El Paso (Artist Group)
El Paso (Spanish for The Step ) was a Spanish artist group that was founded in Madrid in 1957 and lasted until 1960. After the Catalan artist group Dau al Set founded in Barcelona in 1948 , it was important for the development of Spanish modern art .
history
The group was founded by Antonio Saura , Rafael Canogar , Manolo Millares , Pablo Serrano, Juana Francés, Luis Feito , Martín Chirino and other artists, from 1958 Manuel Viola and Manuel Rivera were also members .
El Paso's aim was to combat cultural policy in Spain under the regime of Francisco Franco . The painters of El Paso represented the Informel style in particular , but were sometimes also at home in other styles such as Expressionism , Abstract Expressionism , Surrealism and Cubism .
El Paso saw Spanish art in crisis because it lacked constructive criticism, the art market, exhibition opportunities and patrons. The first goal was therefore to organize exhibitions and an annual salon. El Paso has hosted numerous solo and group exhibitions. The first took place in April 1958 in Galerie Buchholz in Madrid . The group published the magazine Cartas de El Paso , which covered the group's activities and commented on other events.
El Paso existed until 1960. The various members then went their own artistic ways.
Literature and Sources
- Hansel, Sylvaine; Karge, Henrik: Spanish Art History - An Introduction , (in 2 volumes); Volume 2: From the Renaissance to Today ; Berlin 1991; ISBN 3-496-01082-7