Esteban Lisa
Encyclopedia
Esteban Lisa, 1895-1983, is a painter from Spain, living almost his whole life in Buenos Aires, Argentina
.
At the age of 12 he emigrated to Argentina to live with his paternal aunt
and uncle. He worked as a glass washer, then as a messenger - and later as a librarian - at Buenos Aires Central Post Office
. At the same time he completed his primary studies. He entered the Beato Angélico Art School
, where he studied with Friar Guillermo Butler. He taught painting in the School for Adults, located at number 900 Serrano (Buenos Aires), and joined the Argentine Teachers' Union. He married the Doctor of Philosophy
and Letters, Josefina Pierini.
His pictorial production continued almost uninterrupted from the 1930s until 1978, and was complemented by his studies of philosophy and science
. His mystic conception of life and art was to accompany him always: abstraction was his chosen means of visual communication
. He was not interested in following a career as an artist-painter, and perceived that his role in society would be not only to teach the techniques of painting, but also to contribute to the spiritual development of human beings, by carefully preserving his work for future generations.
His short book: Kant, Einstein and Picasso, published in 1956, which he circulated among friends and cultural institutions
, was to highlight his main preferences. His literary production totals 14 books, written and published, including: The Theory of Cosmovision, and The Vision of Plato.
Lisa owned an extensive library, comprising over 900 books on philosophy, oriental religions and art, which is now located in the headquarters of the Esteban Lisa Foundation.
In 1955, the year in which he retired from his official teaching duties, with the support of his disciples, Lisa founded his own center, known as the "Four Dimensions Modern Art
School", located at 1966 Rivadavia, Buenos Aires. His "Institute for Research into the Theory of Cosmovision" was opened later at 1535 Alsina.
Between 1956 and 1979 Lisa gave numerous conferences in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Paraná, Gualeguay and Azul on his Theory of Cosmovision, his means of uniting aesthetic experiences, ethics and modern science
.
He travelled to Spain to be reunited with his family in 1981. He died in Buenos Aires on June 19, 1983.
, but also in the context of Spanish abstraction. His work was never shown during his life-time. Now there is an extraordinary international reception of his work by collectors, art critics
and the general public.
Lisa worked in the realm of abstraction from c.1935 to 1978.
Lisa’s work began to be studied and catalogued in 1996, a decade after an exhibition held in the Museum Sivori of Buenos Aires in 1987 passed unnoticed. One-man exhibitions were held in Buenos Aires (Galería Palatina, 1997) and Madrid (Guillermo de Osma, 1998). Museum shows were held on Rosario (1997), Montevideo (1998) and Cordoba (1999). Other exhibitions included a large retrospective in the Buenos Aires Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (July 1999) and in Santa Fe (November 1999). He was also shown in ARCO (Madrid, 1987, 1988, 1999) and FIAC (Paris, 1997, 1998) Art Fairs.
2008 an exhibition "Dialogues with Esteban Lisa" took place in Cuenca, Fundación Antonio Pérez, with more than 50 paintings and drawings.
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...
.
Biography
Esteban Lisa was born in Hinojosa de San Vicente, Toledo (Spain) on August 8, 1895.At the age of 12 he emigrated to Argentina to live with his paternal aunt
Cousin chart
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
and uncle. He worked as a glass washer, then as a messenger - and later as a librarian - at Buenos Aires Central Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. At the same time he completed his primary studies. He entered the Beato Angélico Art School
Art school
Art school is a general term for any educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. The term applies to institutions with elementary, secondary, post-secondary or undergraduate, or graduate or...
, where he studied with Friar Guillermo Butler. He taught painting in the School for Adults, located at number 900 Serrano (Buenos Aires), and joined the Argentine Teachers' Union. He married the Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
and Letters, Josefina Pierini.
His pictorial production continued almost uninterrupted from the 1930s until 1978, and was complemented by his studies of philosophy and science
History and philosophy of science
The history and philosophy of science is an academic discipline that encompasses the philosophy of science and the history of science. Although many scholars in the field are trained primarily as either historians or as philosophers, there are degree-granting departments of HPS at several...
. His mystic conception of life and art was to accompany him always: abstraction was his chosen means of visual communication
Visual communication
Visual communication as the name suggests is communication through visual aid and is described as the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon...
. He was not interested in following a career as an artist-painter, and perceived that his role in society would be not only to teach the techniques of painting, but also to contribute to the spiritual development of human beings, by carefully preserving his work for future generations.
His short book: Kant, Einstein and Picasso, published in 1956, which he circulated among friends and cultural institutions
Cultural institutions
Cultural institutions are elements within a culture/sub-culture that are perceived to be important to, or traditionally valued among, its members for their own identity. Examples of cultural institutions in modern Western society are museums, churches, schools, work and the print media.Television...
, was to highlight his main preferences. His literary production totals 14 books, written and published, including: The Theory of Cosmovision, and The Vision of Plato.
Lisa owned an extensive library, comprising over 900 books on philosophy, oriental religions and art, which is now located in the headquarters of the Esteban Lisa Foundation.
In 1955, the year in which he retired from his official teaching duties, with the support of his disciples, Lisa founded his own center, known as the "Four Dimensions Modern Art
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
School", located at 1966 Rivadavia, Buenos Aires. His "Institute for Research into the Theory of Cosmovision" was opened later at 1535 Alsina.
Between 1956 and 1979 Lisa gave numerous conferences in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Paraná, Gualeguay and Azul on his Theory of Cosmovision, his means of uniting aesthetic experiences, ethics and modern science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
.
He travelled to Spain to be reunited with his family in 1981. He died in Buenos Aires on June 19, 1983.
Work
The eruption of Esteban Lisa’s work onto the international arena could become an important event in the history of abstraction, since he is not only a pioneer of this art form in terms of Latin American ArtLatin American art
Latin American art is the combined artistic expressions of South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico, as well as Latin American living in other regions....
, but also in the context of Spanish abstraction. His work was never shown during his life-time. Now there is an extraordinary international reception of his work by collectors, art critics
Art criticism
Art criticism is the discussion or evaluation of visual art.Art critics usually criticize art in the context of aesthetics or the theory of beauty...
and the general public.
Lisa worked in the realm of abstraction from c.1935 to 1978.
Lisa’s work began to be studied and catalogued in 1996, a decade after an exhibition held in the Museum Sivori of Buenos Aires in 1987 passed unnoticed. One-man exhibitions were held in Buenos Aires (Galería Palatina, 1997) and Madrid (Guillermo de Osma, 1998). Museum shows were held on Rosario (1997), Montevideo (1998) and Cordoba (1999). Other exhibitions included a large retrospective in the Buenos Aires Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (July 1999) and in Santa Fe (November 1999). He was also shown in ARCO (Madrid, 1987, 1988, 1999) and FIAC (Paris, 1997, 1998) Art Fairs.
2008 an exhibition "Dialogues with Esteban Lisa" took place in Cuenca, Fundación Antonio Pérez, with more than 50 paintings and drawings.
External links and references
- http://www.estebanlisa.com/homeingles.swf
- http://www2.essex.ac.uk/arthistory/arara/issue_two/abstracts.html
- http://www.dipucuenca.es/aplicaciones/publico/agenda3.asp?idagenda=149