Joaquín Torres García
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Joaquín Torres García (b. July 28, 1874, Montevideo; d. August 8, 1949, Montevideo) was an Uruguayan painter and sculptor leader of the Catalan Modernist Movement at the beginning of the 20th century, founder of Circle et Carre, the first abstract group in Paris between the wars. In the twenties he fused Cubism and Constructivism in a successful series of paintings and books later to be called Universal Constructivism. Cubism was first explored by Braque, Gris and Picasso. The Constructivist Movement started in Russia around 1915, founded by Vladimir Tatlin. Torres Garcia and Manuel Rendón have been credited with bringing the Constructivist Movement into Latin America, which has had an enormous impact on Latin American master painters. Torres-García returned to Uruguay by chance in 1934, after living in Europe for nearly half a century, he was sixty years old and considered a Master by all his fellow artists in Europe, with whom he had been founder of the abstract-geometric movements in Europe. Among the artists that Torres-García was permanently in contact with were Theo Van Doesburg, Mondrian, Arp, Lipchitz, Picasso, etc. Before the creation of Cercle et Carré, Torres Garcia had been recognized as a Master by Hélion and others, when presenting themselves in a Salon des Refusees they stated in the brochure: "...we are four artists around a Master...", referring themselves to Torres-García.
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[edit] Early life
Born to a Catalan father and an Uruguayan mother, when his father returned in July 1891to his hometown Mataró near Barcelona Torres-Garcia met grandfather, aunt and cousins. He was fluent in Catalan upon arrival from his father and familiar with Italian. In 1891 he painted his first oil painting. Despite some opposition from his father, he studied at the Escuela Oficial de Bellas Artes de Barcelona (the "Llotja", Catalan for "Exchange", as the school had originally been named "Academy of the Exchange") and at the Academia Baixas[1]. While at the Escuela de Bellas Artes, he met Joaquim Mir, Isidre Nonell and Joaquim Sunyer, who later became famous Catalan painters.
In 1897 one of Torres' drawings was accepted by the Barcelona newspaper "La Vanguardia". He soon found a regular job providing illustrations for ultramontanist publications such as the Revista Popular, not out of religious fervor but rather from a desire to show his father that he could earn money through art. He also contributed watercolors, charcoal portraits and etchings to several art exhibitions during this period. Despite Torres' association with Catholic organizations like the Cercle Artístic de Sant Lluc and the Revista Popular, he became involved with a Bohemian group that included Julio González, Manolo, Eduardo Marquina and Luis de Zulueta.
[edit] Career
Around 1900, Torres underwent a spiritual crisis that saw his art become more melancholy. He began to be published in "Pél i Ploma", a highly respected Barcelona art review. He also collaborated with Antoni Gaudí on the building and remodeling of several churches, including the Church of the Holy Family in Barcelona and the Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca. These projects did not provide enough income, so Torres began drawing illustrations for books and giving drawing lessons. Through these lessons Torres met Manolita Piña de Rubies, the sister of one of his pupils, and they fell in love. In 1909 they were married. Together they had four children: Olimpia, Ifigenia, Augusto and Horacio.
Torres also worked on several murals during these years in the Church of San Augustín in Barcelona and the Church of the Divine Shepherdess in Sarrià. One of Torres' murals became embroiled in political controversy when it was removed from Barcelona Town Hall by traditionalist members of the city government. Despite strenuous protests from the younger generation of artists, the mural was not restored. In 1910, Torres traveled to Brussels to paint two panels for Uruguay's pavilion at the Brussels Universal Exhibition. Soon after this he began to paint classical and "Mediterranean" paintings, in a style soon to become popular in Catalonia as Noucentisme.
In 1917 and 1918, Torres came upon hard times. He designed and constructed prototypes for wooden toys, but despite a positive critical reception they failed to sell. His financial problems were such that he was concerned about his family's upkeep, so in 1920 he determined to move to America. At a farewell dinner thrown by his friends, Torres was asked if he planned to return to Catalonia. He firmly replied, "No."
New York City greatly impressed Torres, and he produced many cityscape paintings. However, the hard times continued financially, especially because Torres spoke no English.
