The Colombian artist Judith Márquez Montoya explains the rationale behind the publication of the magazine Plástica and its intended goals. She begins by outlining two basic objectives: “On a modest but dignified scale, the purpose of the magazine is to popularize Colombian art within Colombia and expose it to other countries.” Plástica—which is the product of Márquez Montoya’s own personal efforts and depends on the support of commercial sponsors, readers, subscribers, and contributors—was created as a forum in which to expose local art, a function that should be the government’s responsibility. Márquez Montoya believes that mission can be accomplished with the active involvement of professional Colombian visual artists. She also mentions that until Plástica appeared, there were no magazines in Colombia that focused exclusively on the visual arts. She goes on to say that the example set by Plástica may prompt others to publish more magazines to cater to the new generation of Colombian artists. In closing, Márquez Montoya explains that her magazine will focus mainly on contemporary art and will be circulated in Colombia and Latin America. 

Judith Márquez Montoya (1923–1994), who is considered the first woman to have produced openly abstract art in Colombia, created and managed the publication of the seventeen issues of Plástica magazine (Bogotá, 1956 to 1960). It was the first magazine specializing in the visual arts to have a regular circulation over a lengthy period of time. Márquez Montoya’s essay “Propósitos” [Objectives], which appeared as the editorial in the first issue, explained that the magazine’s mission was to report on the contemporary arts scene and would respond to the demands of an artistic environment with the support of professional artists and critics. This was a significant statement, which acknowledged the activity of a new generation of artists who were the founders of modern art (in Colombia as well as in other Latin American countries) and whose work was complemented by thoughtful contributions from critics and art historians. In fact, Walter Engel, from Austria, and Marta Traba, who was from Argentina but lived in Colombia, were regular contributors to the magazine, as were other well-known local thinkers. The magazine also published translations of works by foreign writers, including articles on art news from Colombia, Latin America, the United States, and Europe, with a preference for abstract art.