Arturo Berned facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arturo Berned
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Arturo Berned Luque
26 May 1966 Madrid, Spain
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| Known for | Sculpting |
Arturo Berned (born May 26, 1966, in Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish sculptor. His amazing artworks are based on mathematical rules and geometric shapes. They also carry deep symbolic meanings.
Arturo first became an architect in 1993. He worked in architecture for several years, but he also loved sculpture. By the year 2000, he decided to focus completely on creating sculptures.
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About Arturo Berned
Arturo Berned was born in Madrid, Spain, on May 26, 1966. He studied Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. He received special study grants that helped him complete his education.
He started his first architecture projects in cities like London, Oxford, Turin, and Mexico. In the late 1990s, he moved back to Madrid. There, he joined a famous architecture firm called Estudio Lamela.
Working as an Architect
At Estudio Lamela, Arturo was a manager for projects and construction. He helped with many important buildings. These included Terminal T4 at Madrid Barajas Airport, which he worked on with Richard Rogers. He also helped design the Real Madrid Sports Centre.
In the early 2000s, Arturo won a top award for his work on the Infanta Leonor Hospital in Madrid. He worked on this project with Ramón Araujo and Luis Vidal. In the same year, he also won first prize in an international competition for a special sculpture door for Loewe.
These successes helped him start his journey as a sculptor. He began to explore different shapes and materials. These explorations later became key parts of his unique artistic style. His first solo art show was in Madrid in 2008.
Becoming a Sculptor
After several years of creating and showing his art, Arturo had a big exhibition in 2012. It was held at the IVAM (Valency Institute of Modern Art). This museum chose about 50 of his sculptures to show his journey as an artist.
A year later, he became the first Spanish artist to be part of the Christian Dior collection. This happened with an exhibition called "Lady Dior As Seen By." It opened in Hong Kong. In this show, artists from all over the world shared their ideas about the famous Lady Dior bag.
One of his more recent projects was for the "Spanish – Japanese dual year." He created a sculpture project with the help of Japanese architect Toyo Ito. Toyo Ito won a very important award called the Pritzker Prize in 2013. This exhibition featured eight large sculptures. They were inspired by Arturo's time living in Japan. They were also a way to honor the Japanese people and their culture.
This exhibition marked the end of a phase in his art called MU. MU means a blank sheet of paper. It represents an open mind, without any old ideas or judgments.
Arturo Berned's Sculptures
Arturo Berned creates his sculptures using mathematical rules and geometric shapes. He uses very precise techniques and careful production methods. His art is abstract, meaning it doesn't show things exactly as they appear. Instead, it uses shapes and forms to express ideas. Many of his works are based on the golden section. This is also known as the golden number or the phi number. It's a special ratio found in nature and art.
Arturo usually works with steel. This includes stainless steel, lacquered steel, and corten steel. Sometimes, he also uses aluminum or bronze.
His sculptures come in many different sizes. However, he is best known for his very large, monumental sculptures that are placed in cities. This might be because of his background in architecture.
He has worked on projects and shown his art all over the world. You can find his sculptures in places like Los Cabos, Miami, Madrid, Marbella, Zaragoza, and Tokyo.
Vela VII at the Swedish Royal Palace
Arturo Berned's sculpture, VELA VII (which means SAIL VII), is part of a big exhibition. This exhibition is at the Royal Palace of Stockholm in Sweden. It's called "Vasa to Bernadotte: Culture in Service of the Realm, 1523 – 1973 – 2023." The show runs from March 2023 to January 2024.
This exhibition celebrates two important events. It marks 500 years of the Monarchy in Sweden. It also celebrates the 50th anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf's coronation. The exhibition shows the history of the monarchy through beautiful and important cultural objects.
VELA VII was made in 2012. It is made of oxidized corten steel and has some red lacquer finish. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain gave this sculpture as a gift to King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. This happened during their state visit to Sweden in November 2012. Giving gifts is a long-standing tradition during state visits. It shows friendship between countries. VELA VII celebrates this cultural exchange.
The Vela VII sculpture is about 39.3 centimeters (15.5 inches) tall. It is 80.1 centimeters (31.5 inches) long and 85.7 centimeters (33.7 inches) wide.
Cabeza at Ritz Carlton Zadún, Mexico
The sculpture Cabeza Ritz Carlton by Arturo Berned is located at the Ritz-Carlton Zadún in Mexico. It is made of rusted corten steel. This type of steel forms a protective layer of rust. This layer actually helps protect the sculpture from more corrosion. So, the more it rusts, the more protected it becomes.
