Mille Formes à la conquête de l´espace
(A thousand forms in the conquest of space)
July 2–September 25, 2016
This summer the leading Spanish artist, painter and sculptor Cristóbal Gabarrón (Mula, Murcia, Spain 1945) invades the city of Cannes with his major retrospective Mille formes à la conquête de l’espace (A thousand forms in the conquest of space). Formed by over 200 artworks, the exhibit is taking place in ten popular locations such as the Centre d’art La Malmaison, La Croisette, or Le Suquet, among others.
Cristóbal Gabarrón picks up where earlier generations of painters like Antoni Tàpies (1923–2012) and Antonio Saura (1930–1998) left off. Due to its modernity, his paintings and sculptures contribute to the present cultural debate in museology. Hence, he is an active participant in current trends. His work evolves to abstraction mainly based on transformation of the human being. He addresses life, death, justice, peace, and war.
Accordingly, the city and museums of Cannes are bringing a major retrospective exhibition with his artworks that can be seen for the first time ever in both public places and museums across the city. It seems they were waiting for some of the pieces at the Ville Domergue. As if these artworks used to belong in these gardens designed by the artist Jean-Gabriel Domergue. However, it seems some other pieces were coming to Espace Miramar, dedicated to photography and visual arts. Or maybe going straight ahead to the port de plaisance. Still, his monumental pieces go beyond the landscapes in which they are installed, as they are conceived by an artist who, deep in his heart, is overall a traveler.
The show includes 67 monumental sculptures, which will be installed in the streets of Cannes as public art; 41 sculptures at museums; over 80 ceramic pieces and nine paintings—all large-size canvases. One of the highlights is the debut of the painting Cain’s Altarpiece, oil and pigment on canvas, measuring 4 x 24 meters. One of the sculptures featured is an installation made for the Cannes International Film Festival, to mark the 100-year anniversary of Nobel Laureate Camilo José Cela’s birth, May 11, 1916: Homage to Cinema, with Camilo José Cela in the background. This is a steel and polychrome fiberglass sculpture standing 7.25 meters high.
Exhibition sites:
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes
Centre d´art La Malmaison
Villa Domergue
Espace Miramar
La Croisette
Le port Canto
Le port de plaisance
Le Suquet
Le fort de l´Ile Sainte Marguerite
Le jardin de la médiathèque Noailles
About the artist: A world-renowned artist, Cristobal Gabarrón has created large-scale installations and designs that have contributed to redefining the essence of cities and communities. Gabarrón centers his work on the idea of the life of individuals and the coexistence and development of human values. Throughout his 50-year career, Gabarrón has been commissioned by public and private organizations across the world to create noteworthy and unique art pieces for special occasions, for example, the Olympic Mural for the Barcelona Olympic Games (1992), the Encounter Mural for the Universal Exhibition of Seville (1992) or the sculpture Atlanta Start (1996). His collaboration with the United Nations has spanned most of his career, starting in 1986, when he designed the World Peace Stamp to celebrate the UN International Peace Year, and continuing with his artwork for the UN New Millennium Summit (2000) or the Millennium Chapel (2001), and in October 24, 2015, a monument entitled Enlightened Universe exhibited in New York’s famous Central Park, and unveiled by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in celebration of the UN’s 70th Anniversary.
About Gabarrón Foundation: Since 1992, Gabarrón has been responsible for the gradual establishment of three foundations, in Valladolid, New York and Murcia, where his principal desire is to give back to society through the implementation of artistic and cultural activities, creating awareness through the arts.
*Cristóbal Gabarrón, Homage to Cinema, with Camilo José Cela in the background (detail), 2016. Steel and polychrome fiberglass sculpture, 7.25 m high. Courtesy of Gabarrón Foundation.
