Jesús Rafael Soto's Kinetic Illusions Explored in Guggenheim Bilbao Retrospective
The Guggenheim Bilbao is hosting a significant retrospective featuring 60 pieces by Venezuelan artist Jesús Rafael Soto, who passed away in 2005. This exhibition, which covers five decades, emphasizes Soto's stationary reliefs and sculptures that generate optical illusions as viewers move. Although linked to kinetic art following the 1955 Le Mouvement exhibition, Soto resisted being categorized by movement and opted out of MoMA's 1965 show The Responsive Eye. His early works, such as La Spiral (1955), incorporated Perspex overlays to create Op art designs. The Penetrables series, initiated in 1967, includes immersive sculptures like Penetrable blanco y amarillo (1968). The exhibition is open from 18 October to 9 February.
Key facts
- Jesús Rafael Soto died in 2005
- The retrospective includes 60 works
- Exhibition dates: 18 October to 9 February
- Soto was included in the 1955 exhibition Le Mouvement at Galerie Denise René in Paris
- He declined participation in MoMA's 1965 exhibition The Responsive Eye
- Soto stated in 1974 that art should evolve with the seriousness of philosophy and scientific research
- The Penetrables series began in 1967
- French critic Jean Clay wrote about kineticism in the 1960s magazine Robho
Entities
Artists
- Jesús Rafael Soto
- John Cage
Institutions
- Guggenheim Bilbao
- Galerie Denise René
- MoMA
- ArtReview
- Robho
Locations
- Bilbao
- Spain
- Paris
- France