will be for me the only way to pay the joy of being Peruvian.»
Thanks: Digital Archive of the Art Museum of Lima