In this article the German-born Venezuelan visual artist Miguel von Dangel (b. 1946) discusses the different classifications of “the image” and “art” which, in his opinion, apply to his own art and are almost a sort of manifesto. Some of the quotes in the article are taken from his diaries, and are written in a highly metaphorical style, with gaps in the narrative that sometimes make it hard to follow.
Von Dangel’s consistent themes include depictions of horrific events and the concept of putrefaction as a means of accessing perfection and inducing the perception of sacred realms, either by opposition or by absence. These ideas are related to the recurring dialectic in his work between good and evil, and the sacred and the profane, which is always expressed in violent images or compositions that are frequently repugnant, albeit couched in clearly spiritual terms. His other themes include the Americas—the continent—which often appears in his work, and disease; according to the artist, “art is a disease” because it is a reflection of society’s ills. His vision of what is “American” as seen from an American perspective arises from an “original disease”: we understand Latin America through a prism of suffering and injustice. In von Dangel’s opinion, it can be seen in Latin American art, and it is clearly visible in his work’s conflicted and tormented ideas about “Latin American identity.”
To view other critical essays about von Dangel’s work, see by Yasmín Monsalve “Mi obra ha tenido que luchar contra muchos prejuicios: un premio nacional visto con la luz de Petare” [doc. no. 1102125]; the essays by Elsa Flores “Miguel von Dangel: la respuesta latinoamericana (I)” [doc. no. 1155150], “Miguel von Dangel: la respuesta latinoamericana (II)” [doc. no. 1154906], and “Miguel von Dangel” [doc. no. 1056044]; the essay by Roberto Montero Castro published in 1986 “Transfiguraciones de Miguel von Dangel” [doc. no. 1153996]; the essays by María Luz Cárdenas “La Batalla de San Romano de von Dangel (I)” [doc. no. 1154028], and “La Batalla de San Romano de von Dangel (II)” [doc. no. 1154092]; the article by Ruth Auerbach published in 1996 “Hoy, el paisaje es aquí y ahora” [doc. no. 855314]; the conversation with Axel Stein published in 1998 “Interview with Miguel von Dangel” [doc. no. 1102348]; the one with María Cecilia Valera “Entrevista con Miguel von Dangel” [doc. no. 1154060]; the interview by María Josefa Pérez “Miguel von Dangel: no creo el cuento de que Reverón era loco” [doc. no. 1154012]; and, finally, the article by Víctor Guédez “Lo barroco y lo simbólico en la obra de Miguel von Dangel” [doc. no. 1154124].
Also, see other articles and essays by Miguel von Dangel, such as “Acotaciones al tema de la crueldad en el arte: en memoria de Pedro Américo (Brasil 1843–1905), pintor de tiradentes descuartizado” [doc. no. 1102157], a story about the death of a horse that was used for experiments; “Demonología y arte” [doc. no. 1102173], a review of contemporary Venezuelan art; “San Romano” [doc. no. 1101572], a selection of articles from the artist’s diary; and “Censura e identidad” [doc. no. 1154570], a review of different ideas about Latin American identity and Utopias.
