Joaquín Torres-García


Joaquín Torres García was an Uruguayan artist, son of Catalan father and an Uruguayan mother, born in Montevideo, where he lived through his childhood. As an adolescent he emigrated to Catalunya, Spain, the land of his father, where he initiated himself as an artist in 1891. For the next three decades, he embraced Catalan identity adopting the language, leading Barcelona’s art and culture to its utmost vanguards. A ‘renaissance or universal man’; painter, sculptor, muralist, novelist, writer, teacher and theorist. He was also active in United States, Italy, France and Uruguay from where his influence encompasses a personal presence in European, North American and South American modern art. He dealt the eternal dilemma between the old and the modern, the classical and the avant-garde, reason and feeling, figuration and abstraction with a simple and brilliant metaphor: there is no contradiction or incompatibility. The same brush strokes serve for a primitive composition or for a mural of Renaissance inspiration. Like Goethe, he seeks the integration between classicism and modernity.
, Portrait of Joaquín Torres García, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
He is known for his collaboration with Gaudi in 1903 on the stained glass windows for the Palma Cathedral and the Sagrada Família. He decorated with monumental frescoes the medieval Palau de la Generalitat seat of the Catalan government. His art is associated with archaic universal cultures; Mediterranean cultural traditions, Noucentisme, and Modern Classicism. He developed a unique style first described as ‘Art Constructif’ while living in Paris’ 1930's. Arte Constructivo, a school he opened in Madrid, will be continued as Universalismo Constructivo, a treaty he published in South-America while teaching through his workshop schools “Asociación de Arte Constructivo” and ‘El Taller Torres-Garcia’. A unique style encompassing classic/archaic traditions with XX century's isms: Cubism, Dada, Neo plasticism, Primitivisme, Surrealism, Abstraction.
As a theoretician he published more than one hundred and fifty books, essays and articles written in Catalan, Spanish, French, English. In his lifetime he gave more than 500 lectures. An indefatigable teacher, Torres founded several art schools in Spain and Montevideo and numerous art groups including the first European abstract art group and magazine Cercle et Carré in Paris in 1929.
Retrospectives in Paris in 1955 and Amsterdam in 1961 are the earliest to document historically the place of Torres-García in the currents of abstract art. In the United States he exhibited in New York's 1920s when the Whitney Studio Club, The Society of Independent artists and the Societe Anonyme were giving their first steps. In the 1930s Albert Eugene Gallatin exhibited his work in the Museum of Living Art with Modern masters; Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, Fernand Léger, etc. The Museum of Modern Art opened its Latin American collection exhibition in the 1940s with the acquisition of his works. Sidney Janis and Rose Fried Galleries sponsored important shows from the 1950s. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum opened a retrospective exhibition in 1970's. Recent retrospectives in The Museum of Modern Art and Acquavella Galleries, exhibited his art from a contemporary perspective.

Biography

1874–1900

Joaquín Torres-García was born in Montevideo, Uruguay on 28 July 1874. The first child of Joaquim Torras Fradera, an emigrant from Mataró, Spain, and María García Pérez. He grew up in his father's general store called the Almacen de Joaquín Torres. As a child, Torres "examined the picturesque store situated in the old Square of the Wagons, the arrival point of the raw material of the country for export to Europe. The colonial Montevideo had a port, trains, and a vibrant population dotted with countless gauchos wrapped in capes with whip ready in hand." "Much of his early education in that predominantly agricultural society came from his observation of the things around him ... He received his first formal art training when his family returned to Spain"
In 1891, Torres-García's father returned to Mataró, Spain, with his wife and three children who became naturalized citizens of Spain. He studied with a local painter. He soon showed a strong vocation. The family moved to Barcelona. Torres-García enrolled in the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona, the Baixas Academy and the Saint Lluc Artists Circle. "Torres-García and Picasso were contemporaries. Both began their artistic lives in modern Barcelona... whose privileged epicenter was the cafe Els Quatre Gats...The language came from Paris; the favorite models were Toulouse-Lautrec and Steinlen." His classmates and friends included Ricard Canals, Manolo Hugue, Joaquim Mir, Isidre Nonell, Pablo Picasso, and Julio Gonzalez. Torres assiduously contributed drawings in all the principal newspapers and magazines of the time: La Vanguardia, Iris, Barcelona Cómica and La Saeta.
In 1900, Torres Garcia's father died.

