visual artist
MEET THE ARTIST
MIRTA MELTZER
With regards to the experience of ‘principle”, the Tao says:
“its emptiness is it’s efficiency, the reason for its depth.
Suspended, great unfathomable vessel,
margins immense interminable, unknown, unnamed.”
In the sensation of the vacuum, I can feel infinity’s life.
I discover the sign of my identity,
the manner of structuring my space. Allways in the present moment,
I like to work in series developing an idea to the end.
My own searching nature in permanent motion, takes me to another reality,
discovering in objects a transparency that brings me closer to the pure consistency of things, thus, a handcrafted paper, a feather or texture, suggest unveiling their secrets,
and I enjoy the challenge of developing them.
Mirta Meltzer discovered her path in life through art at the early age of nine. An accomplished artist in mixed media, Mirta has exhibited her work for over 40 years in international group and solo shows. She creates unique canvasses, art boxes, art books, prints, and specialty papers.
She studied Fine Art in Buenos Aires and attended workshops of great masters in drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mirta moved to Washington DC, in 1996. She is a former art teacher in the Washington metropolitan area. She published two bilingual children’s books My Hands, Mis Manos and A Wonderful World, Un Mundo Maravilloso, and illustrated several children’s books in Spain and the USA. Her work is displayed in public and private collections around the world.
AWARDS
1991 Special Mention from the Jury to the Best Experimental Printmaking Technique, Municipal Exhibition of Lujan, Buenos Aires.
1990 Mention in Printmaking. Municipal Exhibition of Lanus, Buenos Aires.
Prize Alianza Francesa of Santa Fe, National Exhibit, Rosa Galisteo de Rodriguez Art Museum, Santa Fe Province.
1989 Mention in Printmaking - IV Exhibition “Actualidad en el Arte”. Buenos Aires.
Mention in Printmaking - IV Exhibition “Mariano Moreno” Bernal, Buenos Aires.
Prize Exhibition San Isidro Artists Society, Buenos Aires.
1986 Mention in Printmaking- Fall Exhibition, Argentine Artists Society, Buenos Aires.
1985 Mention in Printmaking - Springtime Exhibition, Argentine Artists Society, Buenos Aires.
1983 Mention of Honor, Prize Buenos Aires Cultural Circuit, Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires.
1978 Mention in Painting, New Promotions Exhibition at Stimulus Society of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
2003 Studio 7 at Gala Theater .Washington DC.
2001 Voices of the Soul. Studio 7 at Gala Theater .Washington DC.
2000 Voices of Women. District of Columbia Jewish Community Center Washington DC.
1999 " Paperwork" Art Exhibition 'The American Gallery. New York.
1998 Art Exhibition Panamerican Health Organization, Washington D.C.
1997 “Dream About Spring in Winter” Moriah Art Gallery. Bethesda, MD.
1996 Inter-American Development Bank, Staff Association Art Gallery. Washington DC.
“Magic Boxes”, Nicholas Davies & Company, Art Gallery New York.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS IN ARGENTINA
2004 “Dame Tu Mano” National Printmaking Museum, Buenos Aires.
1993 “Memorias del Pasado, Miradas Presentes - Memories from the Past, Views from the Present- National Gallery Buenos Aires.
1992 “Signs & Paper, experimental graphic art on handmade paper. Recoleta Cultural Center, sponsored by the Printmaking Museum.
1991 The Loft Gallery, sponsored by Printmaking Museum of Buenos Aires.
Stamps on handmade paper.
1989 Esteban Lisa Foundation Art Gallery.
1985 “Manzana de las Luces”, Historical site, Buenos Aires.
1984 Hilda Solano, Art Gallery, Buenos Aires.
1983 Municipal Cultural House of Vicente Lopez.
“La Porte Ouverte” Art Gallery, Fortabat Cultural Center.
1980 Fra Angelico, Art Gallery, Buenos Aires.
Witcomb Art Gallery, Buenos Aires.
