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biography

Carlos Medina

Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 1953.

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Venezuelan artist, born in 1953. Graduated in the School of Visual Art of Caracas, celebrating the end of his academic studies in 1975 with an individual exhibition of iron and stone sculptures: Abstracciones geométricas espaciales, presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art of Caracas. The same year he earns the Sculpture Prize in the 4th National Salon of Young Artists organized by the National Institute of Culture and Fine Arts.

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In 1977 he travels to Italy and settles down in Carrara with scholarships successively granted by the Italian government and Foundation for Culture and Arts (Fundarte), Caracas. This stage features the exploration of new materials, the practice of superior carving and turning techniques, and also the study of new conceptualizations over tridimensional work.  He works at Carlo Andrei’s atelier, at the industry Gonari Marmi and he pursues several courses at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara. Plus, he works on bronze sculpturing at the Fonderia Mariani in Pietrasanta. During this period participates in exhibitions, symposia and events in several European countries

 

Medina returns to Venezuela in 1984, and he resumes the iron and steel sculpturing for urban scale production. Assiduous researcher of techniques and materials becomes a reference of volumetric sculpture. In the following decades develops more than twenty monumental works including the iconic Fragment of rain to Caracas, a project dating from 1989 and finally realized in 2014, as a gift to the city.

 

Always focused on geometric abstraction, going from volumetric to spatial concerns, his work is consolidated in the essential and imperceptible interpretation of nature, physics and forms, a leading and evolving concepts in his work.

 

Medina currently lives and works in Caracas and Paris.

Throughout his artistic trajectory, he has had numerous solo exhibitions and has been invited to relevants symposia, biennials, fairs and collective shows in America, Asia and Europe.

 

It's important to mention that Carlos Medina has more than twenty awards and prizes granted to him from recognized organizations of art and culture.

Individual exhibitions (selection)

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2018 El arte de la levedad, Galería Cesta República, Madrid, España

2017 Fragments Esentiels, Espace Meyer Zafra, Paris, France.

2016 Imperceptible, Ascaso Art Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela 

2016 Essential, Ascaso Gallery, Miami, USA

2015 Esencial. Marion Gallery, Panama City. Panama.

2013 Esencial, Museum of Contemporary Art (MACZUL), Maracaibo, Venezuela.

2013 Esencial, Museum of Contemporary Art, Yucatán (MACAY), Merida, Mexico.

2012 Esencial, Museum of Art Guadalajara University (MUSA), Mexico.

2011 White Surfaces, Art Nouveau Gallery, Miami, USA

2006 Papeles. Museum of Contemporary Art, Caracas, Venezuela

2003 Carlos Medina y su obra, Museum of  Maya Culture, Chetumal, Mexico.

1990 Obra en Madera, Museum of Contemporary Art, Caracas.

1987 Mármoles, Museum of Modern Art Jesús Soto, Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela.

1984 Carlos Medina Esculturas, Fine Arts Museum, Caracas, Venezuela

1979 Mármoles y Granitos, Van Vlaenderens Gallery & Luka Gallery, Belgium

1975 Abstracciones geométricas espaciales, Museum of Contemporary Art, Caracas

 

Colective exhibitios (selection)

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2018 Espace Oblique. Galerie Denise René. París. Francia

