The Centro Cultural Taíno Casa del Cordón has hosted a guided tour exploring the Dominican landscape paintings of master artist Guillo Pérez in Santo Domingo.
The event, titled "Guillo in the Dominican Landscape," was organized as part of the temporary exhibition "Dominican Narratives of the Natural and Cultural Landscape," curated by Myrna Guerrero Villalona. The broader exhibition features selected works from the visual arts collection of Banco Popular Dominicano.
Art critic, curator, and poet Abil Peralta Agüero led the guided walkthrough, offering visitors an analysis of the conceptual and pictorial diversity of Pérez, who lived from 1923 to 2014 and remains one of the most prominent figures in 20th-century Dominican visual arts.
Peralta Agüero serves as director of the Museum of Contemporary Drawing of the Dominican Republic and holds memberships in both the International Association of Art Critics and the Dominican Association of Art Critics. Recognized nationally and internationally for his work in aesthetics and art development, he was named Curator of the Year by the Dominican critics' association in 2000.
Artistic vision and nature
Throughout his career, Pérez gave special attention to the Dominican countryside, using multiple conceptual and painterly registers to examine the relationship between nature and national cultural identity. Critics have noted that natural elements were not merely decorative backdrops in his compositions, but rather a central vehicle for a poetic and expressionist interpretation of his surroundings.
According to art critics, the painter built a stylized visual language that captured the soul of the country while highlighting the coexistence between human life and nature. For Pérez, contemplating the natural environment was an emotional and spiritual experience, giving his landscapes a sense of serenity, transcendence, memory, and personal feeling.
Dialogue between creators
The exhibition places Pérez in direct dialogue with other creators in the Banco Popular collection who have interpreted the Dominican territory and its cultural symbols. A central focal point of the tour was Pérez's acrylic on canvas titled Mata de plátano, or Plantain Tree, which forms part of the display.
Standing before Mata de plátano, Peralta Agüero shared his interpretation of how the Dominican landscape is rendered across the artist's career. He highlighted the painter's use of color as one of his most distinctive traits, marked by an intense, warm, and luminous chromatic palette.
Background and cultural context
Casa del Cordón, located in the historic Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, is widely recognized as one of the oldest European-built stone houses in the Americas. Constructed in the early 16th century, the building derives its name from the stone cord of the Franciscan order carved above its front entrance. Today, the restored structure operates as a premier cultural venue promoting historic knowledge, fine arts, and heritage dialogue in the Caribbean.
Guillo Pérez, born Guillermo Pérez Chicón, was one of the most prolific Dominican painters of his generation. Known for his thick impasto, vibrant colors, and expressive brushwork, he served as director of the School of Fine Arts in Santo Domingo and La Vega, leaving an enduring imprint on generations of Caribbean artists.
Banco Popular Dominicano, established in 1963, is a prominent commercial bank in the Dominican Republic. Through its corporate visual arts collection, the institution actively preserves national heritage by acquiring significant works of art and organizing public cultural initiatives.
Cultural programming
The guided tour forms part of the regular cultural programming presented by the Centro Cultural Taíno Casa del Cordón to deepen public understanding of regional art, history, and shared cultural heritage.
