Manuel Espinosa (
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
, 1912 -
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
,
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, 2006) was an Argentine painter.
Biography
Espinosa graduated from the Escuela Nacional de Artes and finished his studies in the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes. He is one of the leaders of the
geometric art
Geometric art is a phase of Greek art, characterized largely by geometric Motif (visual arts), motifs in Pottery, vase painting, that flourished towards the end of the Greek Dark Ages and a little later, . Its center was in ancient Athens, Athens, ...
in Argentina. He was a founding member of the asociación de Arte Concreto-Invención which was established in Buenos Aires in 1943.
Averaging the 2nd World War, the group proposed a rupture as an alternative. Said rupture was related to the search for a new
visual language
A visual language is a system of communication using visual elements. Speech as a means of communication cannot strictly be separated from the whole of human communicative activity which includes the visual and the term 'language' in relation t ...
corresponding to the exigencies of a new technological,
industrial society
In sociology, an industrial society is a society driven by the use of technology and machinery to enable mass production, supporting a large population with a high capacity for division of labour. Such a structure developed in the Western world ...
. The group sustained common goals: the art should be non-figurative art, the painting flat, and the illusions and appearances banished, moving away from traditional painting. They looked for the worth of the painting itself. In 1951 he traveled to Europe and met Vantongerloo in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
and Vordemberge-Gildewarth in Amsterdam, who guided him in his pursuit.
Upon the dissolution of the group, Espinosa left the common goals but remained faithful to the spirit of non-figuration and produced a painting constructed from geometric elements, characterized by a rigorous system of order and by the perfection of their registers. Clarity, moderation, are attributes of his painting, which with minimal elements arranged serially produce subtle effects of color and space and a dynamic tension that creates an impression of depth. It employs transparencies,
juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is an act or instance of placing two opposing elements close together or side by side. This is often done in order to Comparison, compare/contrast the two, to show similarities or differences, etc.
Speech
Juxtaposition in literary ...
s superpositions that generate an optical effect of unquestionable interest. He is one of the painters who most enjoys the game aroused by reason and sensitivity, a consequence of his special relationship with music and literature.
Exhibitions
He is a founding member of the group Arte Concreto-Invención. Since 1939 he carried out many individual and collective exhibits, among them:
Awards
* Air France Award – First Saloon Air France of Painting, 1966.
* First Prize – D Category and Special Mention - A & B categories – First Saloon Hisisa of Art Applied to the Textile Industry, 1967.
* Acquisition Award – Saloon of Art Mar del Plata, 1967.
* Mention Award Painting Section– LVI National Saloon of Plastic Arts, 1967
* Medal –Automóvil Club Argentino Award, 1969.
* Rotary Club Award, XVIII National Saloon of Córdoba, 1970.
* Great Acquisition Award –Municipal Saloon of Plastic Arts "Manuel Belgrano", 1971.
* Third Prize – LX National Saloon of Plastic Arts, 1971
* Merit Diploma, Konex Award of Visual Arts – 1982.
* Artistic Career – National Fund of Arts, 1993
* Stamps of Artist – Stamps of Andreani Foundation y ArteBA Foundation, 2001.
* Castagnino Award – Municipal Museum of Fine Arts Juan B. Castagnino, Rosario, 2001.
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
References
External links
*
* https://www.coleccionespinosa.com/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Espinosa, Manuel
1912 births
2006 deaths
20th-century Argentine painters
Argentine male painters
20th-century Argentine male artists