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Julio Le Parc, Pioneer of Kinetic Art, Dies at 97 in Paris

artist · 2026-05-30

Julio Le Parc, the Argentine artist who revolutionized visual perception through light, color, and movement, died in Paris at age 97. A central figure in kinetic and optical art, Le Parc co-founded the Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV) in 1960, advocating participatory and accessible art. Born in Mendoza, Argentina in 1928, he moved to Paris in 1958 on a scholarship. His international breakthrough came in 1966 when he won the Grand Prize for Painting at the Venice Biennale. His works are held by the Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou, and Tate Modern. In Brazil, he had a long partnership with gallerist Nara Roesler, with exhibitions in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and New York. Recently, he was preparing a retrospective titled "Julio Le Parc: Light. Colour. Action." scheduled to open at Tate Modern this month, which will now serve as a posthumous tribute.

Key facts

  • Julio Le Parc died in Paris at age 97.
  • He was a central figure in kinetic and optical art.
  • Co-founded Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV) in 1960.
  • Born in Mendoza, Argentina in 1928.
  • Moved to Paris in 1958.
  • Won the Grand Prize for Painting at the Venice Biennale in 1966.
  • Works held by MoMA, Centre Pompidou, and Tate Modern.
  • Retrospective 'Julio Le Parc: Light. Colour. Action.' opening at Tate Modern this month.

Entities

Artists

  • Julio Le Parc
  • Charlie Chaplin
  • Yamil Le Parc
  • Juan Le Parc
  • Gabriel Le Parc
  • Lucio Fontana
  • Victor Vasarely
  • Jesús Rafael Soto
  • Carlos Cruz-Diez
  • Horacio García Rossi
  • François Morellet
  • Francisco Sobrino
  • Joël Stein
  • Jean-Pierre Yvaral
  • Antonio Berni
  • Lino Enea Spilimbergo
  • Hugo Demarco
  • Yvaral
  • Piet Mondrian
  • Catherine Wood

Institutions

  • Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel
  • Museum of Modern Art
  • Centre Pompidou
  • Tate Modern
  • Nara Roesler
  • Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV)
  • Serpentine Galleries
  • Daros Foundation
  • Palais de Tokyo
  • Bienal de São Paulo
  • Venice Biennale
  • Le Monde
  • Galería RGR
  • Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuel (GRAV)
  • Biennale di Venezia
  • Palazzo delle Papesse
  • Centro Cultural Kirchner
  • Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
  • Teatro Colón
  • Galleria Continua
  • American Hospital of Paris
  • École supérieure des beaux-arts de Buenos Aires
  • Galerie Denise René
  • Groupe de recherche d'art visuel (GRAV)
  • Biennale de Venise
  • Maison de l'Amérique latine
  • Centre Pompidou-Metz
  • Grand Palais
  • Pérez Art Museum Miami
  • Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de Buenos Aires
  • MAC VAL
  • Cnap
  • Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Cholet
  • Musée d'Art moderne de Paris
  • MAMCS de Strasbourg
  • Christie's New York
  • Artprice
  • Le Journal des Arts
  • GRAV – Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuel
  • Scuola Nazionale di Belle Arti
  • Howard Wise Gallery
  • Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris
  • Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
  • Elettrofiamma
  • Castello di Boldeniga
  • Galerías Pacífico
  • MoMA
  • Tate
  • La Nación
  • Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuel
  • Bernardaud
  • School of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires
  • School of Fine Arts
  • GRAV
  • Met Breuer
  • Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes Prilidiano Pueyrredón

Locations

  • Paris
  • France
  • Mendoza
  • Argentina
  • Buenos Aires
  • São Paulo
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • New York
  • Brazil
  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Mexico City
  • Mexico
  • Palmira
  • Siena
  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Cachan
  • Miami
  • United States
  • Cholet
  • Strasbourg
  • Brescia
  • Düsseldorf
  • Germany

Sources