Lygia Clark: The Poetic Alchemist of Brazilian Art
NEO-CONCRETE ART MOVEMENTE
In the tapestry of Brazil’s rich artistic heritage, the name Lygia Clark shines as a beacon of innovation and poetic expression. Born in 1920 in the coastal city of Belo Horizonte, Clark’s artistic journey was one of constant reinvention, a relentless pursuit of new forms and mediums that challenged the boundaries of art itself.
Clark’s early works, rooted in the European avant-garde movements of the early 20th century, displayed a mastery of geometric abstraction and a profound understanding of form and color. Her paintings from this period were striking in their simplicity, yet they harbored a depth of emotion and a subtle complexity that belied their minimalist aesthetic.
It was in the 1960s, however, that Clark’s art took a radical turn, propelling her into the vanguard of the Brazilian avant-garde. Dissatisfied with the constraints of traditional painting and sculpture, she began to explore new territories, blurring the lines between art and life, and inviting viewers to become active participants in the creative process.
Her “Bichos” series, comprised of hinged metal sculptures that could be manipulated and rearranged, challenged the very notion of art as a static, unchanging entity. These kinetic works invited viewers to engage with the sculptures, to explore their infinite permutations, and to experience the act of creation as a dynamic, ever-evolving process.
But Clark’s innovations didn’t stop there. In the late 1960s, she delved into the realm of “sensorial objects,” creating interactive installations that engaged all five senses. Her “Caminhando” (Walking) invited participants to remove their shoes and walk through a path lined with various textures and materials, awakening their sense of touch and redefining the boundaries of artistic experience.
Clark’s most celebrated works, however, were her “Estruturação do Self” (Structuring the Self) series, in which she explored the profound connections between art, psychology, and human experience. These participatory performances and installations were designed to facilitate self-discovery and emotional catharsis, challenging participants to confront their inner selves and embrace the transformative power of artistic expression.
Throughout her career, Clark remained a tireless explorer, constantly pushing the boundaries of her craft and defying the conventions of the art world. Her works were not merely aesthetic exercises but rather poetic investigations into the very nature of human existence, inviting viewers to engage with art on a deeply personal and intimate level.
Today, Lygia Clark’s legacy resonates across the globe, inspiring generations of artists to embrace experimentation and to challenge the boundaries of their medium. Her works stand as a testament to the boundless potential of the human spirit, a reminder that art can transcend the physical realm and touch the very depths of our being.
In the annals of Brazilian art, Lygia Clark remains a singular force, a poetic alchemist who transmuted the raw materials of life into profound works of beauty and self-discovery. Her vision continues to inspire, inviting us to embark on our own journeys of creative exploration and to experience the world anew through the lens of her boundless imagination.
Hélio Oiticica: The Revolutionary Vanguard of Brazilian Art
In the realm of Brazilian art, few names resonate with as much avant-garde brilliance as Hélio Oiticica. Born in 1937 in Rio de Janeiro, Oiticica was a visionary artist whose groundbreaking works challenged the very boundaries of artistic expression, propelling Brazil’s cultural landscape into uncharted territories.
From an early age, Oiticica displayed an insatiable curiosity and a relentless drive to push the limits of creativity. His formative years were spent immersed in the vibrant intellectual circles of Rio, where he engaged with the ideas of modernist thinkers and artists, laying the foundation for his own revolutionary aesthetic.
Metaesquema 1958 Hélio Oiticica 1937-1980 Purchased with funds provided by Mr & Mrs Franck Petitgas 2007 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T12419
It was in the late 1950s that Oiticica’s artistic journey took a radical turn, as he began to question the traditional confines of painting and sculpture. Rejecting the constraints of the canvas and the pedestal, he embarked on a quest to create art that transcended the boundaries of physical space, inviting viewers to become active participants in the artistic experience.
One of Oiticica’s most iconic works, the “Parangolés,” exemplified this radical shift. These wearable sculptures, constructed from vibrant fabrics, plastics, and found materials, were meant to be donned and danced in, transforming the viewer into a living, breathing extension of the artwork itself. The “Parangolés” challenged the very notion of art as a static, passive entity, inviting viewers to engage with the work on a visceral, multi-sensory level.
Oiticica’s innovations didn’t stop there. His “Penetráveis” were immersive environments constructed from various materials, inviting viewers to physically enter and explore the space, blurring the lines between art and life. These installations were not mere visual spectacles but rather multidimensional experiences that engaged all the senses, challenging the viewer’s perceptions of reality and the very nature of artistic expression.
Throughout his career, Oiticica remained a tireless experimenter, constantly pushing the boundaries of his craft. He collaborated with poets, musicians, and dancers, exploring the intersections of various artistic disciplines and creating works that defied categorization. His influence extended far beyond the confines of Brazil, inspiring generations of artists around the world to rethink the role of art in society and its potential to transform human experience.
Tragically, Oiticica’s life was cut short in 1980, but his legacy lives on, a testament to the power of creativity and the indomitable spirit of the Brazilian avant-garde. His works continue to challenge and inspire, serving as a reminder that art is not a static endeavor but a living, breathing force that has the power to reshape our perceptions and push the boundaries of human expression.
In the annals of Brazilian art, Hélio Oiticica stands as a revolutionary vanguard, a fearless innovator who dared to dream beyond the confines of convention. His visionary works continue to resonate, inviting us to explore the depths of our senses and experience the world anew through the lens of his boundless creativity.
