Josep Guinovart

JOSEP GUINOVART BERTRAN (Barcelona, 1927 - 2007).
"Don Quixote against the windmills".
Etching and carborundum, copy P.A. VIII/X.
Signed and justified at the bottom.
Measurements: 73 x 86 cm; 105 x 93 cm (frame).

Josep Guinovart was formed in Barcelona and realized his first individual exhibition in 1948. Linked to the Catalan avant-garde movements, he collaborated with Dau al Set and was part of the Taüll group together with artists such as Tàpies and Cuixart. Thanks to a scholarship he lived in Paris in the fifties, where he was influenced by Cézanne and Matisse, as well as Miró and Gaudí. From 1957 onwards he evolved towards informalism and material abstraction, incorporating diverse objects and materials through techniques such as collage and assemblage. In the sixties and seventies he developed a more expressive and experimental language, using materials such as earth, clay or straw and also exploring three-dimensionality and spatial environments. His production was very broad and included mural painting, theatrical scenographies, illustration, posters, tapestries and sculptures. He participated in important international biennials and received numerous awards, such as the National Plastic Arts Award (1990). In 1994 the Guinovart Space was inaugurated in Agramunt, dedicated to his work. He is currently represented in leading national and international museums, including the Reina Sofia Museum and the MACBA.