A major exhibition by master artist David Manzur is coming to Casa MÁS in Bogota. The show includes some of his most emblematic pieces from his famous series on St. George and the dragon, in which the artist transforms a religious myth into a metaphor about the human condition. This exhibition is the result of a collaboration between Casa MÁS and Duque Arango Galería, which has accompanied the artist at different moments of his career.
The Legend of St. George and the Dragon – David Manzur
St. George and the dragon is one of David Manzur’s most recognized series. Inspired by the legend of the Christian martyr who defeats a monstrous creature, Manzur appropriates this story to turn it into a theatrical scene. In his canvases, St. George is no longer just the hero who saves a city, but an enigmatic, solitary, almost static figure, fighting against a threat that is more symbolic than literal: fear, chaos, violence.
In Manzur’s own words, St. George is a motif that is constantly reinventing itself. He does not represent a specific figure or a historical episode; he is a universal image, oblivious to time, which allows the viewer to confront his own inner dilemmas. Its combat is not epic, but silent and inevitable. This reinterpretation allows Manzur to create a visual narrative where introspection replaces grandiloquence.
Manzur’s visual language: between the icon and the stage
One of David Manzur’s great qualities is his ability to construct images that contain multiple layers of interpretation. His works are not limited to figurative representation; they are loaded with symbolism and tension.
The violence is not explicit, but contained. There is an aesthetic of the threshold: more is suggested than is shown, and that suggestion provokes an intense emotional experience. The viewer is not confronted with a closed story, but with an image that interpellates from the mystery. This ability to combine impeccable technical execution with a profound symbolic charge has made Manzur one of the most respected artists of his generation.
A trajectory that marked the history of Colombian art
Born in Neira (Caldas) in 1929, David Manzur has been present in much of the transformation of art in Colombia and Latin America. His career, which spans more than seven decades, has been characterized by a constant, rigorous search that moves between drawing, painting and formal research. He studied at the Art Students League and the Pratt Institute in New York, and his training provided him with solid tools that he later channeled into a deeply personal proposal.
Throughout his life, Manzur has received multiple awards and has represented Colombia in important international events, such as the São Paulo Biennial and the Venice Biennial. His work is part of institutional and private collections in the Americas, Europe and Asia. In addition, he has been an influential figure for several generations of artists, not only for his work, but also for his disciplined thinking and the ethics of his craft.
Duque Arango Galería and the relationship with the teacher
David Manzur’s exhibition at Casa MÁS is accompanied by Duque Arango Galería, an institution that has worked actively in the dissemination of Colombian art. The relationship between the gallery and Manzur has been close, based on respect for the integrity of his work and the willingness to connect his work with diverse and critical audiences.
Duque Arango has not only promoted the artist’s work in different national and international venues, but has also promoted moments of encounter where Manzur’s art dialogues with new generations of collectors, researchers and spectators. This new exhibition in Bogota is a continuation of that commitment, a way of continuing to build bridges between the master’s legacy and the present of art.
What is Casa MÁS?
Casa MÁS is one of the most recent and innovative cultural spaces in Bogotá. Conceived as a center for art, architecture and interdisciplinary thought, it seeks to promote experiences that go beyond aesthetic contemplation. Through exhibitions, conversations, laboratories and curatorial collaborations, Casa MÁS projects itself as a place where contemporary practices dialogue with history and critical reflection.
Located in a restored heritage house, Casa MÁS’s proposal combines sober architecture with a dynamic program that invites visitors to explore art from multiple perspectives. Its working model is based on strategic alliances with galleries, artists, institutions and cultural agents, thus consolidating a diverse ecosystem that favors collective thinking.
An event for art in Colombia
David Manzur’s arrival at Casa MÁS is a major event in the Colombian cultural panorama. Bringing together a significant body of his work in a space that privileges dialogue and depth represents an unparalleled opportunity to revisit the history of art in the country from a contemporary perspective.
This exhibition is also a way of celebrating the constancy of an artist who has made painting an exercise in knowledge. In his own words, the San Jorge series does not obey repetition, but a constant search. And it is precisely this constancy that has made David Manzur an essential figure in Latin American art.
