Arteba 2026: Buenos Aires

Galería de las Misiones at arteba 2026

Stand 01 | Constructivism, Abstraction and Figuration in Dialogue

Galería de las Misiones announces its participation in arteba 2026 at Stand 01, presenting a selection of works that brings different strands of modern and contemporary art into dialogue. The presentation brings together key figures of Río de la Plata constructivism and abstraction alongside artists who expand this scope through figuration, material experimentation, and the relationships between painting, sculpture and space.

A central focus of the presentation is the work of Joaquín Torres García and the diverse paths opened by his ideas. Highlights include Constructivo de Estructura Blanca (1942), a work in tempera on plaster on burlap, shown alongside pieces by Julio Alpuy, Gonzalo Fonseca, José Gurvich, Francisco Matto, Manuel Pailós and Augusto Torres. Together, these works reveal different approaches to structure, symbolism and visual expression within the constructivist tradition.

A particular highlight is Héctor Ragni’s Formas AAC (1938), executed in oil and tempera on cardboard. Born in Buenos Aires and closely associated with Torres García, Ragni was among the earliest members of the Asociación de Arte Constructivo, established in Montevideo in 1935. Through his work as an artist, printmaker and designer, he helped disseminate the ideas of this pioneering association, an important precursor to the Taller Torres García and a formative force in the development of Latin American abstract art. The work on view offers insight into this period of consolidation of the constructivist language in the Río de la Plata region.

Geometric experimentation takes further forms in the works of José Pedro Costigliolo, María Freire and Antonio Llorens, whose compositions explore relationships between form, rhythm and colour. Within this context, Kazuya Sakai’s Serie II-102 (1977), an acrylic on canvas measuring 175 × 175 cm, stands out. Its scale, chromatic structures and rhythmic bands of colour extend the presentation’s dialogue towards an abstraction that combines compositional rigour, dynamism and musical sensibility.

The presentation extends into contemporary art with works by Gerold Miller, Arturo Berned and Jerónimo Villa, opening up new relationships between form, material and space. Their works provide a counterpoint to the historical pieces in the selection and offer alternative approaches to construction, volume and the viewer’s experience, expanding the dialogue between the different artistic languages brought together at the stand.

Another highlight is a painting by Nicolás García Uriburu, dated circa 1968, connected to his Paris years and the intersection of art and fashion. The work depicts a dress designed by Pierre Cardin for Blanca Isabel Álvarez de Toledo, the artist’s wife, in the context of the exhibition Prototipos para un jardín artificial, which opened at Galerie Iris Clert in 1968. Isolated from the body, the garment assumes an almost sculptural presence, capturing a moment of exchange between artistic experimentation, design and personal life.

The presentation also includes works by León Ferrari, Antonio Seguí and Virgilio Villalba, introducing other approaches to line, figuration and narrative. From Ferrari’s Eva y ella (2008) to Seguí’s Cuantas cosas (2016), the selection creates a series of counterpoints between artistic languages and generations without reducing them to a single interpretation.

Through this presentation, Galería de las Misiones brings historical works and contemporary practices into dialogue, inviting viewers to discover both the individuality of each artist and the affinities that connect their explorations.

Information and Press Contact

Galería de las Misiones
arteba 2026 · Stand 01
Telephone: +598 95 037 941
Email: info@galeriamisiones.com