The Brilliant Brushstrokes of Hércules Barsotti: A Journey into Brazilian Expressionism
In the vivid tapestry of Brazilian art, the name Hércules Barsotti stands out as a beacon of expressive brilliance. Born in 1914 in the city of Campinas, São Paulo, Barsotti’s artistic journey took him from the depths of poverty to the pinnacles of artistic acclaim, leaving an indelible mark on the nation’s cultural landscape.
Barsotti’s early years were marked by hardship, as he grew up in a family of meager means. However, this adversity only fueled his creative fire, and he found solace in the act of painting, turning the canvas into a sanctuary where he could escape the harsh realities of life. His first forays into art were self-taught, as he experimented with various techniques and mediums, honing his skills with an unwavering determination.
It was during the 1940s that Barsotti’s unique style began to take shape, influenced by the vibrant colors and bold strokes of the Expressionist movement. He developed a distinct approach to painting, one that rejected the constraints of traditional representation in favor of a more visceral and emotive expression. His canvases became fields of intense energy, where figures and landscapes seemed to pulsate with raw emotion.
Barsotti’s works were not merely visual spectacles; they were portals into the depths of the human condition. His brushstrokes conveyed a remarkable range of emotions, from the anguish of existential turmoil to the ecstasy of spiritual transcendence. Each painting was a symphony of color and movement, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the artist’s psyche and experience the world through his unique lens.
One of Barsotti’s most renowned series, “Brasílias,” exemplifies his mastery of expressionist techniques. In these works, the artist captured the essence of Brazil’s capital city, Brasília, with its bold architectural forms and vibrant energy. The canvases burst with a kaleidoscope of hues, depicting the city as a living, breathing entity, pulsing with the rhythm of modernity and progress.
Beyond his artistic achievements, Barsotti’s legacy extends to his role as an educator and mentor. He dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation of Brazilian artists, sharing his knowledge and passion with students at the renowned University of Brasília. His influence can be traced in the works of countless contemporary artists who have been inspired by his bold vision and unwavering commitment to artistic expression.
Today, Hércules Barsotti’s paintings adorn the walls of prestigious museums and private collections around the world, serving as a testament to the enduring power of Brazilian expressionism. His canvases continue to captivate audiences, inviting them to explore the depths of human emotion and experience the world through the eyes of a true master. In the annals of Brazilian art, Barsotti’s name shines as a beacon of creativity, passion, and the unwavering pursuit of artistic truth.
The Neo-Concrete Movement (1959–61) was a Brazilian art movement, a group that splintered off from the larger Concrete Art movement prevalent in Latin America and in other parts of the world. The Neo-Concretes emerged from Rio de Janeiro’s Grupo Frente. They rejected the pure rationalist approach of concrete art and embraced a more phenomenological and less scientific art. Ferreira Gullar inspired Neo-Concrete philosophy through his essay “Theory of the Non-Object” (1959) and wrote the “Neo-Concrete Manifesto” (1959) which outlines what Neo-Concrete art should be. Lygia Clark, Hélio Oiticica, and Lygia Pape were among the primary leaders of this movement.
The Neo-Concrete Manifesto and the push against Concretism
Brazilian poet and writer Ferreira Gullar wrote the Neo-Concrete Manifesto in 1959 and described a work of art as “something which amounts to more than the sum of its constituent elements; something which analysis may break down into various elements but which can only be understood phenomenologically.”
In contrast to the Concrete Art movement, Gullar was calling for an art that was not based upon rationalism or in pursuit of pure form. He sought works of art that became active once the viewer was involved. Neo-concrete art must disassemble the limitations of the object and “express complex human realities.”
While Concretism built its art upon the basis of logic and objective knowledge with color, space, and form conveying universalism and objectivity, the Neo-Concrete artists saw colors, space, and form as “not [belonging] to this or that artistic language, but to the living and indeterminate experience of man.”
Though Neo-Concrete Art still maintained Concretism as the foundation for their ideas, Neo-Concretists believed objectivity and mathematical principles alone could not accomplish the Concretist goal of creating a transcendental visual language.
Neo-Concretists believed that artworks were not simply static representations or forms; rather “art should be like living organisms”
In Lygia Clark’s theoretical statement written to address the intentions of the Neo-Concrete artists, she explains that as artists they wish to “found a new, expressive ‘space’.”
This movement believed that through a direct relationship between the artwork and the viewer this “new, expressive ‘space’” could be constructed.
Neo-Concrete artists sought to create a multi-sensorial space which caused the spectator to feel more acutely their own body and existence.
Clark also wrote of how Neo-Concretism sought to decipher the nature of humanity by creating a “medium of expression” which allowed people to “become aware of unity as an organic, living whole.” It was not just restoring an awareness of the spectator’s body but also of humanity’s communal existence.
The first Neo-Concrete Exhibition was held in Rio de Janeiro in March 1959, and the exhibiting artists were Amilcar de Castro, Ferreira Gullar, Franz Weissmann, Lygia Clark, Lygia Pape, Reynaldo Jardim, and Theon Spanudis.
