Carlos Alonso
Encyclopedia
Carlos Alonso is a contemporary Argentine painter, draftsman and printmaker. Though he was a Social realist
in his early career, he is best known as a New realist. Beef
is a common element in his work.
in sculpture, and Bernareggi Francisco and Ramón Gomez Cornet in painting. At the National University of Cuyo
, he studied with Lino Enea Spilimbergo
.
, the North Hall in Santiago del Estero
, and drawing at the Salon del Norte Tucumán
. In 1953, Alonso exhibited at the Gallery Viau of Buenos Aires
, then traveled to Europe where he exhibited in Paris and Madrid. In 1957, he won the competition held by Emecé Editores
to illustrate the second part of Don Quixote, and Martín Fierro
in 1959. In 1961, he won the Premio Chantal del Salón de Acuarelistas y Grabadores of Buenos Aires. In the same year, while visiting London, he discovered acrylic painting techniques
. His Don Quixote pictures were published on postcards in the Soviet Union in 1963.
His work, characterized by expressive power and social commitment, has been exhibited in numerous exhibitions, including at the Art Gallery International (Buenos Aires), where, in 1967, some 250 of his works relating to Dante Alighieri
's Divine Comedy were exhibited. Other exhibitions included the Palacio de Bellas Artes
in Mexico City, as well as tapestries and collage
s at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana
in Cuba. In 1971, his works were exhibited in European galleries such as Villa Giulia
in Rome, the Eidos of Milan, and the Bedford in London. In 2005, 400 years after Cervantes
' work was published, the Museum of Design and Illustration held a tribute exhibition at Buenos Aires' Museo de Artes Plásticas Eduardo Sívori
where Alonso's prints and original drawings were displayed. His illustrations have been included in the novel Mad Toy
by Roberto Arlt
.
, and the disappearance of his daughter Paloma (born 25 July 1956) the following year, Alonso went into exile in Italy, and in 1979, he moved to Madrid. He returned to Argentina two years later. The Bienal de Pintura Paloma Alonso. named in her honor, is a 1990 joint initiative of Alonso and Teresa Nachman.
Alonso is the uncle of the chess grandmaster Salvador Alonso.
Social realism
Social Realism, also known as Socio-Realism, is an artistic movement, expressed in the visual and other realist arts, which depicts social and racial injustice, economic hardship, through unvarnished pictures of life's struggles; often depicting working class activities as heroic...
in his early career, he is best known as a New realist. Beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
is a common element in his work.
Early years
Born in Tunuyán, where he lived until age seven, he later moved with his family to Mendoza. At the age of fourteen, he entered the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes where he studied under Sergio Sergi in drawing and engraving, Lorenzo DominguezLorenzo Domínguez
Lorenzo Domínguez was a prolific Latin American sculptor whose art is a deliberate and personal synthesis of pre-Columbian and Rapa Nui aesthetics with a European artistic formation....
in sculpture, and Bernareggi Francisco and Ramón Gomez Cornet in painting. At the National University of Cuyo
National University of Cuyo
The National University of Cuyo is the largest center of higher education in the province of Mendoza, Argentina....
, he studied with Lino Enea Spilimbergo
Lino Enea Spilimbergo
Lino Enea Spilimbergo was an Argentine artist and engraver, and he is considered to be one of the country's most important painters....
.
Career
Alonso received his first award in 1947. In 1951, he won first prize at the Salon of Painting in San RafaelSan Rafael, Mendoza
San Rafael is a city in the southern region of the Mendoza Province, Argentina. With more than 170,000 inhabitants , it is the largest city and the seat of San Rafael Department....
, the North Hall in Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero is the capital of Santiago del Estero Province in northern Argentina. It has a population of 244,733 inhabitants, making it the twelfth largest city in the country, with a surface area of 2,116 km². It lies on the Dulce River and on National Route 9, at a distance of...
, and drawing at the Salon del Norte Tucumán
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...