1979 Lirolay Art Gallery, Buenos Aires.
1978 Lirolay Art Gallery, Buenos Aires.
SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS INTERNATIONAL
2021 Brave Spaces, Sebros - Forbes Cultural Arts Center Kensington, MD, USA
2020 The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Art Bank, DC Art Now 2020 USA
The Resilience Project. Online Exhibition by International Visions Art & Consulting, Washington DC USA
2019 Colorida Art Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal.
2001/2/3/4 Art For Life, Whitman Walker Clinic. Washington DC. USA
2001 Exhibition 9/11/01, Gormley Gallery, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, USA.
2000 "I Carry My Roots With Me. DCJCC. Washington DC. USA
2000/1999/98/97 “Art For Life”Whitman Walker Clinic (Office of Latino Affaris) Washington DC. USA
1997 “Encounters and Traditions” Charles Summer School Museum, Washington D.C. USA
“Six Women Six Expressions”Martin Luther King Memorial Library, Washington D.C. USA
1997 “Continuum Memory in Motion”, An Loeb Bronfmar Gallery – District of Columbia Jewish Community Center, Washington D.C. USA
1996 Papel & Papel, National Museum of Central Bank, Ecuador
1995/96 Books as Art VIII, The Library and Research Center, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C., U.S.A.
1994/95 Books as Art VII, The Library and Research Center, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C., U.S.A.
1995 XI Biennial of San Juan of Puerto Rico, Latin-American and Caribbean Printmaking. Puerto Rico
1994 Ibero-American Art Exhibition, Washington D.C.
1993 X Biennial of San Juan of Puerto Rico, Latin-American and Caribbean Printmaking, Puerto Rico.
1992 MIG 92 International Exhibition of small stamps, Cultural Association “El Cazerón” Getafe Madrid, Spain.
1990 CIPE 90 International Exhibition of small stamps, Biennial of La Havana, Cuba.
1986 Latin-American Biennial of Art on Paper, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1981 Contemporary Argentinean Artists, Joinville, Curitiba and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS IN ARGENTINA
2020 “Lunatica” Paseo de las Artes, Pedro deMendoza, Anden 2222 Cultural Foundation.
1997 “The Spirit of the Hive” Recoleta Cultural Center, Buenos Aires.
1996 Paper Mills, Municipal Museum of Modern Art, Mendoza.
1995 Manuel Belgrano, Municipal Exhibition, Eduardo Sivori Museum, Buenos Aires.
“Art as Paper” Recoleta Cultural Center, Buenos Aires.
1994 National Exhibition of Drawing and Printmaking - experimental techniques - San Juan. National Printmaking Museum, small stamps exhibition. “Art Paper” National Museum of Decorative Art, Buenos Aires. “A.E.I.U.O.” “Pandora”, Art Boxes”, Recoleta Cultural Center, Buenos Aires. “20 Pintoras Argentinas”, Art Gallery, “La Porte Ouverte” Fortabat Cultural Center, Buenos Aires. “Arteba” Art Gallery Exhibition, Madison Art Gallery, Recoleta Cultural Center, Buenos Aires.
1993 Monoprints from Argentinean Artists at Museum of Fine Art and the National Printmaking Museum, Buenos Aires. National Exhibition of Drawing and Printmaking - experimental techniques - Quinquela Martin Exhibition - Printmaking and Painting-.
1992 National Exhibition of Drawing and Printmaking - Monoprint and Printmaking- Neuquen, Argentina.
1991 Municipal Exhibition of Lujan.
1991 Prize Kolar, National Printmaking Museum. National Exhibition of Drawing and Printmaking -Experimental Techniques-
1990 National Exhibition of Santa Fe -Printmaking- National Exhibition of Drawing and Printmaking
1989 National Exhibition of Drawing and Printmaking -Monoprints and Experimental Techniques- Buenos Aires.
1988 Cultural Center Las Malvinas.
1987 French Alliance Art Gallery, Martinez, Buenos. Cultural House of Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires. Manzana de las Luces, Historical site, Buenos Aires.