Hércules Barsotti, 1914 – 2010, São Paulo
Hércules Barsotti
“When I touch one color to another, I realize the relationship between them; at that moment, it is my eye and not my head that decides.” (Hercules Barsotti)
Gradual Affinity I – 1970
Barsotti’s compositions fascinate firstly because of the optical experience that the colors suggest, and then they invite us to reflect. The artist explores the color and dynamism that each one offers, creating an illusion of three-dimensionality from geometric shapes such as diamonds, pentagons and circles. At the invitation of Ferreira Gullar, he became part of the Neoconcreto Group in Rio de Janeiro, and in 2004 the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art organized a retrospective of his works celebrating its 90th anniversary.
Lygia Clark (1920 – 1988), Minas Gerais
Lygia Clark: “dumb thought” – 1971
Pseudonym for Lygia Pimentel Lins, Lygia Clark, when establishing that “art is your act”, founded participatory, interactive and shared art, exchanging paintings for the experience with three-dimensional objects. In her innovative works, she encourages the viewer to participate in the work through sensory experiences, changing the configuration and resulting in a shared work.
animals, 1965
She dedicates herself to the therapeutic art, because by participating in the works, it is possible to open the way to the unconscious and reach the primitive interior, the self, resulting in a revealing self-knowledge, therefore, liberating.
Hélio Oiticica (1937–1980), Rio de Janeiro
The works of Hélio Oiticica, a performance artist, painter and sculptor, range from theoretical-artistic elaborations with the presence of texts, comments and poems, to experiments that require the participation of the public, as Lygia Clark did.
It makes the observer an integral part of his work, acquiring a new dimension and creating the concept of “suprassensory, which proposes experiences with the spectator’s sensorial capacity and dilating it, as well as hallucinogenic drugs.
According to Oiticica, the suprasensorial would lead the individual “to the discovery of his inner creative center, of his dormant expressive spontaneity, conditioned to everyday life”.
Tropicália
Décio Vieira, (1922-1988), Rio de Janeiro
Decio Vieira next to Volpi and Dulce Holzmeister
Décio Vieira participates, in the 1950s, in Grupo Frente, made up of artists with constructive-geometric tendencies. At that time, he articulated space through variations of shapes and colors and distortions of perspective, as in Espaço Constructed, 1954.
In his paintings, he reconciles the geometric construction with the research of chromatic nuances and the use of sfumato, thus creating a game between the definite and the indefinite.
Ivan Serpa (1923–1973), Rio de Janeiro
He was a painter, drawer, teacher, and Brazilian engraver. Since the beginning of his career, Ivan Serpa’s work has oscillated between figurative art and concrete art.
Ivan Serpa (1965) -wikipedia
Between the late 1950s and early 1960s, his work took on new contours, starting to incorporate less determined elements such as gestures, stains and splashes of paint.
In 1960, influenced by children’s drawing, he built images between abstraction and figurative. At that time, he worked as a book restorer at the National Library of Brazil, a work that served as inspiration for the “Anóbios” series, made between 1961 and 1962.
From 1963 onwards, his interest in figuration intensified, producing works such as the Black Series and the Bichos and Mulheres com Bichos series. Some works incorporated lettering and the overlapping of geometric shapes. The production was exhibited in important exhibitions, such as Opinião 65, Opinião 66 and Nova Objetividade Brasileira.
In 1967 he started the Erotic Op series, which marked his return to constructive language. Interested in op art, he returned to geometric construction and well-defined elements, having developed other series with this characteristic, such as Mangueira and Amazônicas.
These works led him to the Arcas, furniture with white shapes inside which, in turn, gave rise to the Geomantic paintings, starting in 1969. He worked on these paintings until 1973, when he died, aged just 49.
La comediante Aida Rodríguez presenta el libro “Hija legítim
La comediante Aida Rodríguez presenta el libro “Hija legítima”
La comediante de origen dominicano y puertorriqueño Aida Rodríguez es una estrella del stand up comedy y está presentando su primer libro, “Hija legítima”, publicado por la editorial Harper Collins Español. En el libro Aida, también conocida como Funny Aida, hace un inspirador y entretenido relato de su vida, que mezcla sinsabores y notables triunfos. La comediante y escritora dice que en la publicación cuenta “cómo encontrar el triunfo en las palabras, la victoria en la risa y el amor a través de todo”. En “Hija legítima”, Aida también aborda temas que afectan a las mujeres inmigrantes y a las personas, en general, como la misoginia y el racismo. La artista se codea con nombres como Jamie Foxx y las cadenas HBO y NBC, y ha sido destacada por el diario The New York Times. “Aida es una potencia latina feroz y una brillante y divertida contadora de historias”, ha comentado su colega John Leguizamo. “Hija legítima” es un divertido y conmovedor libro de memorias basado en un ensayo de la comediante Aida Rodríguez sobre el poder de superar las dificultades y transformar el dolor en risa. Aida Rodríguez ha vivido, por decir poco, una vida de torbellino. La historia de cómo pasó de la pobreza a la opulencia es alucinante. Nacida con un maravilloso ingenio y un espíritu irrefrenable, Aida ha utilizado su talento y ha trabajado sin descanso para convertir la tragedia y el dolor en una comedia mordaz que abarca todo, desde la misoginia y el racismo hasta las redes sociales y los titulares de prensa. Con el tiempo, lanzó un exitoso especial en HBO Max que la llevó a múltiples acuerdos de desarrollo, un logro que le ganó una audiencia nacional, le abrió puertas y la ayudó a expandir la forma en que los latinos están representados en la comedia.
