Cruz-Diez, Carlos

Cruz-Diez, Carlos

1923

2019

Carlos Cruz-Diez has lived and worked in Paris since 1960 while continuing to make regular visits to Venezuela, his country of birth. Since his first solo exhibition at the Venezuelan-American Institute (Caracas, 1947) Cruz-Diez has participated in a still-increasing number of group and solo exhibitions throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States. During the sixties he was one of several artists from Latin America to be involved with the pioneering Signals gallery in London. Here, in 1964, his work was included in the gallery's First Pilot Show of Kinetic Art, Second Pilot Show of Kinetic Art and First Festival of Modern Art from Latin America; in 1965 took part in the exhibition Soundings Two, also at Signals. Cruz-Diez participated in the XXXI Venice Biennale (1962), and was selected as the sole Venezuelan representative at the XXXV Venice Biennale (1968). He has participated in the Bienal Internacional de São Paulo in 1953, 1967 and, more recently, in 2002. His most recent solo exhibitions have included Interactive Random Chromatic Experience (2005, Sicardi Gallery, Houston) and De lo participativeo a lo interactivo (2001, Copr Group Foundation, Caracas). One of the pioneers of kinetic art, Cruz-Diez was Professor of Kinetic Technique at the Ecole Superieur de Beaux-Arts, Paris between 1972 and 1973. In 1986 Cruz-Diez was made director of Director of the Art Unit of International Advanced Studies (I.D.E.A.) in Caracas and in 1997 helped found the Carlos Cruz-Diez Museum of Print and Design (Museo de la Estampa y del Diseño Carlos Cruz-Diez) in the same city. The work of Cruz-Diez plays a pivotal position amongst the artistic developments of the sixties; in reflection of this fact, his work is included within several prominent modern art collections, including those of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Tate Modern, London; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris and the Museo de Bellas Artes, Caracas. In England, a permanent architectural work by Cruz-Diez can be seen at the Venezuelan Embassy's Bolívar Hall, as well as at Tate Modern and ESCALA.