Luis Frangella (July 6, 1944 – December 7, 1990) was an Argentine figurative

post-modern Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experi ...

painter and sculptor associated with the expressionist painting of the

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Historically, it w ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in the 1980s. He received a

Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...

in 1982. He died of

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

in 1990.

Education

Frangella studied architecture at the

University of Buenos Aires The University of Buenos Aires (, UBA) is a public university, public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the second-oldest university in the country, and the largest university of the country by enrollment. Established in 1821 ...

(UBA). As an undergraduate student, he obtained a scholarship at the

International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience, commonly referred to as IAESTE, is an international organization exchanging students for technical work experience abroad. Students gain relevant technical train ...

(IAESTE) to work in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

in urban and regional design. Once there, he was hired by R. Von Senger to work at the villa of musician

Herbert von Karajan Herbert von Karajan (; born ''Heribert Adolf Ernst Karajan''; 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, ...

, in

St. Moritz St. Moritz ( , , ; ; ; ; ) is a high Alpine resort town in the Engadine in Switzerland, at an elevation of about above sea level. It is Upper Engadine's major town and a municipality in the administrative region of Maloja in the Swiss ...

. He travelled through Europe in research journeys to learn more about the work of Max Bill,

Le Corbusier Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...

, and

Alvar Aalto Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (; 3 February 1898 – 11 May 1976) was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings. He never regarded himself as an artist, see ...

. In

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

he was hired to work in the filming of an advertisement, where he played a mailman. In 1971 he obtained a scholarship from the University of Buenos Aires, invited by Director of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies and former New Bauhaus professor,

György Kepes György Kepes (; October 4, 1906 – December 29, 2001) was a Hungarian-born painter, photographer, designer, educator, and art theorist. After immigrating to the U.S. in 1937, he taught design at the New Bauhaus (later the School of Design, t ...

, to complete his studies in the study in Visual Research at Urban Scale, at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

(M.I.T), in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

. He graduated as an architect from UBA in 1972. He was offered a scholarship at M.I.T between 1973 and 1976, where he finished, along with Maryanne Amacher, protégé of musician

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and Extended technique, non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one ...

, his work on Spacial Limits, and its relations to Visual Space and Water Drops. In 1976 he moved to

where he continued his research in the visual field.

Life

Luis Frangella moved to New York City's East Village in 1976. He exhibited his work at the Gallery of the Senses, in the

Wadsworth Atheneum The Wadsworth Atheneum is an art museum in Hartford, Connecticut. The Wadsworth is noted for its collections of European Baroque art, ancient Egyptian and Classical bronzes, French and American Impressionism, Impressionist paintings, Hudson Riv ...

, in

Hartford Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

. In 1977 he returned to Buenos Aires where he was awarded the Marcelo de Ridder Award for New Engravings and Drawings in Argentina, at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, for his work ''La Memoria''. Alongside Maryanne Amacher he finished his works ''No more miles'' (at the

Walker Art Center The Walker Art Center is a multidisciplinary contemporary art center in the Lowry Hill, Minneapolis, Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is one of the most-visited modern and contemporary art museums in ...

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

); ''Reflection'' (at the Center for Advanced Studies of the M.I.T. Workshop for Theatre Dance, in New York, and the Boston Children's Museum); ''Attransition'' and ''Edificios para vestir'' (at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston); and ''Espacios en dimensiones diferentes'' (at the Park Project Contest in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

). He also collaborated with Russell Sharon to exhibit his work at the Annual Avant Garde Festival in New York. In 1976, as collaboration with Maryanne Amacher, he worked on ''Lecture on the Weather'' by John Cage at the

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and the Albright-Knox Gallery in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

. That same year he was awarded his first Quality of Life Award in Sculpture, in Cambridge. In 1978 he presented ''Variations of Latin American Themes'' at the Center for Inter-American Relations in New York. In 1982 he obtained the Guggenheim Scholarship. He exhibited his works at art galleries, museums, fairs, nightclubs, and interventions in New York, Buenos Aires, Madrid and Barcelona. In New York he worked with

David Wojnarowicz David Michael Wojnarowicz ( ; September 14, 1954 – July 22, 1992) was an American painter, photographer, writer, filmmaker, performance artist, songwriter/recording artist, and HIV/AIDS activism, AIDS activist prominent in the East Village, Ma ...

, Mike Bidlo,

Keith Haring Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art emerged from the Graffiti in New York City, New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. His animated imagery has "become a widely recognized visual l ...

, and others, showcasing in art galleries such as Civilian Warfare and Hal Bromm Gallery, as well as nightclubs like

Danceteria Danceteria was a nightclub that operated in New York City from May 1980 until 1986 and in the Hamptons until 1995. The club operated in various locations over the years, a total of three in New York City and four in the Hamptons. The most famous l ...

. In Buenos Aires he actively participated in the organization of ''Pintura Fresca'', assembled by Rómulo Macció, Guillermo Kuitca, Eduardo Kusnir, and Felipe Noé, Duilio Pierri, Juan Pablo Ranzi, and

Marcia Schvartz Marcia Schvartz (born March 24, 1955) is an Argentinian painter, illustrator and ceramic artist primarily known for her Feminism, feminist figurative paintings. Early life and education Marcia Schvartz was born March 24, 1955, in Buenos Aires, ...

. He frequently showcased his performances at the Café Einstein and the Cemento Club in Buenos Aires. In Madrid and Barcelona he exhibited at the Buades and Ciento Galleries, respectively, and participated with an individual stand at

Art Basel Art Basel is a for-profit, privately owned and managed, international art fair staged annually in Basel (Switzerland), Miami Beach (US), Hong Kong and Paris. Art Basel provides a platform for galleries to show and sell their work to buyers, an ...

in 1987.

Selected exhibitions

*2011 ''LA JARRA VERTIENTE O MÁQUINA DE DIBUJAR'', Fundació Suñol, Barcelona, Spain *1990 ''GROUP OF 16'', Museum of Modern Art, Madrid, Spain *1989 ''DRAWINGS'',

Fundació Joan Miró The Fundació Joan Miró ( ; English: Joan Miró Foundation, Centre of Studies of Contemporary Art) is a modern art museum honoring the life and work of the Spanish artist Joan Miró, located on the hill called Montjuïc in Barcelona, Catalonia ( ...

, Barcelona, Spain *1988 ''EXIT ART PERFORMANCE WITH M. AMACHER'', Exit Art, New York * ''INAUGURAL EXHIBITION'', Buades Gallery, Madrid, Spain *1987 New Jersey Museum, Trenton, New Jersey *1986 Buades Gallery, Madrid, Spain (solo) * Eaton-Shoen Gallery, San Francisco, California (solo) * Civilian Warfare, New York (solo) * ''PAINTING & SCULPTURE TODAY'', Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana * 1985 Hal Bromm Gallery, New York, "New Sculpture" (group) *1985 Hal Bromm Gallery, New York (solo) * Civilian Warfare, New York (solo) *1984 Galeria Ciento, Barcelona, Spain (solo) * Del Retiro, Buenos Aires, Argentina * Bar-Bar, Stockholm Sweden * Civilian Warfare, New York *1983 Hal Bromm Gallery, New York (solo) *1982 Alberto Elia, Buenos Aires, Argentina (solo) *1981 Galeria Buades, Madrid, Spain (solo) *Galeria Ciento, Barcelona, Spain (solo)

Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frangella, Luis American postmodern artists American contemporary painters 20th-century American painters American male painters Painters from New York City AIDS-related deaths in New York (state) 1944 births 1990 deaths 20th-century American male artists University of Buenos Aires alumni