1901–1909

Miguel Utrillo wrote an article titled "Joaquin Torres-Garcia, Decorator" in Pel i Pluma, published with a portrait by Ramon Casas, photographs of several paintings by Torres — one on the cover of the magazine — and his first article, called "Impressions".
Antoni Gaudí commissioned Torres in 1903 to create stained-glass windows for Palma Cathedral. "One of the key events in his career was his intervention in the High Altar of the Cathedral of Palma de Majorca, a masterpiece of Spanish Gothic, for which he made the lateral stained glass windows and the small rose window in the apse. His interpretation, of the Marian symbols... from the Song of Songs — in the words of Baltasar Coll Tomas — is one of the many dialogues proposed by Torres... these symbols... will be reinterpreted in every stage of Torres's long career: the sun, the moon, the star, the well, the garden, the tower, the temple.." Commissioned murals for Church of San Agustin, Church of the Divina Pastora, and the house .
Eugeni d'Ors, the intellectual father noucentisme, praised artworks that Torres Garcia shows at Sala Parés and the Cercle de Sant Lluc that same year. Later will write the prologue to Torres' show in the Galeries Dalmau in 1912 and includes frequent references of Torres's work in La Ben Plantada, the book which summarizes the ideology of the noucentista. But Torres is far from being an adherent of the ideology indicated by D'Ors; his evolution follows his own theoretical elaboration, explicit already in two texts published before the configuration of noucentisme as a trend around 1910: "Augusta et Augusta" and "La nostra ordinacio I el nostre cami". In Classicism, Torres searches for model of order, a language and an adequate cultural reference to overcome the realistic tendency of representation and to develop a Catalan art of capable of universal proportions. Objective which coincides with noucentisme, but Torres's radicalness paradoxically separate him from artists who follow this tendency — Sunyer, Canals, Aragay — and ultimately D'Ors.
Torres-García began teaching art in 1907 and "gradually became involved with an experimental school Colegio Mont d'Or founded by his friend the progressive educator Joan Palau Vera. Contrary to the academic expectations of the day, at Mount D'Or here were no copies from casts, prints or books; drawing went directly to reality: all the common objects of the house from the kitchen to the laboratory were paraded in front of students, as well as leaves, fruits, fish, flowers, animals. The vocabulary of his Universal Constructivism was being developed as an exercise in progressive pedagogy."
In 1909, he married Manuela Piña i Rubíes, a Catalan, with whom he would have four children.

1910–1919

Torres-García traveled to Brussels to paint a Pavilion in the Brussels International World Fair. During this prolonged stay in Paris, he visited friends, museums and galleries. Though different, his art would later share values with Cubism and the theories exemplified in Du "Cubisme", and revealed in the exhibition organized and named by a group of artists: Section d'Or, in Paris.
On his first trip to Italy and Switzerland, Torres-García observed the ancient and the modern: futurism.
, Torres-García solo exhibition, 1912, Barcelona
In 1911 he exhibited in the VI International Exhibition of Art in Barcelona the iconic painting which he donated to the Institut d'Estudis Catalans where it still is today. "From the moment of its public appearance until today this work has been unanimously interpreted by the historiography as the foundational reference of noucentisme." Painted a second version of this painting which today is part of the collection of the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid.
In 1912 two exhibitions took place at the Galeries Dalmau: Joaquín Torres-García, with works from his Noucentista period; and Pablo Picasso, drawings from his Blue Period.
In May 1913, he published his first book, Notes sobre Art. In the introduction he writes "Aquestes curtes notes poden tenir interès, demes, per anar estretament lligades, com quelcom de viu, a tot o que arrencant de la nostra tradició, en el pensament i en la realitat, tendeix a formar el ver Renaixement e Catalunya". Founded the Escuela de Decoración in Sarrià. "Prat de la Riba had then his newly formulated conception of Catalan nationalism, and sees in the Mediterranean tradition proposed a positive content for the national profile, rich in spiritual substance."
Prat de la Riba commissions the artist frescoes for the monumental atrium of the Municipal Palace of Barcelona, a 15th century Gothic palace, seat of self-government in Catalonia. Torres-Garcia in the next five years painted four large-scale frescoes and studies for another two. The magnificent paintings went beyond the utilitarian and decorative to become the new symbol of the Catalonia noucentista." " In one of the frescoes...Torres-Garcia represented a gigantic Pan-god with a quote from Goethe's 'Faust' at his feet: 'The temporal is only a symbol'. "That is the key to all the poetics of Torres-García, the will to surrender to the ephemeral in order to reach eternity," explained Llorens. For Torres-Garcia, classicism was the door of a better future, not a brake for modernity." Employing an "Iconostasis" composition, applied to a "pagan" subject matter adapted to a modern theme, demostrating that classic is not solely associated to the Greek. He painted with orthogonal lines the rhythms of the structure used. This was an evolution he described in "El Descubrimiento de si mismo", and in the manifesto "Evolucionista" published in 1917. Torres-García would later use this same composition in his "Constructivist" works." What may be seen as a break in style of the figurative classical theme to the vibrant collage of images of "new" work is rather a deepening understanding the artist has for his work.
He designed, built, and decorated with frescoes his home in Tarrasa, "Mon Repos" and invites friends and pupils to an inauguration party.
In 1918 "Torres-García can be seen exploring the grid structure,' on the one hand as an inherent characteristic of a modern city and on the other as a form to explore the symbolic potential of everyday motifs. He also explored the potential for language within images, as in the 1916–17 drawing 'Descubrimiento de si mismo." Exhibition at Galeries Dalmau of "Joguines d'Art ". "The toys teach children which are the correct colors, the correct forms. Each toy is a form, a color that mixes with other shapes and colors and finally becomes a whole: a dog a car a city. The toys guide future generations to acquire a natural eye."
In 1919, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, the new president of the Mancomunitat cancelled the decoration Saló de Sant Jordi, in the old Palau de la Generalitat. Torres-Garcia decided to visit United States for a couple of years. "he determined to take the pulse of the greatest and most modern of cities, New York." " despite being one of the most important artists of the moment, Torres García did not lull, and in 1920 he went to New York to continue exploring what they called modernity, and began to cling to the ephemeral and temporal, what he drew in the city of skyscrapers connects with what John Dos Passos reflected in Manhattan Transfer."

