Black Rosa, 2010

Efren Isaza   Emerging artists

Black Rosa by Efren Isaza Archival pigment print on canvas intervened with paint, ink and scratches by the artist Signed, titled, dated and annotated in pencil on the verso by the artist One of a kind 49 x 29 inches Framed 2010 Acquired from the photographer's studio, 2011 _________________________

 This artwork presents a striking silhouette of an elegant figure draped in a flowing black gown. The figure is poised, exuding a sense of mystery and sophistication. The gown extends dramatically, emphasizing its intricate textures and the play of light and shadow. The background is a stark contrast—a minimalist expanse that enhances the figure's prominence. Subtle text elements interweave across the lower portion, adding depth and intrigue, while faint circular motifs provide balance. The use of monochrome black and white emphasizes the artwork’s dramatic flair, creating a timeless and elegant aesthetic. Unique brushwork and texture convey movement, evoking both grace and power. The piece captures a blend of modern and classic elements, making it a profound statement of style and form.

Isaza, one of Colombia’s most influential fashion photographers, initially studied fashion design. He united his interest in fashion with one of his earliest passions: photography. Graceful female figures lounge in fashionable poses. Paper costumes that seem borrowed from Oskar Schlemmer’s triadic ballet make the ballerinas look like marionettes. Their dislocation recalls the puppets Hans Bellmer featured in his surreal photographic experiments. Frida Kahlo’s face with her dark, furrowed eyebrows, peers at the viewer out of different scenes; her hair is knotted artfully on her head. The allusions evoked in the imaginative creations of Colombian Fashion photographer Isaza are diverse: he cites and alienates an arsenal of styles before melding them into new compositions OF ONE OF A KIND ARTWORK. It might be a certain scene, a poem, a petal of a flower, or the idea of a person that inspires a new work. His passion for breaking the boundaries of traditional fashion photography is palpable in each of Isaza’s unique works. He is less concerned with fashion than the image, the play of contrasts and the magic and the emotions sometimes saturnine, sometimes buoyant, sometimes surreal, and yet always beguiling that the image transports.