(Mexico/Columbian, 1928-2010)

Abstract composition of a deconstructed oval, circa 1955-65, signed verso "Omar Rayo", inscribed with title on stretcher oil on canvas, 20 x 24 in.; original lattice style frame, 20-5/8 x 24-5/8 x 1-1/2 in.

Provenance: The Contemporariel, November 1967; The Estate of Rita F. Rofe, Princeton, New Jersey

Note: Omar Rayo, a renowned Colombian artist, most famous for his geometric paintings, started his career as an illustrator and caricaturist in Bogota. It was during this time he began creating works in his first major style he coined “maderismo” (woodism) where he painted imitations of wood panels shaped into portraits. During this time in his life, Rayo was highly influenced by Surrealism and the human figure, drawing inspiration from artists like Salvador Dali and Yves Tanguy. By 1948, Rayo was exhibiting his artwork in major cities throughout Colombia. In 1954, Rayo began his four year long journey throughout South America, exhibiting in Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. The result of his travels inspired his “Via Sur” series, in which completely pivoted from his earlier style of figurative surrealism into one of illustrious and bold geometric compositions. This is when Rayo's art became permanently enriched by his exposure to the visual culture of pre-Hispanic life. This is also where he found inspiration for his popular limited color palette. Spanish literature was another major influence for Rayo, as he met with literary and political icons, Pablo Neruda and Jorge Luis Borges during his travels. Rayo was then active in Mexico City, a global center in Latin America for creatives. Here, inspired by artistic minds and eyes from around the world, Rayo began his work with intaglios, honing in his printmaking skills that attracted the attention of American elites like Jasper Johns. Rayo would then spend several years in New York, where he became involved in the Op Art movement, introducing his geometric paintings and optical illusions to the city. He established himself as an influential artist in the Americas through a lifetime of passion and hard work, having exhibited his art over 200 times across the globe. Rayo was as much an inspiration to Latin America as he was inspired by it, leaving an everlasting lasting impression on the art community. 

Rita Rofe, a longtime Princeton, New Jersey educator and resident, and husband Nicolas Rofe began their art collection in the 1960s, selected during their travels in the early years of their marriage. Rita Rofe was multilingual and developed a keen appreciation for art from Latin America and elsewhere, and these are among their earliest group of artists now well established and sought after in the category of Latin American Modern Art.