Primera foto credito: Victor Guido. Segunda foto creditos: Sandra Hernández Mirrora
LODO Gallery Ya tenemos ganadora⚡️, tenemos ganadora de nuestra convocatoria, les presentamos a la fotógrafa Sandra Hernández ( @vita_flumen ) Ella es méxico canadiense y cuenta con una prolífica carrera en arquitectura. La fotografía de Sandra se centra en la vida urbana, así como en la relación del ser humano con el entorno y las narrativas que surgen entre ellos.
Primera foto credito: Victor Guido. Segunda foto creditos: Sandra Hernández Mirrora
Echen ojo a este artículo acerca de la LODO Gallery de París, donde en enero tendrá lugar mi próxima exposición individual.
Felicidades a la estupenda Loredana Dall’Amico por esta iniciativa de dedicar su galería a la fotografía latinoamericana.
(Mil gracias por las fotos, Lourdes Almeida.)
Sandra Hernández Mirrora
¿Quién soy? ¿Adónde voy? Son preguntas que nos asaltan en diferentes momentos de nuestra vida. Partiendo de la Ley del espejo acuñada por el siquiatra y sicólogo suizo Carl Gustav Jung, que postula que la manera en la que percibimos el exterior es un reflejo de nuestro interior, busco experimentar con la inserción de este personaje ficticio sin rostro y con cabeza de espejos en escenas cotidianas y fotografiar el resultado. Durante el desarrollo de las primeras exploraciones surgieron nuevas reflexiones que incorporaron al proyecto dos conceptos que van de la mano: la [crisis de] identidad y la otredad, entendida como aquella capacidad de tomar consciencia de la individualidad propia mirándose desde una perspectiva ajena a uno mismo. Los otros, ese espejo.
Sandra Hernández (Vita Flumen)
Vita Flumen es fotógrafa mexicocanadiense embajadora de Fujifilm. Con una prolífica carrera en arquitectura, la fotografía de Sandra se centra en la vida urbana, así como en la relación del ser humano con el entorno y las narrativas que surgen entre ellos. Su pasión por estos temas la ha llevado a editar el primer libro sobre fotografía callejera en la historia de México: Antología de fotografía de calle mexicana. Es fundadora de Observadores Urbanos: una plataforma dedicada a difundir y promover la fotografía callejera iberoamericana. Es miembro de las comunidades de Women Street Photographers, Women in Street, Women Photograph y The Raw Society, y este año ha sido seleccionada para formar parte de la generación 2023 del Eddie Adams Workshop.
El trabajo de Sandra, tanto fotográfico como escrito, ha sido publicado y presentado a nivel local e internacional en medios como Forbes México, La Vanguardia, Radio UNAM, Revista Cuartoscuro, Revista Gatopardo, TV78 de Francia, y Revue Épic. Ha participado en más de cuarenta exposiciones individuales y colectivas en cuatro continentes y ha recibido premios y menciones honoríficas en concursos de fotografía internacionales. Desde 2017, Sandra es fotógrafa oficial de La Carrera Panamericana.
Sandra Hernández (Vita Flumen)
Vita Flumen is a Mexican-Canadian photographer and Fujifilm ambassador. With a prolific career in architecture, Sandra’s photography focuses on urban life, as well as the relationship between humans and their environment, and the narratives that emerge between them. Her passion for these subjects has led her to edit the first book on street photography in the history of Mexico: “Antología de fotografía de calle mexicana” (Anthology of Mexican Street Photography). She is the founder of Observadores Urbanos: a platform dedicated to disseminating and promoting Ibero-American street photography. She is a member of communities like Women Street Photographers, Women in Street, Women Photograph, and The Raw Society. This year, she has been selected to be part of the 2023 generation of the Eddie Adams Workshop.
Sandra’s work, both in photography and writing, has been published and presented locally and internationally in media such as Forbes Mexico, La Vanguardia, Radio UNAM, Revista Cuartoscuro, Revista Gatopardo, TV78 in France, and Revue Épic. She has participated in more than forty individual and collective exhibitions across four continents and has received awards and honorary mentions in international photography competitions. Since 2017, Sandra has been the official photographer of La Carrera Panamericana.
Waldo Díaz-Balart: El Maestro de la Geometría Esencial
Mi trabajo se desarrolla sistemáticamente a través de series, al comienzo de las cuales, mi actividad es inconsciente y compulsiva.
Waldo Balart
Waldo Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez (nacido el 10 de febrero de 1931) es un pintor y escultor cubano que reside actualmente en Madrid, España.
En el vibrante universo del arte abstracto cubano, el nombre de Waldo Balart (1944) brilla con luz propia. Este insigne artista habanero es reconocido como uno de los máximos exponentes de la abstracción geométrica en la isla, habiendo forjado un lenguaje plástico único y trascendental.
La obra de Balart se distingue por su exquisita síntesis formal, donde las formas geométricas esenciales como cuadrados y rectángulos se conjugan en composiciones de una armonía casi matemática. Sus lienzos irradian una belleza austera y minimalista, en la que cada elemento se encuentra cuidadosamente calculado y dispuesto con una precisión milimétrica.
Sin embargo, lejos de resultar frías o impersonales, las creaciones de este maestro cubano rebosan de una vibrante energía interior. Los colores puros y planos, aplicados con pinceladas seguras, contrastan y se tensan en un diálogo visual cautivante. Rojo, azul, amarillo, negro y blanco se entrelazan en un baile geométrico que atrapa la mirada del espectador.