1984 Centro Ex-bancarios de la O.E.A. Buenos Aires City.
1982 Municipal Cultural Center of Tigre, Romulo Raggio Museum.
PUBLIC COLLECTION
National Museum of Women in the Arts – U.S.A
Tigre Cultural Center - Argentina
National Printmaking Museum - Argentina
Museum of Modern Art, Mendoza - Argentina
Tama Art University, Tokyo - Japan
Cultural Institute of Puerto Rico
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
United Airlines, Boston and Washington DC, IMF Washington DC, Crown Plaza Hotel Palm Beach Florida, Concordia Hotel, Washington DC and in private collections around the world.
THE ART CRITICS SAY:
When Less is More
by Alfredo Cernadas Quesada, Buenos Aires Herald
…Meltzer has turned out objects and etchings that are spontaneous, beautiful and moving. The final shapes of which are dictated by their own textural or volumetric traits rather than by the artist's whim.
But let's give credit where it's due: in less talented hands they would just be pieces of wood, iron, leaves, feathers or sea shells just put together in black, glass topped boxes rather than delicate assemblages of the Mar y Bosque series. She obtains equally magic results with even scarcer means in other series generally presented in triptychs, suspended on black backgrounds… It is dramatic, very simple and it clearly shows the importance of the chosen medium (home made paper), the eloquence of whose texture and shape already has its own visual language and doesn't demand nor need much else on its surface. The creator's talent lies on what she leaves out rather than on what she includes. Not an easy choice, but worth the try, for when there's talent, less is more.
Paper and Sign
by Raul Santana, Buenos Aires
Mirta Meltzer’s works are a territory of wonders: they do not carry ideas, sketches or prior visions, but rather they behave like recipients where her images will grow as a result of a close dialogue with the material. Meltzer’s creations spring up from an elaborate game in which the exercise of her flowing attention rescues or discards the elements that will finally be components in her vision. A sign, a texture, something added in the fashion of collage, all will be elements that, in a secret ceremony, almost a ritual, will be displayed on the surface to introduce the observer to a hermetic world view and feeling that, if sometimes is dramatic, most of the time is a celebration.
Memories of the Past- Present Views
by Julio Sapollnik, Buenos Aires
This is how contemporary art becomes a fascinating adventure; its expressive possibilities are infinite and related to the artist’s creative resources. The work of art turns into an action which does not consist in “pulling to find” but in “remaining to develop… Mirta chose diverse techniques for the different images. She could do a series of ten works which started from mere dispossession until causing the greatest visual contemplation…What does this inner call to broaden the creative horizon respond to? A need made her present a series of boxes which enabled her to keep in custody certain elements not destined for immediate use. For most people, the things remain there and do not need to be looked by the others, They are simply kept. But for the artist who presents her boxes, they communicate a hidden and mysterious inner feeling of a past time which is revealed as present…. Nothing is as it was before; the tension created by the microclimate gives the assembled ancient elements the wonder of what is new. She feels faithful only to herself when trying to build a language based in the essence of silence.
Windows in Space
by Elena Oliveras, Buenos Aires
Installations at The National Halls of Art.
In tune with an international trend, several painters and sculptors among us have felt the need to express themselves by “installations,” transforming the neutral museum or galleries space into active stages where they display their work. Such is the case of Mirta Meltzer, who now exhibits her creations on the second floor at the National Gallery (Posadas 1725). Her work in mixed media, classifiable as informalism, breaks free of the pictorial limitations to spill on the environment that contains them. They not only cover the walls but also extend into the space and incorporate it as yet another – immaterial - material. Meltzer’s handmade paper is not longer secondary elements; they become the main protagonist. She opens a window/door so that, if properly positioned within its frame, we can see a set of boxes containing different objects and fragments of her works on paper. The whole installation conveys the fragmentary character of objects, facts, and even the artist herself. And this is, precisely, the fundamental concept of her dissemination through space.