Passing of a Legend

Painter, sculptor, and educator Manuel Felguérez, a trailblazing artist of the Generación de la Ruptura known for departing from traditional painting styles in Mexico, has passed away at the age of 91. The Mexican newspaper El Universal confirmed that Covid-19 was the cause of death.

Legacy of Abstract Exploration

Renowned for his abstract explorations of geometry and space, Felguérez's death was acknowledged by Mexico’s Minister of Culture, Alejandra Frausto Guerrero, in a tweet on June 8. She highlighted that “his legacy is vast and diverse.”

Early Life and Education

Felguérez was born in 1928 in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. His early artistic journey began at the San Carlos Academy in Mexico City. In the early 1950s, he expanded his studies in Paris at the Academy de la Grande Chaumière and the Académie Colarossi, where he worked alongside sculptor Ossip Zadkine.

Radical Departure from Tradition

In the postwar years, Felguérez's abstract artworks marked a significant shift from the dominant figurative painting and muralism that had characterized Mexico's art scene since its post-revolution era. As part of the avant-garde Generación de la Ruptura, alongside José Luis Cuevas, Francisco Toledo, and Lilia Carrillo, Felguérez played a critical role in shaping contemporary art in Mexico. The movement leaned towards expressionism, often critiquing the realism and nationalist themes seen in the works of prominent muralists like Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco.

Academic and Research Contributions

Throughout his career, Felguérez was also dedicated to education and research. He taught courses and conducted research at the Institute of Aesthetic Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, Cornell University in New York, and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the late 1990s, he donated a selection of his works to a museum of abstract art named in his honor in his home state of Zacatecas.

Recognitions and Exhibitions

Manuel Felguérez, who was awarded Mexico’s Medalla Bellas Artes in 2016, showcased his works at numerous prominent venues. His exhibitions included the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo in Mexico City, Páramo gallery in Guadalajara, Mexico, Harvard’s Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, and Durban Segnini Gallery in Miami. His work also featured in international platforms such as the Mexican pavilion at the 1986 Venice Biennale and the sixth Bienal de São Paulo in 1961. His art is part of the collections of the Museo de Arte Moderno and Carrillo Gil Art Museum in Mexico City, among other institutions.