Balart forma parte de la emblemática “Generación del 60” o “Generación de la Ruptura”, un movimiento que revolucionó las artes plásticas cubanas al introducir nuevas corrientes vanguardistas. Junto a figuras como Loló Soldevilla, Hugo Consuegra y José Ángel Toirac, el artista contribuyó a forjar un lenguaje renovador que rompió con los cánones tradicionales.
Una de las mayores virtudes de Waldo Balart radica en su capacidad para sintetizar lo esencial en sus composiciones. Cada obra es un ejercicio de depuración formal, donde cada forma, color y línea cumplen una función precisa dentro del todo. Esta búsqueda de la pureza geométrica le ha valido el reconocimiento internacional como uno de los grandes maestros del arte abstracto de América Latina.
Más allá de sus logros individuales, Balart también ha dejado una huella indeleble en la escena artística cubana a través de su labor docente y su participación en grupos vanguardistas como “Los Once” y “Doble Filo”. Su influencia ha trascendido generaciones, inspirando a nuevos creadores que continúan explorando las infinitas posibilidades de la abstracción geométrica.
En definitiva, Waldo Balart es un artista cuya obra trasciende las fronteras del lienzo para convertirse en un manifiesto visual de rigor, equilibrio y belleza esencial. Sus creaciones son un testimonio perenne de la fuerza expresiva que puede alcanzarse a través de la geometría pura, dejando un legado imperecedero en el arte cubano y universal.
Siempre trabajé sistemáticamente, una pintura me llevaba a la siguiente por series, dentro de lo que entonces era mi lógica analítica y reduccionista.
Waldo Balart
Cronología
Por María José Gutiérrez
Waldo Balart, 1990.
1931
Nace en Banes, Cuba, en una familia de profesionales y políticos.
1949
Se traslada a la Universidad de La Habana para estudiar Ciencias Económicas. A la vez trabaja, es políticamente activo y convive con sus hermanos, más los dos expresidentes de Cuba: Fidel Castro -marido de su hermana- y Raúl Castro.
1955
Después de diplomarse empieza un posgrado en Ciencias Políticas y Económicas en la Universidad de Santo Tomas de Villanueva de La Habana.
1957
Entra a trabajar como contable en el gobierno de Batista.
1959
Tras la toma de poder de Fidel deja Cuba y se exilia en Nueva York.
1960
Comienza a estudiar arte en el MOMA y afuera es tutorizado por su vecino del Meat Market, el escultor geométrico Peter Forakis.
Waldo en el Meat Market, en casa de los Forakis. 1963. De izq. dcha: Waldo, un periodista, Phyllis Yampolsky, Peter Forakis y Coqui.De Izq. a Dcha: Waldo Balart, Ben Birillo y Paul Bianchini, dueño de la Bianchini Gallery en uno de los primeros actos públicos de pop art, la famosa exposición The American Supermarket, 10-27-1964.
1962
Finaliza sus estudios, se casa con la cubana Brigida Gutiérrez y se muda al Lower East Side de NY, al lado de Fernando Botero y la pintora Jean Wilson.
1963
Se divorcia y construye la serie Lienzo sobre lienzo (1964). Mientras en NY se relaciona con muchos artistas y gente especializada en arte, viaja por Europa y Cesar Manrique lo introduce en el grupo de informalistas españoles.
De izq. a dcha: Leni Manrique, Waldo Balart, Martín, Vicente Vela, César Manrique, Eusebio Sempere. Madrid 1964.
Andy Warhol Makes a Film by Marcelo Montealegre.
1965
Expone individualmente en la Galería Cisneros de NY, donde realiza numerosas exposiciones y contacta con los artistas latinos. También actúa en la película de su amigo Andy Warhol: La vida de Juanita Castro.
1967
Expone su serie Esmalte a fuego sobre Hierro en la Galería Iris Clert de Paris y en su casa de Los Hampton, Warhol le graba para Los amores de Ondine.
Waldo, Andy Warhol y Manuel Peña en casa de Waldo de East Hampton, verano, 1967.
1968
Se muda al SoHo y crea la serie Serigrafía en cartón montados en formica blanca.
1969
Dentro de casa-estudio construye y convive con su gran obra Proposición vivencial.
Proposición vivencial (1969). Waldo Balart (junto a su obra).Cityscapes en Benson Gallery, 1970.
1970
Elabora la serie Cityscapes y su obra el Lenguaje modular del color, resumen de su primer método de trabajo. Aparte, participa en el 1º Festival del SoHo, se casa con la americana Cynthya y se cambia a la Galería Graham de NY.
1971
Se traslada a Madrid para trabajar en la empresa financiera de su hermano.
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Madrid, 1972.
1972
Expone individualmente en el Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Madrid con la serie de pintura sistemática Cajas, mas la escultura Liberación del cubo y se integra en la segunda generación de artistas constructivistas de Madrid.
1973
Sufre y se recupera de dos traumáticos accidentes de coche que casi le dejan paralítico, entre los cuales se divorcia de nuevo.
Waldo en su estudio apoyado sobre ESCEDIF II.
1975
Después de un tiempo de recuperación, se traslada a un bajo para reencontrarse con su labor creativa y produce sus esculturas Escedif I y Escedif II.