. In 1953, Alonso exhibited at the Gallery Viau of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, then traveled to Europe where he exhibited in Paris and Madrid. In 1957, he won the competition held by Emecé Editores
Emecé Editores
Emecé Editores is an Argentine publishing house, currently a subsidiary of Grupo Planeta.The company was founded in 1939 by Mariano Medina del Río, shortly after his arrival from Spain, with the literary collaboration of Álvaro de las Casas, and the support of Medina's former classmate Carlos Braun...
to illustrate the second part of Don Quixote, and Martín Fierro
Martín Fierro
Martín Fierro is a 2,316 line epic poem by the Argentine writer José Hernández. The poem was originally published in two parts, El Gaucho Martín Fierro and La Vuelta de Martín Fierro . The poem is, in part, a protest against the modernist tendencies of Argentine president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento...
in 1959. In 1961, he won the Premio Chantal del Salón de Acuarelistas y Grabadores of Buenos Aires. In the same year, while visiting London, he discovered acrylic painting techniques
Acrylic painting techniques
Acrylic painting techniques are different styles of manipulating and working with polymer-based acrylic paints. Acrylics differ from oil paints in that they have shorter drying times and are soluble in water. These types of paint eliminate the need for turpentine and gesso, and can be applied...
. His Don Quixote pictures were published on postcards in the Soviet Union in 1963.
His work, characterized by expressive power and social commitment, has been exhibited in numerous exhibitions, including at the Art Gallery International (Buenos Aires), where, in 1967, some 250 of his works relating to Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
's Divine Comedy were exhibited. Other exhibitions included the Palacio de Bellas Artes
Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palacio de Bellas Artes is the most important cultural center in Mexico City as well as the rest of the country of Mexico...
in Mexico City, as well as tapestries and collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
s at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana
The National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana in Havana, Cuba is a museum of Fine Arts that exhibits Cuban art collections from the colonial times up to contemporary generations. It was founded on February 23, 1913 due to the efforts of its first director, Emilio Heredia, a well-known architect...
in Cuba. In 1971, his works were exhibited in European galleries such as Villa Giulia
Villa Giulia
The Villa Giulia is a villa in Rome, Italy. It was built by Pope Julius III in 1550–1555 on what was then the edge of the city. Today it is publicly owned, and houses the Museo Nazionale Etrusco, an impressive collection of Etruscan art and artifacts....
in Rome, the Eidos of Milan, and the Bedford in London. In 2005, 400 years after Cervantes
Cervantes
-People:*Alfonso J. Cervantes , mayor of St. Louis, Missouri*Francisco Cervantes de Salazar, 16th-century man of letters*Ignacio Cervantes, Cuban composer*Jorge Cervantes, a world-renowned expert on indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse cannabis cultivation...
' work was published, the Museum of Design and Illustration held a tribute exhibition at Buenos Aires' Museo de Artes Plásticas Eduardo Sívori
Eduardo Sívori
Eduardo Sívori was an Argentine artist widely regarded as his country's first realist painter.-Life and work:...
where Alonso's prints and original drawings were displayed. His illustrations have been included in the novel Mad Toy
Mad Toy
Mad Toy is the first novel of the Argentinean author Roberto Arlt. Published in 1926 by Editorial Latina, it is markedly autobiographical in nature...
by Roberto Arlt
Roberto Arlt
Roberto Arlt was an Argentine writer.-Biography:He was born Roberto Godofredo Christophersen Arlt in Buenos Aires on April 2, 1900. His parents were both immigrants: his father Karl Arlt was a Prussian from Posen and his mother was Ekatherine Iobstraibitzer, a native of Trieste and Italian speaking...
.
Personal life
Alonso married the artist Ivonne Fauvety. Following the coup of 19761976 Argentine coup d'état
The 1976 Argentine coup was a right-wing coup d'état that overthrew Isabel Perón on 24 March 1976, in Argentina. In her place, a military junta was installed, which was headed by General Jorge Rafael Videla, Admiral Emilio Eduardo Massera and Brigadier Orlando Ramón Agosti...
, and the disappearance of his daughter Paloma (born 25 July 1956) the following year, Alonso went into exile in Italy, and in 1979, he moved to Madrid. He returned to Argentina two years later. The Bienal de Pintura Paloma Alonso. named in her honor, is a 1990 joint initiative of Alonso and Teresa Nachman.
Alonso is the uncle of the chess grandmaster Salvador Alonso.