"A Well-rounded Story of Leadership”
Godoy with one of the sculptures coming later in 2022.
Alberto Godoy, The Artist
By William Hanhausen, with Data contribution of Celan Bouillet
Art is the integrated communication channel of all cultures. It is the people’s reflection of their lives and times. Everything that surrounds us makes us and, in effect, produces the art we create. Those messages that emanate from the depth of our souls touch the audience’s intellect, as it is from the heart that communication truly begins.
Alberto Godoy, undoubtedly, is not only a survivor but an extraordinary artist by heart.
His search for technical perfection characterizes him in all preceding periods of his work. He is confident that the technique is the foundation for every piece of art, and this technical skill leads to the process of creativity. This is why he believes that a classical technique is key to developing a unique personal style.
On April 1, 1980, eight men launched a city bus against the Peruvian embassy in Havana, Cuba, to gain political asylum. In the process, a ricocheting bullet killed a guard, which initiated a disagreement between the two countries and resulted in the removal of the Cuban security forces from the embassy. Within a few days, over 10,000 Cubans gained asylum by entering the grounds of the Peruvian embassy. This event would trigger a mass emigration of Cubans to the United States known as the Mariel boatlift. Alberto Godoy was among those 10,000.
Godoy is a self-taught artist known for his paintings of large rotund figures in varying states of daily life with a marked Caribbean flare; all mundane characters present in Godoy’s works and reflect his good-natured humor.
When Godoy first arrived in Houston, he had to work hard to make ends meet and assimilate into the United States. He did not speak English and could not bring anything with him from Cuba. It wasn’t until five years into his Houston life that he started his first painting, and just like that, he got hooked. Godoy began working in his signature style, featuring his large rotund figures in 1993. Godoy says,
His Hispanic heritage is proudly represented in his work.
“At first, I was painting anything that came to mind. Then my style came to me. It felt good, and I knew it was mine. I was creating myself.” Central to his work, Godoy believes that “perfection is found in the spherical nature of the universe.” Thus, his figures have an exaggerated volume and roundness that reflect his admiration of the sphere.
Godoy’s process starts with his sketchpad, where he completes daily charcoal drawings. Once he knows his theme, Godoy will work on several canvases simultaneously (usually up to 3-4). His characters perform everyday rituals or fill roles as workers familiar to us— a professor, a lawyer, a comical Don Quixote, figures in various states of relaxation like playing dominos or sitting at the beach. Viewers of the paintings can place themselves in these mundane situations. Regardless of the circumstances, these characters exhibit a sense of dignity.
Godoy is currently working on a series of new bronze sculptures of his figures and will be releasing his long-awaited coffee table book this year. The monograph is a complete retrospective of Godoy’s work published by ArtPub, a division of ArtHouston. Where the designer John Bernhard alleged, “I did not want to approach the layout chronologically, but rather create a well-thought flow of art in response to his work and life. As you peruse the pages, you will get the mood and scope of Godoy’s vision.”
Godoy’s visions and life are part lesson and part education. A cultural mix filled with fortitude and relentless strength to find his unique human dimension and very personal style
*****
Photo credit: Courtesy of Alberto Godoy
Editor’s pick: Godoy is a self-taught artist known for his paintings of large rotund figures in varying states of daily life with a marked Caribbean flare