Julio Le Parc, kinetic art pioneer, dies at 97

Julio Le Parc, born September 23, 1928 in Palmira, Mendoza, Argentina, died at 97. He moved to France in 1958 on a scholarship and became a leading figure in kinetic and op art, experimenting with light, color, and movement to engage viewers actively. In 1964 he co-founded GRAV (Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuel), a collective that challenged traditional art production and exhibition. His international breakthrough came in 1966 when he won the Grand Prix for Painting at the 33rd Venice Biennale. His works are in major museums including MoMA New York, Centre Pompidou Paris, and Tate Modern London. Tate Modern had planned a major retrospective opening June 11, which Le Parc was excited about according to his son. Recent monographic exhibitions were held at Palais de Tokyo Paris, Pérez Art Museum Miami, and Met Breuer New York. In Argentina in 2019, his 90th birthday was celebrated with a retrospective at Centro Cultural Kirchner, a show at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, an installation at Teatro Colón, and a light intervention on the Obelisco in Buenos Aires. He was represented in Italy by Galleria Continua, which announced his death on Instagram. Argentina's Secretary of Culture Leonardo Cifelli paid tribute on social media.