2018 Géométries de lumière. Galerie Wagner. Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. Francia

2017 La nature en la sculpture. Villa Datris. Foundation. Isle-sur-la-Sorge, Francia

2016 Art Elysées Fair, Espace Meyer-Zafra. París, France

2015 Veintiuno XXI. La plástica del siglo XXI, MUSA Collection, Guadalajara Mexico.

2012 I Muestra Internacional Escultura en Acero, Villacero Foundation, Monterrey, Mexico

2012 Narrativas Contemporáneas, Andean Development Corporation (CAF), Caracas, Venezuela

2007 Escultura Latinoamericana en Acero, Museum of Modern Art, Cartagena, Colombia                

2005 Arte Venezolano del Siglo XXI, Fine Arts Museum, Caracas

2002 Abstracción y Geometría en la Colección, Museum of Contemporary Art of Caracas

1998 Exposición Internacional de Escultura, Mala Espina Palace, Zacatecas, México

1996 Esculturas Pequeño Formato, Municipal Hall, Alajuela, Costa Rica

1996 Esculturas Pequeño Formato, Art room of the town Hall, Valdivia, Chile

1984 Cien Obras de la Colección, Museum of Contemporary Art, Caracas

1980 Sculptures in the Royal Villa, Ostende, Belgium

1980 International sculpture in marble, Apple Gallery, Waregen/ De Zwarte Panter Gallery

1980 Amberes /Maeyaert Gallery, Ostende. Belgium

1981 Procurement Ministry of Culture of Belgium, traveling exhibition through several  national museums, Belgium

 

 

Symposia, Bienniales & Salons (selection)

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2018 Carré Latin III. Palais Royal. París. Francia

2013 Aflorarte, Corazón Verde Foundation. Bogota, Colombia.

2009 XI Cairo  Biennial, Egypt

2008 I Biennial of Sculpture, Museum of Arts, Guadalajara University, Mexico

2007 I Sculpture Symposium Margarita, Porlamar, Venezuela.

2006 III Granite International Sculpture Symposium, Yeong Wol, South Korea

2006 MOLAA  Awards 2006, Museum of Latinoamerican Art, Los Angeles, USA

2003 II International Steel Sculpture Symposium, Chetumal, Mexico

2002 Andean Sculpture Biennial, Museun of Modern Art, Cuenca, Ecuador

1998 I International Stone Sculpture Symposium, Zacatecas, Mexico

1996 I International Wood Sculpture Symposium Alajuela, Costa Rica

1992 I Iberoamerican Sculpture Simposyum, Santiago, Chile

1994 II International Triennial of sculptors, Chaco, Argentina.

1987 I Art Guiana Biennial, Museum of Modern Art Jesus Soto, Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela

1983 Biennial of Visual Arts Museum of Contemporary Art, Caracas,Venezuela

1982 International Sculpture Symposium, Forma Viva, Kostanjevika, Yugoslavia (Slovenia)

1981 Salon des Independants, Gran Palais, Paris, France

1981 V International Biennial Sculpture, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary

1981 International Sculpture Symposium Lindabrunn, Austria

1980 International Sculpture Symposium, Ostende, Belgium

1978 International Biennial of Young Artists, Viareggio, Italy

1978 International Sculpture Exhibition, Palazzo Comune, Carrara, Italy

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Awards (selection)

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2017 Best book of the year Medina. De lo material a lo esencial. International Association of Art Critics (AICA) Venezuela.

2014 Sculpture Award Venezuelan Association of Artists, Caracas. Venezuela

2012 Tittle of Guest of Honor and the Keys of the City in Resistencia, Argentina

2008 Mention of Honor, I Biennial of Sculpture, Guadalajara, Mexico

2003 Special Mention, Salon Exxon Móvil, National Art Gallery, Caracas

2002 Ministry of Education and Culture Prize, I Andean Biennial of Sculpture, Museum of Modern Art in Cuenca, Ecuador 

1993 Great Prize Salon Arturo Michelena Prize, Athenaeum of Valencia, Venezuela

               (1986, 1987, 1992, obtains the Sculptor Prize)

               Sculptors prize, I American Sculptur Contest. Resistencia, Argentina

1992 Sculpture Prize, XVII National Salon of Art Aragua, Maracay, Venezuela  (and 2002)

1991 National Biennial of Sculpture, Museum of Contemporary Art Francisco Narvaez, Porlamar, Venezuela          

1986 I Biennial of Guiana Art Prize, Museum of Modern Art Jesus Soto, Ciudad Bolivar,  Venezuela

1984 InternationaL Association of Art Critics Award, AICA, Venezuelan Chapter

1981 The Unique Award of Acquisition, National Council for Culture, Caracas, Venezuela

1978 City of Carrara Prize, Italy Painting Prize of the I International Biennial of Young Artists, Viarregio, Italy

1976 The Sculpture Prize at the II Salon of Art Fondene, Porlamar, Venezuela

1975 National Salon of Young Artists of the National Institute of Culture and Fine Arts, Caracas, Venezuela (and 1981).

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