Esther Ferrer
Encyclopedia
Esther Ferrer is a Spanish interdisciplinary artist and performance art
teacher. She is regarded as one of the major Spanish artists of her generation. (Daniel Charles
, Encyclopedia Universalis)
In 1966, Esther Ferrer joined Walter Marchetti and Juan Hidalgo
in the Spanish art performance and contemporary music group Zaj
, famous for its radical and conceptual performances. Their pieces were presented in Spanish concert halls (originally devoted to the production of classical music) despite of the fascistic Franco
's regime. The Zaj group was dissolved in 1996 by its original member Walter Marchetti.
Esther Ferrer production include objects, photographs, and systems based on the series of prime numbers. She is also famous for her work as a performance artist. "Esther work Ferrer can be regarded as a very particular minimalism
which integrates rigour
, humor, diversion
and absurdity
." (Sylvie Ferré)
In 1999, Esther Ferrer was chosen to represent Spain at the Venice Biennale
.
She is married to minimalist composer Tom Johnson
.
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
teacher. She is regarded as one of the major Spanish artists of her generation. (Daniel Charles
Daniel Charles
Daniel Paul Charles was a French musician, musicologist and philosopher, born on November 27, 1935 in Oran and deceased on August 21, 2008 in Antibes .- Biography :...
, Encyclopedia Universalis)
In 1966, Esther Ferrer joined Walter Marchetti and Juan Hidalgo
Juan Hidalgo Codorniu
Juan Hidalgo is a Spanish contemporary composer born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands in 1927. After studying piano and composition in Barcelona and Paris with Nadia Boulanger and Bruno Maderna, in 1957 participates in the XII Internationale Ferienkurse Für Neue Musik festival in Darmstadt with his...
in the Spanish art performance and contemporary music group Zaj
Zaj
Zaj was an experimental music and performance art group formed in 1959 in Milan, Italy by composers and intermedia artists Walter Marchetti and Juan Hidalgo with the support of the American composer John Cage...
, famous for its radical and conceptual performances. Their pieces were presented in Spanish concert halls (originally devoted to the production of classical music) despite of the fascistic Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's regime. The Zaj group was dissolved in 1996 by its original member Walter Marchetti.
Esther Ferrer production include objects, photographs, and systems based on the series of prime numbers. She is also famous for her work as a performance artist. "Esther work Ferrer can be regarded as a very particular minimalism
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
which integrates rigour
Rigour
Rigour or rigor has a number of meanings in relation to intellectual life and discourse. These are separate from public and political applications with their suggestion of laws enforced to the letter, or political absolutism...
, humor, diversion
Diversion
Diversion may refer to:*diversion, a detour, especially of an airplane flight due to severe weather or mechanical failure, or of an ambulance from a fully occupied emergency room to one another nearby hospital*diversion, a distraction...
and absurdity
Absurdity
An absurdity is a thing that is extremely unreasonable, so as to be foolish or not taken seriously, or the state of being so. "Absurd" is an adjective used to describe an absurdity, e.g., “this encyclopedia article is absurd”. It derives from the Latin absurdusm meaning "out of tune", hence...
." (Sylvie Ferré)
In 1999, Esther Ferrer was chosen to represent Spain at the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
.
She is married to minimalist composer Tom Johnson
Tom Johnson (composer)
Tom Johnson , is an American minimalist composer, a former student of Morton Feldman.-Career:His pieces are most often based simply on mathematical and logical processes, such as tiling, which he attempts to make as clear as possible...
.
External links
- Esther Ferrer: Works and Process Two-part documentary series on Esther Ferrer
- FONS AUDIO #1: Esther Ferrer A podcast on the artist and the Zaj Group