Born in 1930 ( Valencia), Genovés is the foremost representative of modern Spanish painting. His works, executed in critical realism, can be seen as his response to the fascist violence of the Franco regime. He tragically experienced the Spanish Civil War firsthand, where friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even family members became enemies and fought each other in the most horrific ways. The gruesome battle between Republicans and Nationalists turned Spain into an inferno.
Genovés studied at the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Carlos in Valencia and later moved to Madrid in 1958. His first solo exhibitions took place at the Alfil Gallery in Madrid and at the Museo de Arte Moderno in Havana, Cuba in 1957.
In 1976, he was arrested and spent 7 days in solitary confinement for creating a poster calling for amnesty for political prisoners in Franco’s Spain.
In the 1980s, his artwork gained more and more national and international recognition, while he continued to actively advocate for peace. Thanks in part to his efforts, democracy was restored in Spain. His work is a symbol of Catalan pride.
Genovés’ artwork focuses on two themes: the individual and the mass. Many of his works examine the concept of the masses from a bird’s eye perspective, omitting buildings, trees, or other objects, creating a sense of abandonment and loss.
His artwork can be found in numerous public collections in the United States and Europe, including Le Centre National d’Art Contemporain in Paris, France, The Museum of Modern Art and The Guggenheim Museum in New York, USA, The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Israel, The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, IL, USA, Galeria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna in Rome, Italy, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid, IVAM in Valencia, Spain, and Musees Royaux de.
www.ftn-books.com has one Genoves title available.