The hotel asked Arturo to create this sculpture for its opening in the fall of 2019. Arturo Berned said about his work: "I think it is extremely beautiful how steel ages as we humans do... If people who pass by feel a connection with the architecture and it brings them joy, that is my success."
The Ritz Carlton Cabeza (meaning 'Head') is made from corten steel plates. These plates are between 6 and 10 millimeters (0.24 to 0.39 inches) thick. It has an oxidized finish. The sculpture is very large: 478 centimeters (188 inches) tall, 543 centimeters (214 inches) long, and 426 centimeters (168 inches) wide. It weighs about 3,695 kilograms (8,146 pounds).
HEAD BHD in Santo Domingo
In October 2024, BHD Bank revealed a sculpture called HEAD BHD. It is at the BHD Financial Campus in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This sculpture is 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) tall. It is made of corten steel with an oxidized finish. It shows Berned's unique geometric abstract style. The sculpture fits perfectly with the buildings around it.
Luis Molina Achécar, the president of the BHD Financial Center, led the unveiling event. He was joined by other bank leaders. They explained that "HEAD BHD" completes the campus's design. The goal was for all parts of the campus to blend together. They also said that the bank has always valued art. This sculpture is now part of the campus's history.
Cabeza Miami in Coral Gables, USA
In 2019, a huge sculpture called Cabeza Miami was placed in Coral Gables, Miami, USA. It was brought there by the Leon Tovar Gallery. This sculpture is made of steel plates that are 6 millimeters (0.24 inches) thick. It has a sandblasted and oxidized finish. You can find it in front of the Gables Station residential project, right on the South Dixie Highway.
Cabeza Miami (meaning 'Head') is 373 centimeters (147 inches) tall. It is 328 centimeters (129 inches) long and 516 centimeters (203 inches) wide. Its large size makes it stand out to people passing by.
Dual Year Spain and Japan Project
Arturo Berned worked with the Japanese architect Toyo Ito on a project called ´MU´. Toyo Ito won the Pritzker Prize in 2013. The ´MU´ project is located in Grin Grin Park, Island City, Fukuoka, Japan. This project honors Japanese culture. It celebrates the special "Spain-Japan Dual Year."
´MU´ means a blank sheet of paper. It stands for being open-minded, without any old ideas or judgments. It is a tribute to Japan and its people. Toyo Ito described Berned's sculptures for ´MU´: "Berned's sculptures are a combination of triangular iron planes welded together... They are like sharp leaves that cut through the earth, but they also cause a feeling of freshness... They convey a very Western sense of strength, but at the same time they are endowed with the subtlety and sensitivity of origami."
The exhibition was held from April 1 to September 30, 2014, in Grin Grin Park. Now, the sculptures are at the Embassy of Spain in Tokyo.
This project also included a sculpture called ¨HEAD DUAL YEAR.¨ It is placed in front of the Sengokuyama Mori Tower in ARK Hills in Tokyo. Francisco J. Riberas, who sponsored the exhibition, gave this sculpture to the city of Tokyo. It shows the strong connection between Spain and Japan, which has lasted over 400 years.
HEAD DUAL YEAR is a 24-meter (79-foot) long "ribbon" that wraps around itself to form a sculpture. It is 2.27 meters (7.4 feet) high, 3.38 meters (11.1 feet) long, and 2.24 meters (7.3 feet) wide. It weighs 1253 kilograms (2,762 pounds). The sculpture is made of stainless steel plates that are 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) thick. It has a polished finish.
Gift to Emperor Akihito of Japan
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain visited Emperor Akihito of Japan in 2017. They celebrated the growing friendship between their two countries. Among the gifts the King and Queen of Spain gave to the Emperor and Empress was Berned's sculpture HIKARI (PROTECTION).
HIKARI (PROTECTION) was made in 2014. It is crafted from stainless steel plates that are 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) thick. It has a polished finish. The sculpture is 71 centimeters (28 inches) tall, 60 centimeters (24 inches) long, and 54 centimeters (21 inches) wide.
TV Appearances
In November 2019, a TV show called La Aventura del Saber (The Adventure of Knowledge) featured Arturo Berned. The episode explained his journey from being an architect to becoming a sculptor. It showed how he works and the detailed ways he creates his sculptures.
