Biography of Luis Gordillo
Luis Gordillo is a Spanish artist and author, who initially burst onto the scene in the 1960s and established himself as a pioneer of artistic experimentation with his unique use of figuration and color. He has a deep interest in psychoanalysis and is constantly looking for new ways of expression, utilizing photography and other image reproduction methods alongside traditional painterly techniques. Over his fifty-year career Luis Gordillo has risen to become one of Spain’s most prolific painters and one of the leading figures of abstract art in the country.
Born in 1934 in Seville, Luis Gordillo studied law before switching to fine art and completing his studies at the School of Fine Arts in his home city. He moved to Paris in 1958 where he surrounded himself with leading figures from the avant-garde movement, including Jean Dubuffet and Atoni Tàpies. During Luis Gordillo’s early life Spain was under the Francisco Franca dictatorship meaning art was heavily censored. His move to Paris allowed him the freedom to explore the world artistically but also left him in artistic crisis. He became affiliated with aesthetics of Pop Art but quickly abandoned this in favour of a more “New Figurative” style. Luis Gordillo’s most recent works are often termed Postmodern Abstraction.
Solo exhibitions of Luis Gordillo’s work have been held at the Museum of Art in Zapotán, Mexico and a major retrospective of his pictorial and photographic work was held at the National Museum of Reina Sofia in Madrid in 2007. He has won numerous awards throughout his career including the National Art Prize. Luis Gordillo continues to live and work in Madrid.