[edit] Works
[edit] Writings
- Augusta et Augusta, Barcelona, Universitat Catalana, 1904
- Dibujo educativo en el colegio Mont D’Or, Barcelona, 1907
- Notes sobre Art, Barcelona, 1913
- Diàlegs, 1914
- Descubrimiento de sí mismo, 1914
- Consells als artistes, Barcelona, Un enemic del poble, 1917
- Em digué tot aixó, Barcelona, La Revista, 1917
- D’altra orbita, Barcelona, Un enemic del poble, 1917
- Devem Caminar, Barcelona, Un enemic del poble, 1917
- Art-Evolució, Barcelona, Un enemic del poble, 1917
- El Públic i les noves tendències d’art, Barcelona, Velli nou, 1918
- Plasticisme, Barcelona, Un Enemic del poble, 1918
- Natura i Art, Barcelona, Un Enemic del poble, 1918
- L’Art en relació al home etern i l’home que passa, Sitges, Imprenta El eco de Sitges. 1919
- La Regeneració de si mateix, Barcelona, Salvat Papasseit Editor, 1919
- Foi, París, 1930
- Ce que je sais, et ce que je fais par moi-même, Losones, Suiza, 1930
- Pére soleil, París, Fundación Torres García, 1931
- Raison et nature, Ediciones Imán, París, 1932
- Estructura, Montevideo, 1935
- De la tradición andina: Arte precolombino, Montevideo, Círculo y cuadrado, 1936
- Manifiesto 2: Constructivo 100 %, Montevideo, Asociación de Arte Constructivo, 1938
- La tradición del hombre abstracto (Doctrina constructivista). Montevideo, 1938
- Historia de mi vida. Montevideo, 1939
- Metafísica de la prehistoria indoamericana, Montevideo, Asociación de Arte Constructivo, 1939
- Manifiesto 3, Montevideo, Asociación de Arte Constructivo, 1940
- La ciudad sin nombre. Montevideo, Uruguay, Asociación de Arte Constructivo, 1942
- Universalismo Constructivo, Montevideo, 1944
- Con respecto a una futura creación literaria y dos poemas, Divertimento 1 y Divertimento 11, Montevideo, Revista Arturo, 1944
- La decoración mural del pabellón Martirené de la colonia Saint Bois. Pinturas murales del pabellón hospital J.J. Martirené de la colonia Saint Bois (con Esther de Cáceres, Carmelo de Arzadum, Alfredo Cáceres, Pablo Purriel, Juan R. Menchaca, y Guido Castillo). Montevideo, Gráficas Sur, 1944
- En defensa de las expresiones modernas del arte, Montevideo, 1944
- Nueva escuela de arte de Uruguay. Montevideo, Asociación de Arte Constructivo, 1946
- La regla abstracta. Montevideo, Asociación de Arte Constructivo, 1946
- Mística de la pintura, Montevideo, 1947
- Lo aparente y lo concreto en el arte, Montevideo, 1948
- La recuperación del objeto, Montevideo, 1948
[edit] Paintings
- La colada, oil on canvas, 1903, Museo Nacional de Artes Plásticas y Visuales. Montevideo
- La casa del lavadero, oil on canvas pasted on wood, 1903, Museu Abadia de Montserrat. Barcelona
- El pintor con su familia, oil on canvas, 1917, Museu Abadia de Montserrat. Barcelona
- Hoy, tempera sobre cartón, 1921, colección particular. Valencia
- Escena callejera en Nueva York, oil painting, 1921.
- Paisaje de ciudad, oil on cardboard, 1928.
- Nueva York, oil on canvas, 1929, Museu Abadia de Montserrat. Barcelona
- Composición simétrica universal, oil on canvas, 1931, Colección Eduardo Constantini. Buenos Aires
- Constructivo con campana, 1932, oil on canvas, Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo.
- Composición en rojo, blanco y negro, año 1938.
- Suburbio, oil on cardboard 1938, Museu Blanes. Montevideo
- Arte Universal, oil on canvas, año 1943.
[edit] Murals
- Decoración mural de la Capilla del Santísimo Sacramento y de Montserrat de la Església de Sant Agustí, Barcelona, 1904
- Decoración mural del ábside de la iglesia de la Divina Pastora, Sarrià, Barcelona, 1906
- Decoración mural del despacho de Hacienda del Ajuntament de Barcelona. Barcelona, 1908
- Decoración mural del pabellón del Uruguay en la exposición universal con las alegorías Ganadería y Agricultura, Bruselas, 1910
- Palas introduciendo a la Filosofía en el Helikon como Xª Musa, Barcelona, 1911
- La Cataluña eterna, decoración mural del salón Sant Jordi, Palau de la Generalitat, Barcelona, 1915
- La edad de oro de la humanidad, decoración mural del salón Sant Jordi, Palau de la Generalitat, Barcelona, 1915
- Las musas o Las artes, decoración mural del salón Sant Jordi, Palau de la Generalitat, Barcelona, 1916
- Lo temporal no es más que símbolo, decoración mural del salón Sant Jordi, Palau de la Generalidtat, Barcelona, 1916
- Decoración mural de Mon Repós, Terrassa, Barcelona, 1915
- Decoración mural del domicilio Badiella, Terrassa, Barcelona, 1916
- Maternidad, Clínica del Doctor Rodríguez López, Montevideo, 1944
- Forma, Decoración mural constructiva, pabellón Martirené del Hospital de Saint Bois, Montevideo, 1944
- El pez, Decoración mural constructiva, pabellón Martirené del Hospital de Saint Bois, Montevideo, 1944
- Pax in lucem, Decoración mural constructiva, pabellón Martirené del Hospital de Saint Bois, Montevideo, 1944
- El tranvía, Decoración mural constructiva, pabellón Martirené del Hospital de Saint Bois, Montevideo, 1944
- El sol, Decoración mural constructiva, pabellón Martirené del Hospital de Saint Bois, Montevideo, 1944
- Locomotora Blanca, Decoración mural constructiva, pabellón Martirené del Hospital de Saint Bois, Montevideo, 1944
- Pachamama, Decoración mural constructiva, pabellón Martirené del Hospital de Saint Bois, Montevideo, 1944
[edit] Sculptures
- Monumento Cósmico, Montevideo, 1938
- Padre Inti; Pachamama; Idea. Wood and paint. Montevideo, 1944
[edit] References
- Jardi, Enric (1971). Torres García. Barcelona: Smithmark Pub. ISBN 84-343-0206-3.