1977
Se traslada por trabajo con su hermano un año a Paraguay y otro a Brasil.
Waldo con una amiga.
1979
Regresa a Madrid y empieza a trabajar como articulista de arte. También pinta su primera serie bidimensional: Conjuntos no vacíos.
1983
Crea la serie de dibujos Estructura de la luz y se inventa la codificación que aplica a toda su obra: el Código de la estructura de la luz.
Dibujos Estructura de la luz en Galería Casado Santapau, 2017.
1985
Pinta las series Código y Discriminación de la estructura de la luz.
1986
Acude a su primer certamen de arte concreto europeo y desde entonces es asiduo a este tipo de eventos internacionales, como artista y como teórico.
Waldo en su estudio pintando la serie Desarrollo Cromático del CEL.
1988
Inventa el Orden Axiomático -su método de trabajo actual- y gesta los dibujos Desarrollo cromático de CEL, por los que pinta la serie Imagen ortogonal. Al unísono colabora con la Galería Edurne y con Atelier-Editions FANAL.
1989
Organiza -con Julían Gil- un evento internacional de arte concreto en Madrid y después se traslada a vivir a Lieja, donde expone individualmente con el entonces considerado mejor pintor geométrico de Bélgica: Jo Delahaut.
1991
Produce la serie Imagen fragmentada integrada de ángulo variable en formato cuadrado.
1993
Físicamente comienza su deterioro por los accidentes sufridos y decide volver a Madrid. En tanto lo consigue asiste a numerosos eventos internacionales de arte concreto en centroeuropa y efectúa las series de dibujos Desarrollo del Color (1993), Imagen fragmentada integrada de ángulo variable (1994), Color Stream Field Forces (1994) e Imagen fragmentada integrada de ángulo variable (1995) de módulos rectángulares, la cual da lugar a la serie de pintura Imagen fragmentada integrada de ángulo variable (1995) en formato rectangular. También comienza su serie de Pinturas negras (1996).
Waldo Balart en una entrevista en la Galería Edurne, 1994.
1996
Ya en Madrid continúa en colaboración con la Galería Edurne y Daniel Roy se convierte en su galerista de Berlín.
2000
Expone individualmente la serie modular Imagen fragmentada integrada ortogonal en la Mondriaanhuis, Amersfoort, Holanda.
Waldo en Systeem & Intuïtie, en la Mondriaanhuis, Amersfoort, Holanda.Retrato de Waldo y la Escultura de Luz en Casa Galicia, Madrid, 2002.
2002
Elabora su obra Escultura de luz y los sistemas modulares de Imagen fragmentada integrada de ángulo variable (2002) en formato cuadrado.
2007
Pinta la serie Injerencias y expone una de ellas en el Museum im Kulturspeicher Würzburg, Alemania, con lo que su obra es incluida en la prestigiosa colección alemana de arte concreto Peter C. Ruppert.
Ruppert, Waldo y Weinhold en la Galerie Für Konkrete Kunst, Berlin, 2006.
2008
Exhibe de manera individual en el Museum Modern Art Hünfeld.
2009
Expone individualmente en la Mies van der Rohe Haus de Berlín, Alemania y es incluido en la Collection Grauwinkel.
“Summertime is already here”, en la Mies van der Rohe Haus, 2009.Chromatic systems: Waldo Balart (2012).
2012
Presenta en Miami su libro La práctica del arte concreto y el documental Waldo Balart en concreto. Por lo que la Galería Henrique Faria Fine Art de NY lo expone individualmente y lo lleva a multitud de ferias: Pinta, The Armory Show (NY), Art Fair, Art Basel, Arco, Pinta Londres, PARC-Perú Arte Contemporáneo, etc. También inicia la serie de pinturas Nudos.
2013
En Europa expone colectivamente en el Museum für Konkrete Kunst de Ingolstadt, Alemania -el más importante de arte concreto-; y en el Vasarely Múzeum de Budapest. En Miami expone individualmente en la Galería Ideobox y la orquesta sinfónica estrena una pieza musical compuesta por el director Eduardo Marturet inspirado en sus pinturas, con ellas de fondo. Igualmente, su obra sigue expandiéndose en las ferias de arte anteriormente citadas, ahora también de la mano de otras galerías.
Concierto «Dos lecturas de Waldo».
2016
Expone individualmente en la Galería Guillermo de Osma de Madrid y con ello se destaca su reconocimiento internacional al nivel de los mejores creadores.
2017
Entra a formar parte del PAMM (Perez Art Museum Miami), el mejor museo de arte contemporáneo de Miami, dirigido por Jorge Pérez.
Vista de la exposición Abstracting History en el PAMM, 2017. A la derecha obra de Waldo Balart,Trilogía neoplástica, 1979. Cortesía de PAMM.Inauguración de la exposición en el Museo del Greco, Toledo.
2018
Expone individualmente en el Museo del Greco de Toledo y en la Galería Roy de Mallorca, de su agente alemán Daniel Roy -que le representa en Europa junto con el resto de artista concretos importantes-.
2019
Expone –comisionado por Alfonso de la Torre– la gran escultura de nudos Dos universos paralelos de rayos de energía cromática comunicados, en uno de los seis escaparates de El Corte Inglés de Madrid, dedicados a los artistas plásticos internacionales más prestigiosos.
