Alexandre Arrechea
Encyclopedia
Alexandre Arrechea was born in Trinidad
, Cuba
, in 1970. For twelve years he was a member of the art collective Los Carpinteros
, until he left the group in July 2003 to continue his career as a solo artist.
His public art involves concepts of power and its network of hierarchies, surveillance, control, prohibitions and subjection. The spectator’s participation in the work adds to his contemplation. The work arises out of human actions and reactions in the face of contemporary versions of the worldview already described by Jeremy Bentham
in the 18th century. The eye of power watches everything and everyone, and everyone watches everyone else and themselves.
The interdisciplinary quality of Alexandre Arrechea’s work reveals a profound interest in the exploration of both public and domestic spaces. This quest has led him to produce several monumental projects like “Ciudad Transportable” (2000), “The Garden of Mistrust” (2003-2005) and “Perpetual Free Entrance” (2006).
in 1994. Today, he lives in Madrid
with his wife, Cuban art historian Madeline Arrechea and their two children, Dalia and Arturo.
, composed of Marco Antonio Castillo Valdés and Dagoberto Rodríguez Sánchez. The three artists began working behind their collective moniker back in 1994, and they became rapidly successful. The New-York Museum of Modern Art
acquired several of their drawings for the museum’s permanent collection.
Alexandre Arrechea decided to leave Los Carpinteros in July 2003, to begin a solo career. His fist individual project was El Jardin de la Desconfianza (The Garden of Mistrust), an epic installation in Los Angeles
that required two years of work (2003-2005). The central piece of the work was a whitewashed aluminum tree whose branches were outfitted with video cameras which recorded spectators and broadcasted them on the Internet.
His public art often involves concepts of power and its network of hierarchies, surveillance, control, prohibitions and subjection. The spectator’s participation in the work adds to its contemplation.
For the 10th Havana Biennial
(March 27 – April 30, 2009), Alexandre Arrechea worked on a project named La habitación de todos (The Room of All), which is a sculpture of a house that expands or contracts according to, respectively, the rise or fall of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
.
Today, he works on a public art project in New-York, involving video projections on buildings.
His work will be showcased in the upcoming Venice Bienale.
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
, curated by Ethan Cohen and Juan Puntes, Art Center Winzavod, Moscow.
Infinite Island: Contemporary Caribbean Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, NY.
- 2006 : Taipei Biennial Dirty Yoga, curated by Dan Cameron, Taiwan.
Fatamorgana: Illusion and Deception in Contemporary Art, curated by Tami Katz-Frieman, Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa, Israel.
Open House Exhibition, Ellipse Foundation Contemporary Art Collection, Centro Cultural de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal.
Moving Image: Video, Animation and Software Art, Alonso Art, Miami, FL.
Impakt 2006, Centraal Museum, Louis Hartlooper Complex, Tivoli/De Helling and other venues, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
, San Diego, CA.
- 2005 : Form Follows Dysfunction, Michael Steinberg Fine Arts, NY.
Group Show, Magnan Projects Gallery, New York, NY.
Out of Place, Mary Goldman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
Salon de arte contemporaneo, Centro de Desarollo de Las Artes Visuals, La Habana, Cuba.
- 2004 : Ay, Mami! Program of Cuban video at the Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, England.
Festival of Independent Film & Video, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
2002
2000
1997
References
Trinidad, Cuba
-External links:* , Online travel guide to Trinidad* , Selected photos of Trinidad* , Photos of Trinidad...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, in 1970. For twelve years he was a member of the art collective Los Carpinteros
Los Carpinteros
Los Carpinteros is the name of a group of young Cuban artists that specializes in creating humorous installations and objects. In 1991 Marco Antonio Castillo Valdes, Dagoberto Rodriguez Sanchez, and Alexandre Arrechea formed Los Carpinteros—however they didn’t adopt the name until 1994, “deciding...
, until he left the group in July 2003 to continue his career as a solo artist.
His public art involves concepts of power and its network of hierarchies, surveillance, control, prohibitions and subjection. The spectator’s participation in the work adds to his contemplation. The work arises out of human actions and reactions in the face of contemporary versions of the worldview already described by Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham was an English jurist, philosopher, and legal and social reformer. He became a leading theorist in Anglo-American philosophy of law, and a political radical whose ideas influenced the development of welfarism...
in the 18th century. The eye of power watches everything and everyone, and everyone watches everyone else and themselves.
The interdisciplinary quality of Alexandre Arrechea’s work reveals a profound interest in the exploration of both public and domestic spaces. This quest has led him to produce several monumental projects like “Ciudad Transportable” (2000), “The Garden of Mistrust” (2003-2005) and “Perpetual Free Entrance” (2006).
Biography
Alexandre Arrechea graduated from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) of HavanaHavana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
in 1994. Today, he lives in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
with his wife, Cuban art historian Madeline Arrechea and their two children, Dalia and Arturo.
Work
Alexandre Arrechea made his name thanks to the art collective Los CarpinterosLos Carpinteros
Los Carpinteros is the name of a group of young Cuban artists that specializes in creating humorous installations and objects. In 1991 Marco Antonio Castillo Valdes, Dagoberto Rodriguez Sanchez, and Alexandre Arrechea formed Los Carpinteros—however they didn’t adopt the name until 1994, “deciding...
, composed of Marco Antonio Castillo Valdés and Dagoberto Rodríguez Sánchez. The three artists began working behind their collective moniker back in 1994, and they became rapidly successful. The New-York Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
acquired several of their drawings for the museum’s permanent collection.
Alexandre Arrechea decided to leave Los Carpinteros in July 2003, to begin a solo career. His fist individual project was El Jardin de la Desconfianza (The Garden of Mistrust), an epic installation in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
that required two years of work (2003-2005). The central piece of the work was a whitewashed aluminum tree whose branches were outfitted with video cameras which recorded spectators and broadcasted them on the Internet.
