Gutman's instinctive direction towards geometric abstraction confirms Worringer's statement that abstraction is, "a primary expression of the shaping will and perhaps of all art," which gives to young artists the substantiation they need. For Gutman, the abstract idea of creation inherent in the symbolic content of words is in itself the justification. "My motivations (readings, thoughts, search for an identity) coincide naturally, and not as a pretext, with the outline of my work, besides being fully expressed in it. I am particularly interested in the Kabbalah, in the concept that the world was created with letters and the magical significance of letters and numbers in the Hebrew alphabet. So I clearly understand that my inclination towards Constructivism was not casual."

Gutman's paintings and wall reliefs are austere, and earthy in color. Applying paint with a spatula, he creates a rich surface accentuated by varying hues and tones of the same color. Gutman engraves Hebrew letters in his work, "for their visual presence, and for their plastic function," but acknowledges that these letters have a symbolic value. For example, the letter "beit" adds meaning of great significance for him as it represents a dwelling place, a house, and a habitat for the spirit.

Gutman incorporates found objects, furniture parts, and wood scarred by previous use in his works. His integration of a saw, or a faucet, a knob handle or a keyhole in some of his recent pieces, should not be interpreted literally. They are perfect forms in themselves, which Gutman appreciates because of the oneness between their shape and function. Painted the same color of the panel where they are placed, these objects bring everyday life into his elegant abstractions. In a striking ochre and white triptych, iron pipes nestled in a groove, form geometric lines that lead the eye from one panel to the next. The forceful physical presence of the pipes, making right angle turns by way of corner elbows, contrasts with the painted delicacy of the surrounding surface.

Sergio Gutman was born in Mexico City, to first generation parents of Lithuanian and Ukrainian immigrants. Gutman studied philosophy at the University of Mexico and art in Barcelona at the EINA Institute where he met the Catalan painters Rafols Casamada, Joseph Guinovart and Federic Amat, who had a strong influence on his work. It was at the Cercle Artistic Sant Lluc, where in 1985 he took life-drawing classes, that he met the young artist Bruno Fonseca, the first son of Gonzalo Fonseca, a painter and sculptor from Uruguay, who worked with Torres-García in the 1940's. "Bruno tried to introduce me to the writings of Torres-García, but I resisted, thinking that since it was something that had been already done, it would limit my creative expression. But when I finally started reading Universalismo Constructivo, I was struck by how clearly Torres-García wrote about painting and how coherent is his system of ideas."

It is not a coincidence that he found the writings of Torres-García so akin to his tendencies. Philosophy and art have been Gutman's main interests, yet it took him time and considerable struggle to bring them together. "I feel that both are now resolved in my present work," he says today. But the construction of his own artistic identity and plastic language, caused him to search through his cultural and religious heritage. This difficult task involved establishing a connection between spiritual convictions and plastic art. Gutman's use of inscribed Hebrew letters, so charged with symbolic content in his abstract geometric work, results in a tour de force. He has succeeded in creating works that integrate the spiritual within a Constructivist oriented aesthetic. Sergio Gutman brings new life to this valuable tradition.

Cecilia de Torres, 2000