This essay by Venezuelan writer Oswaldo Trejo analyzes the art of Elsa Gramcko. It describes a number of characteristics of the Venezuelan artist’s creative world, specifically how she uses matter as the defining “content” of her work. Trejo reflects on the emotions her work incites, which he considers a universe of experiences. Trejo also underscores the human aspect of Gramcko’s art. 

This text by Oswaldo Trejo (1924–1996) on the work of artist Elsa Gramcko (1925–1994) was written in the city of Bogotá and was originally published in the catalogue for the exhibition organized by the Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas and the Galería Gamma (1966)—Gramcko’s third solo show in Venezuela. In a distinct literary style, Trejo describes the virtues of an artist who, despite previous solo shows and distinctions, was still considered a novel and innovative presence on the Venezuelan abstract art scene. Trejo’s descriptions invite the viewer to delve into the creative philosophy of an artist with great expressive power. The text was written during Gramcko’s most informalist phase; it makes no reference to her earlier abstract geometric work or for that matter, to the term “informalism”. What Trejo instead focuses on is the artist’s use and transformation of “matter.” This lyrical text by a well-known Venezuelan author is one of the first on Gramcko. Trejo confesses to being an admirer of Gramcko’s work, which he describes as impressive, overwhelming, remarkable, and possessing “an experience of great artistic abundance.” Almost forty years after it first appeared, this text was republished on the occasion of Elsa Gramcko: Geometría e Informalismo,an exhibition held at the Feria Iberoamericana de Arte (FIA, 2004).

For other critical essays on and interviews with the artist, see José Gómez Sicre, “Elsa Gramcko of Venezuela” (doc. no. 1222685), published in 1959; Clara Diament de Sujo, “Elsa Gramcko” (doc. no. 1153604), published in 1961; Alberto Anzola, “Elsa Gramcko y sus cuadros mágicos” (doc. no. 1153668), published in 1968; eminent critic Roberto Guevara, “Abstractos inéditos de Elsa Gramcko” (doc. no. 1163749), published in El Nacional in 1969; Juan Calzadilla, “Elsa Gramcko: la atracción de las texturas” (doc. no. 1153589), published in 1969; an untitled text published in 1970 (doc. no. 1153636); “Entrevista con Elsa Gramcko” (doc. no. 1152673), published in 1976; Teresa Alvarenga, “Elsa Gramcko por ahora el silencio” (doc. no. 1153652), published in 1979; Juan Carlos López Quintero, “Elsa Gramcko una alquimista de nuestro tiempo” (doc. no. 1152657), published in 1997; and Elizabeth Schon, “Elsa Gramcko” (doc. no. 1152629), published in 1997.