Waldo junto a su obra Dos universos paralelos de rayos de energía cromática comunicados.Nudos Génesis, 2020, Galería Casado Santapau.
2020
Expone individualmente en la Galería Casado Santapau de Madrid en coincidencia con el inicio de la pandemia de COVID-19, cuyas rígidas restricciones limitaron la muestra a cumplir con su cometido -dadas las circunstancias-, pero sin poder alcanzar el éxito correspondiente a su magnitud.
2021
Expone individualmente en el Museo Francisco Sobrino de Guadalajara, con la nueva obra de la serie Nudos, recientemente expuesta en la Galería Casado Santapau, más algunas obras inéditas.
Waldo Balart y María José Gutiérrez a la entrada del Museo Francisco Sobrino.
Pasos para escribir una biografía de artista visual que te hará destacar
Tu biografía es una herramienta esencial para conectar con tu público y dar a conocer tu trabajo. Sigue estos pasos para escribir una biografía única y memorable que te haga destacar como artista visual.
Adapta tu biografía a la plataforma donde la publicarás (web, redes sociales, dossier, etc.).
Revisa la ortografía y la gramática con cuidado.
Mantén tu biografía actualizada con tus logros y nuevos proyectos.
1. ¿Quién eres tú?
Comienza tu biografía con una presentación personal. Describe brevemente tu nombre, tu especialidad como artista visual y tu enfoque artístico. Comparte tu entusiasmo por el arte y tu pasión por crear.
2. Conecta con tu público
Utiliza un tono amistoso y desenfadado para conectar con tu público. Comparte tu historia de forma natural y cercana, permitiendo que los lectores se identifiquen contigo y tu pasión por el arte.
3. Experiencia profesional: ¿Qué te hace único?
Destaca tu experiencia profesional más relevante, incluyendo exposiciones, proyectos, colaboraciones o publicaciones. Menciona los hitos que te han convertido en el artista que eres hoy.
4. Premios y reconocimientos: Un aval a tu talento
Si has recibido premios o galardones, inclúyelos en tu biografía. Esto aportará valor a tu trayectoria y demostrará tu talento y reconocimiento en el mundo del arte.
5. Un toque personal: Más allá del artista
Comparte algunos datos personales que te hagan único. Tus hobbies, intereses o experiencias de vida pueden ayudarte a conectar con tu público a un nivel más profundo.
6. Muestra tu rostro: Imagen y marca personal
Incluye una foto tuya actual y profesional. Esta imagen debe ser atractiva y reflejar tu personalidad como artista.
7. El viaje creativo: Detrás de la obra
Explica brevemente tu proceso creativo. ¿Qué te inspira? ¿Qué técnicas utilizas? ¿Qué mensaje quieres transmitir con tu arte?
Diane Holland “Culture Alive- Homage to Joan Agajanian Quinn”, Kodak Endura metallic print, 22 x 17 inches, 2024_
Diane Holland at Tufenkian Fine Art and Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art Whitehot Magazine Article by Lorien Suarez-Kanerva
Diane Holland’s photomontages are currently on display in the Winter group exhibition, which opened on January 20th at the Tufenkian Fine Art Gallery in Glendale, California. From June 15th to 20th, her portrait of noted Los Angeles collector Joan Agajanian Quinn will be a part of “The USA Exhibition” for the 23rd Japan International Art Exchange Program, curated by Julienne Johnson in collaboration with chairman Katsu Shimmin, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art. Holland addresses art with a faith that brings to light a greater unknown dimension yet to be discovered. In her photomontages, Holland reaches beyond her sense of self to free the meaning of identity and community. As Piet Mondrian stated, “The position of the artist is humble. He is essentially a channel.” Mondrian’s conceptual approach towards art-making reflects this vitally important understanding of Holland’s role and the nature of her work.
Amongst the elements in her photomontages, Holland includes photographs of herself and her family. Anatomical allusions through forms like lungs, legs, and eyes speak of mankind as a human body that appears in most of her Metanoia works. “Metanoia” works. “Palimpsestic Metanoia 8” integrates maps of South Africa, a migration point for her family. Amongst these is a trace element of a WWII Star of David fabric insignia. Though faded, it remains present. Drawings of lungs in the background behind the two figures unite them through the experience of drawing breaths. Holland’s face appears in the central figure beside a focal point that extends outward into parallel slits. Window-like shapes suggest a grid of large city buildings. Chinese lanterns appear to have a universal scope as well. Their provenance could come from any western Chinatown arising from the extensive network of settlement locations.
Diane Holland “Culture Alive- Homage to Joan Agajanian Quinn”, Kodak Endura metallic print, 22 x 17 inches, 2024_
Holland’s portrait of the iconic Joan Quinn follows the tradition of Quinn’s artist friends, who created her portrait from myriad vantages. A hundred of Quinn’s collection portraits appeared in a show at the Bakersfield Museum of Art in the fall of 2021. Quinn reflected at the time that the artworks, each focused on a single subject, were less portraits of her than self-portraits. Holland’s portrait includes a collection of visual cues to aspects of Joan Agajanian Quinn’s life story. As an Armenian-American, Quinn wore a cross and was known for her penchant for abundant and elaborate jewelry. There are references to the colors of the Armenian flag and its map. Holland includes a portion of a handwritten message from a letter thanking LA-based art critic Peter Frank for “keeping culture alive.” The note alluded to a Robert Dowd artwork titled “Cash” that caused Dowd to be arrested in 1963 on a charge of counterfeiting for painting money. Holland herself shares an affinity with the pioneering feminist photomontage artist Hanna Höch. Additional influences include intermedia/multimedia artists William Kentridge and Lucas Samaras.
