Edgar Negret
Bio
Edgar Negret was born in Colombia in 1920. He is considered the most prominent representative of modern Colombian sculpture. With his abstract compositions, he transcended the borders of his country and assimilated the trends of 20th century art to create a work of singular originality and expressive force. He lived in New York, Paris and Madrid. He exhibited at the Pittsburgh International Exhibition, the 1960 Venice Biennale and the São Paulo Biennials of 1957 and 1965, among others.
Statement
Edgar Negret was known for combining in his geometric sculptures images of industrial structures with those he observed in nature. He believed that function-free mechanical forms possessed a magical quality. The Spanish sculptor Jorge de Oteiza influenced him deeply. While he was studying at the Clay Club Center in New York he began to work with metal; in the same period, he met Louise Nevelson and Ellsworth Kelly, who also became great influences in his practice.