His public art often involves concepts of power and its network of hierarchies, surveillance, control, prohibitions and subjection. The spectator’s participation in the work adds to its contemplation.
For the 10th Havana Biennial
Havana biennial
The Havana Biennial Art Exhibition takes place in Havana every two years, and principally aims at promoting the « Third World » contemporary art...
(March 27 – April 30, 2009), Alexandre Arrechea worked on a project named La habitación de todos (The Room of All), which is a sculpture of a house that expands or contracts according to, respectively, the rise or fall of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average , also called the Industrial Average, the Dow Jones, the Dow 30, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index, and one of several indices created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company co-founder Charles Dow...
.
Today, he works on a public art project in New-York, involving video projections on buildings.
His work will be showcased in the upcoming Venice Bienale.
Solo shows
2008- American University MuseumAmerican University MuseumThe American University Museum is located in the Katzen Arts Center at the American University in Washington, DC. It is a three-story, museum and sculpture garden located within the university’s Katzen Arts Center. The region’s largest university facility for exhibiting art, the museum’s permanent...
at the KatzenKatzen Arts CenterThe Katzen Arts Center is home to all of the visual and performing arts programs at American University and the American University Museum. Located at Ward Circle, the intersection of Nebraska Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, the Center sits atop Embassy Row in Washington, DC, one of the highest...
, Washington D.C. USA
2007
- “Espacio Derrotado”, [January 30] Casado-Santa Pau Gallery, Madrid, Spain
- “Sweet Fear”, [February 15] Alonso Art, Miami, Florida. U.S.A.
- “Contemporary Links” [June 30] San Diego Museum of ArtSan Diego Museum of ArtThe San Diego Museum of Art is a fine arts museum located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California that houses a broad collection with particular strength in Spanish art. The San Diego Museum of Art opened as The Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego on February 28, 1926, and changed its name to the San...
, San Diego, U.S.A.
2006
- Perpetual Free Entrance, Museo Patio Herreriano, Valladolid, Spain.
- The Limit, Mary Goldman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA - CAC de Malaga, Spain.
2005
- Dust, Magnan Projects, New York, USA
2004
- “Dos nuevos espacios”, Espacio Aglutinador, La Habana, Cuba.
- Arte público, Mark Selwyn Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Sudor, Proyecto de arte público, La Havana, Cuba
2003
- Novos Desenho, Galeria Fortes Vilaça, São Paulo, Brazil.
2002
- Artist in residence, The Baltic Center for Contemporary Art, New Castle, England.
- Ciudad Transportable, Contemporary Art Museum of HawaiiThe Contemporary Museum, HonoluluThe now defunct Contemporary Museum, Honolulu was the only museum in the state of Hawaii devoted exclusively to contemporary art. The Contemporary Museum had two venues: in residential Honolulu at the historic Spalding House, and downtown Honolulu at First Hawaiian Center.-Collection:Artists...
, Honolulu, Hawaii.
2001
- Túneles Populares, Palacio de Abrahante, Salamanca, Spain.
- Los Carpinteros, Galería Camargo Vilaça, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Ciudad Transportable, PS1 Contemporary Art Center, New York, USA.
- Los Carpinteros, Grant Selwyn Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Ciudad Transportable, Los Angeles County Museum of ArtLos Angeles County Museum of ArtThe Los Angeles County Museum of Art is an art museum in Los Angeles, California. It is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles, adjacent to the George C. Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits....
, Los Angeles, CA, USA. - Los Carpinteros, San Francisco Art InstituteSan Francisco Art InstituteSan Francisco Art Institute is a school of higher education in contemporary art with the main campus in the Russian Hill district of San Francisco, California. Its graduate center is in the Dogpatch neighborhood. The private, non-profit institution is accredited by WASC and is a member of the...
, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Collective Exhibitions
- 2007 : We are Your Future, 2 Moscow Biennial of Contemporary ArtMoscow Biennale
The Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art is one of the most important Russian cultural events and was founded in 2003.- First Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art :...
, curated by Ethan Cohen and Juan Puntes, Art Center Winzavod, Moscow.
Infinite Island: Contemporary Caribbean Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, NY.
- 2006 : Taipei Biennial Dirty Yoga, curated by Dan Cameron, Taiwan.
Fatamorgana: Illusion and Deception in Contemporary Art, curated by Tami Katz-Frieman, Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa, Israel.
Open House Exhibition, Ellipse Foundation Contemporary Art Collection, Centro Cultural de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal.
Moving Image: Video, Animation and Software Art, Alonso Art, Miami, FL.
Impakt 2006, Centraal Museum, Louis Hartlooper Complex, Tivoli/De Helling and other venues, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego , in San Diego, California, USA, is an art museum focused on the collection, preservation, exhibition, and interpretation of works of art from 1950 to the present.-History:...
, San Diego, CA.
- 2005 : Form Follows Dysfunction, Michael Steinberg Fine Arts, NY.
Group Show, Magnan Projects Gallery, New York, NY.
Out of Place, Mary Goldman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
Salon de arte contemporaneo, Centro de Desarollo de Las Artes Visuals, La Habana, Cuba.
- 2004 : Ay, Mami! Program of Cuban video at the Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, England.
Festival of Independent Film & Video, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Awards, fellowship, recognition
2005- Braziers International. Oxfordshire, England.
2002
- Artist in residence, The Baltic Center for Contemporary Art, New Castle, England.
2000
- Prize. Fomento de las Artes, UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, 7ma Bienal de la Habana, Havana, Cuba.
1997
- First Prize, Contemporary Art-People’s Award, El Mundo Magazine, Argentaria Foundation. ARCO Fair.
References