Carlos Cruz-Diez
Bio
Carlos Cruz-Diez (Caracas, 1923-2019). Franco-Venezuelan artist, he has lived and worked in Paris since 1960. He is one of the most important protagonists of optical and kinetic art, an artistic current that claims "the awareness of the instability of reality." His research reveals him as one of the color thinkers of the 20th century. The plastic discourse of Carlos Cruz-Diez gravitates around the chromatic phenomenon conceived as an autonomous reality that evolves in space and time, without the help of form or support, in a continuous present. The works of Carlos Cruz-Diez are found in prestigious permanent collections such as those of the: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York; Tate Modern, London; Musée d'Art Moderne of the City of Paris; Center Pompidou, Paris; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne.
Statement
1965’s Chromointerférence is composed of two layers; at its base is a sequence of parallel colored strips arranged vertically that change color depending on the distance and movement of the viewer. On top is a transparent surface with a pattern made up of black lines creating interference. This can be stationary - making the movement dependent on the viewer - or in motion, either by hand (Chrominterférence Manipulable) or with an engine (Chromointerférence Mécanique).
Due to the movement created by the overlaying pattern a volume effect is sometimes visible, creating depth where none exists. The colors of the modules brighten and change. According to Cruz-Diez this work is a “false prism” as it reproduces the colors of the light spectrum using the second layer of black lines.
