Édgar Negret

Edgar Negret ( born October 11, 1920 in Popayán, Colombia; † 11 October 2012 in Bogotá ) was a Colombian sculptor and important representative of abstract sculpture in Latin America and artists of the New constructivism.

Life and work

Edgar Negret studied from 1938 to 1943 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cali, Colombia and in 1949 in the metal art Sculpture Center in New York City.

At first, his work is heavily influenced in stone by European modernists such as Hans Arp and Constantin Brancusi. In the early 1950s he began working in metal in the constructivist tradition. In 1963 he took part in the Salón Nacional de Artistas Colombianos and won the first prize for sculpture. He became one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century in Colombia. In 1967 he participated in the XIX. Salón and won with his work Cabo Kennedy again the first prize. In 1968 he received the David E. Bright international prize for sculpture at the XXXIV. Venice Biennale and was represented with seven metal and wood sculptures at the documenta 4 in Kassel.

He also worked with the Colombian colleagues and constructivist sculptor Ramirez Villamizar. In 1991 he participated in the 21st Biennial of São Paulo in Brazil.

Literature and sources

• Exhibition catalog for Documenta IV: IV documentation. International Exhibition; Catalogue: Volume 1: ( painting and sculpture ); Volume 2: (graphics / objects ); Kassel 1968
• Kimpel, Harald / stem, Karin: documenta IV International Exhibition 1968 - A photographic reconstruction ( Series of the documenta - Archives); Bremen 2007, ISBN 978-3-86108-524-9