Josep Guinovart I Bertran

Place: Barcelona

Born: 1927

Death: 2007

Biography:

Josep Guinovart i Bertran was a Spanish painter best known for his informalist or abstract expressionist work. Born on March 20, 1927, in Barcelona, Spain, he began his artistic journey at a young age. In 1941, he started working as a decorator, and three years later, he commenced his studies at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios de la Llotja (Art School of La Llotja), where he honed his skills until 1946.

Early Career

Guinovart's first exhibition was held in 1948 at Galerías Syla in Barcelona. In 1951, he produced his first engravings entitled Homage to Federico García Lorca. Two years later, he received a grant from the French Institute to study in Paris for nine months, where he discovered the cubist works of Matisse and Picasso. This experience had a profound impact on his artistic style, and he went on to travel to Belgium, Holland, and Germany.

Abstract Expressionism

Upon his return to Barcelona, Guinovart began moving towards abstract art around 1957. His work is characterized by the use of unconventional materials, three-dimensional objects, and organic substances such as eggshell, earth, and straw. In 1962, he illustrated a book of poetry entitled Posies by Joan Salvat-Papasseit for the Ariel Editorial. Notable Awards and Recognition Guinovart's work has been widely recognized, and he has received numerous awards, including Spain's National Award for Plastic Arts in 1982. His artwork can be found in various museums and public collections, such as Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, MACBA (Barcelona Contemporary Art Museum), and The Guggenheim.

Museum Foundations and Public Collections

In 1994, a museum foundation dedicated to his art was inaugurated in Agramunt, his mother's birthplace. Guinovart also designed the winery Mas Blanch i Jové in La Pobla de Cérvoles (Lleida) and created The Artists' Vineyard, a project that combines sculptures and other art works from different artists in the middle of a vineyard.

• Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, houses some of Guinovart's notable works.
• Casa de las Américas, La Habana, also features his artwork.
• Guinovart's work can be found in the collection of Fine Arts Museum of Long Island, New York City.

For more information about Josep Guinovart I Bertran and his artwork, visit Wikioo.org or Wikipedia.