Exhibitions
Arturo Berned's sculptures have been shown in many places around the world. Here are some of his exhibitions:
- Lady Dior House Event, Singapore (2024)
- Lady Dior House Event, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (2024)
- Fine Arts Palace, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana (2024)
- Modern Art Museum (Artfiaci), Santo Domingo, República Dominicana (2024)
- ARCO 2024, Madrid, España (2024)
- Francisco Sobrino Museum, Guadalajara, España (2024)
- "Vasa to Bernadotte: Culture in Service of the Realm, 1523 – 1973 – 2023" Royal Palace of Stockholm, Sweden (2023-2024)
- ARCO, Madrid, Spain (2023)
- Museum of Contemporary Art - Christian Dior Designer of Dreams, Tokyo, Japan (2023)
- Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, Miami, USA (2023)
- ARCO, Madrid, Spain (2022)
- Matador Club, Madrid, Spain (2022)
- Art of the World Gallery, Houston, USA (2021)
- Westbund Museum, Shanghai, China (2021)
- MOCAUP Museum, Shanghai, China (2021)
- ARCO, Madrid, Spain (2021)
- Michael Fuchs Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2021)
- ARCO, Lisbon, Portugal (2020)
- ARCO, Madrid, Spain (2020)
- Fernandez-Braso Gallery, Madrid, Spain (2019)
- Beijing Art Biennale, Beijing, China (2019)
- ARCO, Madrid, Spain (2019)
- Art Basel, Hong Kong, China (2018)
- ARCO, Madrid, Spain (2018)
- Leon Tovar Gallery, New York, USA (2017)
- ARCO, Madrid, Spain (2017)
- Leon Tovar Gallery, New York, USA (2016)
- ARTBO, Bogota, Colombia (2016)
- PROMOARTE, Tokyo, Japan (2016)
- ARCO, Lisbon, Portugal (2016)
- Langen Foundation, Neuss, Germany (2016)
- ARCO, Madrid, Spain (2016)
- Aurora Vigil-Escalera, Gijon, Spain (2016)
- Semmingsen Gallery, Oslo, Norway (2016)
- ART ASPEN, Aspen, USA (2015)
- ART MARBELLA, Marbella, Spain (2015)
- Dior Gallery, Seoul, South Korea (2015)
- Dior Boutique, Tel Aviv, Israel (2015)
- Sculpture Show, Miami, USA (2014)
- Sammer Gallery, Miami, USA (2014)
- ART MIAMI, Miami, USA (2014)
- IBERO-AMERICAN Sculpture, Tokyo, Japan (2014)
- ART ASPEN, Aspen, USA (2014)
- PIE (Sculpture International Park), Madrid, Spain (2014)
- Representative for Spain in the Spain – Japan Dual Year (2013-2014)
- "Lady Dior as seen by", Hong Kong (2013)
- Biennial of the South, Panama (2013)
- Art Madrid ´13, Madrid (2013)
- IV Biennial of Contemporary Art ONCE, Madrid (2012)
- "Sculpture Underway", IVAM Museum, Valency (2012)
- Espacio de Las Artes, Madrid (2011)
- Feriarte, Madrid (2011)
- (1+√5)/2, Leitner Building, Madrid (2011)
- Art Madrid ´11, Madrid (2011)
- Exhibition "Contemporary Sculptors" in the Bosque de Acero, Cuenca (2010)
- Ansorena Gallery, Madrid (2010)
- Shopping Centre El Zielo, Madrid (2009)
- Open Art Fair, Netherlands, Gaudí Gallery (2009)
- Gaudí Gallery, Madrid (2009)
- Art Madrid ´09, Madrid (2009)
- Arrow ´09, Madrid (2009)
- "Arturo Berned", Estudio Lamela, Madrid (2008)
- The art Work of architects. COAM Cultural Foundation, Madrid (2000)
- Everyday Objects. Vanguardia Gallery, Bilbao (1998).
Awards and Collections
Arturo Berned has won several awards for his sculptures. His works are also part of many important art collections around the world.
Awards
- Selected for the International Public Sculpture Competition Parque del Levante, Murcia (2013)
- First Prize International Monumental Sculpture Competition Puerto Venecia, Zaragoza (2012)
- First Prize International Competition Puerta Escultura Flagship Loewe, Madrid (2001)
- Selected for the International Constructions Sculpture Prize Sacejo, Oviedo (2007)
- International Sculpture Prize Caja Extremadura, Cáceres (2008)
Collections
His art can be found in these collections:
- Kells Collection
- AZCONA Foundation
- GMP Collection
- City Council of Coral Gables
- Ritz Carlton Collection
- City Council of Tokyo
- Mori Museum
- Mitsui Collection
- IVAM Collection
- Christian Dior Collection
- BMW Collection
- GESTAMP Collection
- CASER Group Collection
- City Council of Zaragoza
- Iberdrola Collection
- Soller Museum
- Loewe Foundation
- Maraya Foundation
- Ministry of Economy and Finance
- Unesid Union of Metallurgical Companies
See also
In Spanish: Arturo Berned para niños
