Mai Onno, de alma entera en su pintura. Consecuencia de una creadora que en su rotunda madurez artística expresa la sabiduría de existir. Con la fuerza del sentimiento y el poder de la razón, Mai vacía en sus imágenes el fluido inmaterial de su vivir cotidiano. La absolutidad se desvanece, los opuestos pueden convivir. A los gritos de óleo negro y despiadadas texturas rojas le suceden amarillas redondeces, gotas de vida vagando entre las alas luminosas de los pájaros. Mai, libre de la intención estructurada por mostrar un único concepto, enseña, con su obra, la desnudez de su alma. Cada cuadro es una puerta entreabierta a su sagrario. Dentro el placer corta, se vuelve doloroso y el dolor atrapa visos de solaz. Franz Kafka pensaba que los libros deberían de ser hachas que partieran el mar helado que llevamos dentro. Mai Onno hace de su pintura un estilete que atraviesa el corazón.
Laura Hernández Sadurni. San Miguel de Allende, México
Mai Onno, with all her soul in her paintings. The consequence of a creator that her full artistic maturity shows the wisdom of being. With the strength of feeling and the power of reason, Mai molds into her images the immaterial fluid of her daily living. The absolute spreads, the opposites can live together. The cries of black oils and red unmerciful textures followed by yellow rounding’s, drops of life wandering among the lighted wings of the birds. Mai, free from the structured intention of showing a sole concept, points out with her artwork the nakedness of her soul. each painting is a half open door to her sacrarium. Deep inside the pleasure cuts, turns painful, and grabs glares of solace. Franz Kafka believed that books should be axes that could cut the iced sea that we carry inside. Mai Onno makes out of her painting a stiletto that pierces the heart.
Laura Hernandez Sadurni. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
ACERCA ABOUT
1934 Born in Estonia
1948 Emigrated to Canada
1956-57 Studied at H.B. Beal Technical School, London, Ont. Canada
1957-60 Studies Bellas Artes, Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Travels through Mexico & Central America
1962 Married with Sculptor/Professor Lothar Kestenbaum
1962-64 Lived in Rome, Italy. Traveled extensively in Europe.
1964 Fall semester in University of California, Santa Barbara
1965 Moved to Milwaukee, Wis. Lothar becomes associate professor of University of Wisconsin. Son, David, born in 1965
1971 Returned to Mexico. Lothar iniciates the department of sculpture in the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, INBA, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Various years spent in the construction of our home.
1995 Death Lothar Kestenbaum
EXPOSICIONES INDIVIDUALES SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2003 Galería Carlos MuRo, San Miguel de Allende, México
2002 Museo de la Ciudad, Santiago de Queretaro, México
2001 “Obras” INBA, Centro Cultural El Nigromante, San Miguel de Allende, México
1999 University of Guanajuato, Polivalente Hall, Hermengildo Buston Hall, Guanajuato, Gto. “Familia Feliz”(January)
1999 “Tres Desafíos Plásticos”, City Museum, Querétaro, Querétaro (July)
1992-93
1995,97 Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1991 La Pérgola Gallery, Instituto Alllende, San Miguel de Allende, México
1988-90 Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1987 Museum of Modern Art, México, DF
1980,
1985-87 Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1980 Museo Biblioteca Papé, Monclova, Coahuila, México
1979 Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, INBA, México, DF
1978 Cultual Center El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1976 Nancy Pools’s Studio, Toronto, Canada
1976 Nancy Pools’s Studio, London, Ontario, Canada
1975 Cultual Center El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1969 Pecanins Gallery, México,DF
1965 Jewish Community Center, Milwaukee, Wis., USA
1965 Ankrum Gallery, Los Angeles, Ca., USA
1961 Ankrum Gallery, Los Angeles, Ca., USA
1960 London Art Museum, Fred Landon Library, London, Ontario, Canada
1959 Instituto Gallery, Instituto Allende, San Miguel Allende, México
EXPOSICIONES COLECTIVAS COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS
2001 “En Busca del Paraíso”, Museo de la Ciudad, Querétaro, Mexico
2000 “Abstracto”, Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
2000-01 Fundación Ayuda infantil, Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1999 Celebración, Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1999 Museo del Pueblo, Becarios del FONCA, Guanajuato, Gto.
1998 Bealart, London Regional Art & Historical Museum, London, Ontario, Canada
1995 Canadian Reflections, Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, México
1994 Canadian Painters, Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, México
1992 Canadian Painters, Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, México
1992 Convergencia de Pintores, Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1991 “40 Years of Art”, Pérgola Gallery, Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, México
1990 “40 Years of Art”, Pérgola Gallery, Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, México
1980-85,
1990 Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1979 Gallery Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, México
1978 Plástica de San Miguel, Galería Tierra Adentro, INBA, México, DF
1972,73 Centro Cultural El Nigromante, INBA, San Miguel de Allende, México
1972 Galería Pecanins, México, DF
1971 Horizon Gallery, Rockport, Mass., USA
1971 Misrachi Gallery, México, DF
1970 Galería San Miguel, San Miguel de Allende, México
1969 Bradley Gallery Artists, Rahr Civic Center, Manitowac, Wis., USA
1962 Instituto Mexicano-Norteamericano de Relaciones Culturales, México, DF
1962 IV San Miguel de Allende Annual Exposition, San Miguel de Allende, México
1959 II San Miguel de Allende Annual Exposition, San Miguel de Allende, México
1958 Anglo-Mexican Cultural Institute, México, DF
COLECCIONES COLLECTIONS
• FONCA, State of Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
• Museo de la Ciudad, Santiago de Queretaro, Qro., Mexico
• Mr. Hal Papé, México
• Mr. Ronald Thomae, México
• Mr. & Mrs. Berndt Wilmanns, Mexico
BECAS Y DISTINCIONES SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS
1998-99 Grant from FONCA, Guanajuato State, in the category of Artist with Trajectory
1962 First Prize in the 4th National Exhibition of Painting. Judged by Rufino Tamayo
1959-60 Resident Scholarship from Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Gto.
1958-59 Scholarship from Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Gto.
1957-58 Scholarship from Latham Foundation for Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Gto.
BIBLIOGRAFÍA BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Magdeil Pérez, interview with Mai Onno, “The soul of nature made women in the mirror of painting”. Hojalata, 1994
• Alejandra Hernández Arrellano, “Lothar & Mai, Sculpture & Painting, the fusion of the two arts” – Femenina, Nuevo Laredo, September 12, 1993
• Ma. Elena Mayadamus J., “The amazing worlds of Lothar & Mai Onno”, El Universal, Mexico, DF, December 6, 1986
• Luis Carlos Emerich, “Two spontaneous natures, Lothar Kestenbaum & Mai Onno”, Novedades, Mexico, DF, Jan 7, 1987
OTROS MEDIOS OTHER MEDIUMS
• Channel 3, Cablevision, Interview with Carlos Rangel, San Miguel de Allende, Jan 1997
• Radio Guanajuato, Interview, January 26, 1999