PHASE 2 : MEXICO
Dario Suro married Maruxa Franco Fernandez in 1945 and shortly after, the young couple left for Mexico, stopping in Havana, Cuba, where they met some of the most important Cuban painters of the moment, including Fidelio Ponce, Carlos Enriquez and Amelia Pelaez. Suro also encountered his friend Jose Gomez Sicre, one of the most extraordinary figures in Latin American culture. They moved to Mexico because he had received a scholarship for studying art at the prestigious National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking, “La Esmeralda”, where he studied with the Maestro Diego Rivera and other prominent artists of the period, including Jesus Guerrero Galvan, Agustin Lazo and Manuel Rodríguez Lozano. His style changes dramatically during the four years he spent in Mexico. He quickly abandons the neo-impressionism that had brought him such popularity in his homeland and replaces it with something more real and radical - “Negroide” - undoubtedly strong and harder to take. Inspired by the nationalism that the Mexicans were passionate about at the moment, adopting this fervor to a Dominican reality and condition. Many of his compatriots were shocked by this sudden, drastic change. His wife was asked “What happened to your husband? Why is he painting such ugly works, where are those beautiful landscapes?” Performing the double duties of Cultural Attaché and art student, he befriended some of the most important cultural figures of the moment, including the philosopher Alfonso Reyes, the historian and critic Justino Fernandez, the painters Maria Izquierdo and Angelina Beloff (Russian born, first wife of Diego Rivera), the writer and critic Agustin Velazquez Chavez, he also met Jose Clemente Orozco, Frida Kahlo, Hector Xavier and Lupe Marin. His most important contact, however, was undoubtedly Jose Vasconcelos, legendary Mexican figure, Minister and great promoter of Mexican art, who would later play a crucial role in Suro’s professional life. During his stay in Mexico, Dario Suro received prestigious awards in the Dominican Biennials (1944-Second Prize & 1946-First Prize) and in Mexico, in 1946, he was included in a group exhibition of new painters at the prestigious Palace of Fine Arts. The following year he was given a one man show in the same august institution that was highly acclaimed by the press, receiving a lot of attention, even in the social press, where he is mentioned at parties and such as the “young Dominican painter Dario Suro”.
Self portrait, 1945
Paisaje, c. 1946
El Violinista
SEGUNDA ETAPA : MEXICO
Dario se casó con Maruxa Franco Fernandez (oriunda de Santiago) en 1945 y poco después se van a Mexico, pasando un mes por La Habana, Cuba, donde Suro conoció un grupo de pintores destacados Cubanos, como Fidelio Ponce, Carlos Enriquez y Amelia Pelaez. Igualmente se encontró con su amigo José Gomez Sicre, figura excepcional de la cultura Latinoamericana. Se instalan en Mexico por motivos de la beca que recibió para estudiar arte en la prestigiosa Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado “La Esmeralda”, donde realiza estudios con el Maestro Diego Rivera y otros artistas importantes de esa época como Agustin Lazo, Jesus Guerrero Galvan y Manuel Rodriguez Losano. Su estilo cambia dramáticamente durante los cuatro años que pasa en Mexico. Abandona el neoimpresionismo que le había aportado gran popularidad y se va hacia algo más realista y radical, “negroide” - indudablemente FUERTE - inspirado por el nacionalismo que apasionaba a los Mexicanos, adaptando ese fervor a una realidad/condición Dominicana. A muchos de sus comp le choc este cambio - a su esposa varios se le quejaron - “Que le pasó a tu marido? Porqué está pintando estos cuadros tan feos?”Desempeñando el doble papel de diplomático y estudiante de arte llegó a conocer algunas de las figuras culturales más importantes de aquel momento - el filósofo Alfonso Reyes, el historiador y crítico Justino Fernandez, las pintoras Maria Izquierdo y Angelina Beloff (primera esposa de Diego River), el escritor y crítico Agustin Velazquez Chavez, también conoció a José Clemente Orozco, Frida Kahlo, Hector Xavier y Lupe Marin. Su contacto más importante, indudablemente, fue José Vasconcelos, figura legendaria Mexicana, quien le “salvó” la vida profesional a Suro posteriormente. Durante su estadía en Mexico Suro recibe premios de las bienales Dominicanas (1944 - Segundo Premio & 1946 - Primer Premio). En el 1946 lo incluyen en una exposición de nuevos pintores en el prestigioso Palacio de Bellas Artes y el año siguiente le dedican una exposición a solas en el mismo Palacio que le aporta una crítica muy positiva y la prensa le pone atención constante, hasta en eventos sociales - se convierte en una personalidad del momento!