From Mendoza to the world: a guide to Julio Le Parc’s artworks
Renowned Argentine artist Julio Le Parc, one of the most influential figures in the local and international art world and a master of kineticism, died last Saturday in Paris at the age of 97.
Based in France since the late 1950s, Le Parc built a body of work that transcended borders and made him one of the most globally recognized Argentine artists, with a career that stretched through seven decades of experimenting with light, movement, color, and the active participation of the viewer.
A kinetic master
Born in 1928 in Mendoza, he studied art in his home province and Buenos Aires. A scholarship led him to Paris in 1958, where he would later settle for good. His early pieces included drawings and chromatic studies, some of which would evolve into some of his most emblematic works.
In France, he created the Visual Art Research Group (GRAV) together with artists such as Francisco García Miranda, Horacio Demarco, Jean-Pierre Yvaral and Joël Stein. Challenging the art system, the group stated that the artistic goal was constituted by movement and by the participation of the public.
His definitive consecration came in 1966, when he won the International Painting Prize of the Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious awards in the art world.
A politically active artist, Le Parc was outspokenly against the dictatorships that ruled Latin America in the 70s and 80s and promoted culture democratization.
Le Parc remained connected to Argentina, with famous exhibits of his work in places like the Centro Cultural Borges and the 2014 exhibit Le Parc Lumière, at the Buenos Aires Museum of Latin American Art (MALBA). In 2019, Buenos Aires celebrated his work with several shows, including an exhibit at the National Museum of Fine Arts featuring works from his formative years, and a light and mobiles setting by the Colón Theater’s Experimental Center.
Until his final days, he maintained an intense creative activity, with exhibits around the world, and was reportedly working on a major retrospective that was set to open at the Tate Modern in London.
Where to find Julio Le Parc’s work in Buenos Aires
Whether you are walking through the streets of San Telmo, the halls of the Pompidou Centre, or the MoMA in the heart of New York, Le Parc’s luminous art is available around the globe. Here is a guide of locations where you can find some of the artist’s most famous works.
– Palacio Libertad: home to the iconic Sphère Bleu (Blue Sphere), a massive installation of 4,500 blue acrylic pieces suspended in the central hall.
– Ezeiza Airport: the artist’s largest mobile sculpture and his only one in gold, Sol stands 19 meters high in the central hall of the Departures Terminal.
– Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA): holds three large pieces, including Instability. Architectural Proposition (1963-1964) and Exemplary No. 1 (multiple box). On a pedestal in the plaza next to the Museum you can also find Towards the Light (2016).
– MALBA: the Malba-Costantini collection keeps dozens of works, including Six circles en contortion (1967), Continuel-mobil (1962-1996) and Cellule á pénétrer (1963-2005).
Because kinetic artworks often require delicate mechanical upkeep or specialized lighting, institutions frequently rotate these pieces. It is recommended to check current gallery listings or contact the museums directly before visiting to ensure specific works are on display.The excellent website Julio Le Parc Virtual Labyrinthus Museum provides an immersive option to explore hundreds of works in different formats (mobile, desktop and VR) including audioguides.
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المصدر: Buenos Aires Herald