1920–1929

Departs a second time for Paris, with thirty-two crates of paintings. After an encounter with his friend Picasso, who advised him not to leave Paris; "do not to go to America, because it will be like leaping into a void". His work turns from classicism to Cubism, while Picasso's from Cubism to classicism.
Seeking to experience a modern city, he travels to New York with the intention of staying two years.
He lived at 138 West 49th Street, then 14th Street on the very day he became 46 years old. Shortly afterward at 4 West 29th Street, between Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Full of enthusiasm, he continued his series of book of sketches of cities he visited. He reflected symbolically the movement and atmosphere of New York. Paints a series of portraits, including one of Joseph Stella. The vertical city enhances the orthogonal structure of his cityscape. He works at painting scenery and costumes of The Great Way, a story of the joyful, the sorrowful, the glorious. In 1922 he exhibits at The Whitney Studio Gallery and the Society of Independent Artists together with Stuart Davis and Szukalski. He described his work as "expressionistic and geometric at the same time, and very dynamic".
He returns to Italy in 1922. Further development of his Classic and Evolutionistic works. Spain forbids Catalan language, among which Torres-Garcia's writings are included. Death of his mother. In 1925 settles in France, Villefranche-sur-Mer. In 1926 he has another solo exhibition at Galeries Dalmau in Barcelona.
Returns to Paris for the third time in 1926. Throughout the next six years Torres becomes one of the principal animators of abstraction movement between the wars. An ample movement integrated by young artists of several European countries and from 1930 based in Paris and organized in the movements Abstraction-Creation and Cercle et Carre.
Exhibits 34 works, a series of large classical nudes and paintings from New York at Galerie A. G. Fabre. "Forty works make up this presentation of Torres-Garcia first exhibit here at Galerie Fabre: frescoes, fragments of large murals, assembled architectural maquettes, still life or figures...They show the artist under different aspects manifesting all the fiery wealth and complex diversity. Some urban landscapes will give an idea of the passage of Torres-Garcia by New York were feverish spectacle of the business city captivated some time his artistic inquietude in search of its rhythm. Although he has played a major role in the development of the Mediterranean school, Garcia is bent with such a force towards his personal inclination he has always cleared away from the prejudices of isms that might limit his personal growth" "However, by returning to the Classicism of his early work he made it clear that this was not an artistic language he had sought to vanquish through abstraction". May 1927 group show with Stanislaw Eleszkievicz and Runser at Galerie d'art du Montparnasse. Solo exhibit of paintings at Galerie Carmine, "Quelques Peintures" 16 to 30 June 1927.
Solo exhibit at Galerie Zak in December 1928. Group exhibition in Galerie des Editions Bonaparte with John Graham, Kakabadze, Tutundjian, and Vantongerloo in August 1929. Solo exhibit in Galerie Carmine. As correspondent for the Catalan literary magazine Mirador, writes series of articles on painters including an interview of Georges Braque. 'But if Mondrian wanted to explore modernity by a single path, he wanted to get to the bottom by two paths at the same time, starting from reason but not avoiding intuition'

