In this essay Carlos Silva provides a general description of Pedro Barreto’s sculptural work. Silva mentions the sculptor’s major influences, which include nature and the area around the Orinoco River Delta. The author identifies many of the aesthetic mechanisms that Barreto uses, and notes the dominant characteristics of his work, such as his preference for volumes with curved outlines, balanced openings, and primary colors. Silva lists the kinds of wood that Barreto favors in his sculptures and claims that, in his opinion, the Venezuelan artist is in possession of a mature talent.

The Venezuelan critic Carlos Silva (1937–2002) reviews the work of Pedro Barreto (1935–2008), discussing the sculptor’s artistic approach in both philosophical and aesthetic terms, the former being the critic’s area of specialization. According to Silva, immanence has always dominated Barreto’s artistic development and contributed to his totemic works. Silva nonetheless understands that the works’ philosophical aspects are not endemic to them, since Barreto’s sculpture is always free of symbolic and metaphysical allusions. The true meaning of his work can therefore be found in the material he uses—wood. In Silva’s opinion, Barreto’s work is in constant contact with nature and with a range of mechanisms such as verticality and morphological rhythm, simple resources used to create a substantive, or material appearance. The physical and artistic presence of the work is sufficient for him to express himself, which is why he does not use anything non-artistic. This approach had previously been discussed by Perán Erminy; this reference is not mentioned, but Silva quotes it in his essay to validate his statements. 

To access another critical article about this artist’s work, see by Pedro Briceño “Sin título [de aquellos ‘totemes contemporáneos’...]” (Text from the catalogue Pedro Barreto: 20 bronces,in the Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas, 1966) [doc. no. 1162647].