Palimpsestic Metanoia 9 (Hommage to Hannah Höch), Kodak Endura metallic print, 22 x 17 inches, 2021
Robert Sturnam’s “Seeing Humanity” through a Photographer’s Eye aims to present an enlightening depiction of human beings while sharing images of people worldwide in meditation and yoga poses. These images convey an earnest longing that points “towards the magnificence of the human spirit.” Holland brings forward with Sternum and with movement-dance pioneer Emilie Conrad a practice with somatic motion that, like yoga, allows for an essential form of open awareness that facilitates communication towards a greater community. In Hanna Heiting’s film “Em Moves,” Conrad describes a pivotal premise to the foundational ethos of her Continuum movement: The fractal dimension of the umbilical cord is [shared with] that fluid [dimension] in the galaxy, planets and our body that functions as a resonant stream of bio-cosmic intelligence and it is primary nourishment. By engaging in fluid movement the universe communicates to us through our fluid motion, the universes’ wave motion which has a moving language. Through undulations, spirals and pulsations – the fundamental choreography of water…allows our tissue to become less encumbered so that that choreography can reveal itself. An innate organic form of transrational breathing alongside fluid physical movements frees participants from stresses and disenchantments, leading towards freedom and a sense of openness.
Diane Holland Palimpsestic Metanoia 11, 2021, Kodak Endura metallic print, 22×17, inches (edition of 5) (1)
From an excerpt about “Aging” in the video “Continuum: A Conversation” with Emilie Conrad, the late Dr. Valerie V. Hunt, an American scientist and professor of Physiological Science at UCLA, described somatic movement in the following terms:
“Now we realize the body has the ability to move in all planes and in all directions. No muscle has a single function. It has a combined function. It must participate with all other muscles to have health. When you see small children hanging, you wonder why they are so free. Well they’ve been free in the amniotic fluid. [Somatic movement] is like going back to being free.” Studying with Conrad, Holland shared her practice of somatic movements, something akin to a ritual practice of vocalizations and unchoreographed fluid movements of limbs and torso, all while lying prone. In this free-flow state, Holland turns to a form of physical meditation to reach higher consciousness. Then, when she engages with her media, she cuts, pastes, arranges, and rearranges paper and photographs to assemble a singular visual composition. As the artist describes, “‘Palimpsestic Metanoia’ works translate personal experience into imagery that is at once digital and painterly. The source material for electrostatic and photographic composite alike is drawn from real and imagined experience and engage a collage aesthetic appropriate to the multivalent sensory possibilities of our time.”
Holland’s video “Letting Go, One Frame at a Time” allows her photomontage work to follow a sequence of scenes where the elements acquire a tangible voice. Her spoken words of inquiry serve as a form of self-de-entanglement and explore what it means to be human. Video link: https://youtu.be/mIhkhOUvK8s?si=oz9N6dE_NGhZeUpF
La Edición VIII del Festival Internacional de Teatro Casandra de Miami, dedicado a la mujer, tendrá lugar entre el sábado 16 y el domingo 24 de marzo. Habrá obras con temáticas femeninas a cargo de consagradas como las cubanas Susana Pérez, Rachel Cruz, y Rachel Pastor, amén de grandes artistas de España, México, Argentina, Italia y Estados Unidos. Sus sedes serán las salas Sandrell Rivers Theater; Koubek Center; Havanafama; y Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts. El Festival Internacional de Teatro Casandra es creado y auspiciado por la compañía Ingenio Teatro, institución fundada en 2011 por la actriz y directora teatral Lilliam Vega, junto a Rocío Carmona. “Este festival tiene como propósito crear un espacio de intercambio entre mujeres que hacen teatro en diferentes países, lenguas y culturas”, según Vega. La información más completa se puede hallar en www.elingenioteatro.com El festival se basa en las puestas en escena, pero también cuenta con lecturas dramatizadas, clases magistrales y talleres de actuación, lo cual, según Vega, “propicia el proceso creativo partiendo del imaginario de los actores, músicos, escritores y artistas plásticos participantes”. Para Vega es un gran hito el hecho de cumplir ocho años, lo que adjudica en gran parte a “la perseverancia y la generosidad” de su equipo de Ingenio Teatro. La obra “Burdel El Ojo Azul” es la obra principal y se podrá ver el sábado 16 de marzo, a las 8:30 pm y el domingo 17, a las 5 pm, en el Sandrell Rivers Theater (6103 NW 7th Ave. Miami FL 33127). Se puede consultar por boletos llamando al 305-284-8872 o entrando a la página web de la sala. “Burdel” cuenta con la actuación de Susana Pérez, Rachel Cruz, Kirenia Vega, Jorge Luis González, Dianet Conde, Jose Raúl Acosta e Ivanesa Cabrera. Otros de los espectáculos son “Gaspet”, “El gato con botas”, “Cocinando con arte y fe”, “TIC TAC… ya es tiempo”, “Yo soy Cristina”, “Las penas saben nadar” y “Donde nadie nos juzgue”.