1930-1939

The structural familiarity of the neoclassical works of the years 1912-1916 with the constructive works of the early thirties is surprising since it contradicts the general opinion shared by critics and historians, that access to constructivism meant for Torres a conversion to neoplasticism produced by a kind of Parisian contagion. Torres finds system between representation and abstraction by the use of signs.
In 1931 he has two solo exhibits at Galerie Jeanne Bucher and Galerie Percier, in October a group show at Georges Petit with Giacometti, Ozenfant, Max Ernst, Miro, Salvador Dalí. In 1932 a solo exhibit at Galerie Pierre of paintings and sculptures.
"The friendship between Van Doesburg and Torres-Garcia will create the foundations for the three most important movements to promote abstract art: "Cercle et Carre", "Art Concret" ; and "Abstraction-Creation"." ".. he founded the magazine Cercle et Carre with Theo Van Doesburg, and with many difficulties assembled a group of 80 artists who exhibited in No. 23 rue de la Boetie."
Leaves for Madrid. Finishes the manuscript of "Arte Constructivo" published in 1935 with under the name "Estructura", dedicated to his friend Piet Mondrian. Teaches and lectures.
April 1934 at sixty returns for the first time since childhood to Montevideo. In August exhibit of paintings and sculptures and also exhibits the work of the "Cercle et Carre" group from his personal collection and reedits the magazine as "Circulo y Cuadrado" to stimulate his students.
As he did in Barcelona he now shapes the artistic education of Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
In 1937 publishes autobiographical novel "Historia de mi vida " writing from the third person point of view. "He begins work in "Monumento Cosmico" One of his most representative worksfrom this period. Constructed from pink granite from near by quarries." 1939 designs the "Monumento Cosmico" build and etched under his directions in granite.
Paints a series of portraits under the name of "Men, Heroes and Monsters ".

1940-1949

Announces closing of school Association of Constructive Arte when he made last of 500 lectures he gave between the years 1934-1940. In 1941 publishes "Ciudad sin Nombre ". In November solo exhibition at Society of Architects of Uruguay. In July 1942 receives a visit from Lincoln Kirsten curator for the Comity of Inter-American Relations and Nelson A. Rockefeller. In 1944, he founded the Taller Torres Garcia, similar to the European Bauhaus. This school included future artists like Gonzalo Fonseca, José Gurvich, Alceu Ribeiro, Julio Alpuy, Lily Salvo and Torres García's sons, Horacio Torres and Augusto Torres, among others. 1944 Revisits the maternity theme from 1914 mural in Barcelona creating another mural for the Sindicato Médico del Uruguay. His friend Mondrian dies. This same year he paints 7 monumental mural frescoes in monochrome and in primary colors using common paint at the Hospital Saint Bois for tuberculosis patients with the idea it will nurture healing. There is a large series of paintings which explore the themes of the murals. The artworks he has produced were displayed with his idea of Universal Constructivism.
Dies 8 August while preparing two exhibitions one at Sidney Janis Gallery in New York and other at Pan American Union in Washington.

Influences

His influence encompass European, North American and South American modern art. In Spain he led the Nouscentisme, a cultural movement that advocated a return to Roman and Greek classicism. His work evolved in a more abstract structure and he named Classical Modernism. Picasso seven years younger, avidly followed Torres-Garcia's work whose influence can be seen in the works of 1906. Miró was a student of Torres-Garcia in Barcelona. Miró acknowledged his teacher’s influence, sending Torres-García’s widow a photograph of his paintings from a museum exhibition inscribed, “Do you see the forms and shapes of the master? They are still with me today.” He established Cercle et Carré in Paris, the first short-lived but extremely influential movement aimed at promoting abstract art. His constructive paintings had a decisive influence on the evolution of geometric abstraction in Latin America.

Work

Mon Repos Frescoes, 1914

Palau de la Generalitat 1913-1917

The Joaquín Torres García Hall in the Palace of the Generalitat of Catalonia houses the frescoes the artist painted in the walls of Salon Sant Jordi in the years 1912–1916, commissioned by the President of the Council and the Commonwealth of Catalonia, Enric Prat de la Riba.
"Actual work on the first mural began on his birthday, July 28. It lasted 13 days precisely in the 13th year of the century. It was unveiled on September 13." The four completed frescoes are titled "La Catalunya Eterna", "L'Etat d"Or, Les Muses and "Lo temporal no es mes que simbol".
These superb examples of modern classicism, the monumental murals were covered in 1926 until 1966, and are currently displayed in another room of the Palace Hall called Torres-García.

Poemes en ondes hertzianes 1919

Illustrations by Joaquin Torres-Garcia.

Paintings 1918-1943

Monumento Cosmico, 1938

Selected Writings