Carmen Calvo (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carmen Calvo
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Calvo at the Institut Valencià d'Art Modern in 2019
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Carmen Calvo Sáenz de Tejada
1950 (age 74–75) Valencia, Spain
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| Alma mater | School of Fine Arts of Valencia |
| Occupation | Artist |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Organization | Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos de Valencia |
| Awards | National Award for Plastic Arts (2013) |
Carmen Calvo Sáenz de Tejada is a famous Spanish artist born in 1950. She is known for her unique style of art, which often includes everyday objects. Her work has made a big impact on modern art in the Valencian Community in Spain.
Contents
About Carmen Calvo's Life
Early Life and Education
Carmen Calvo was born in Valencia, Spain, in 1950. When she was young, she worked in a factory that made ceramics. This experience was very important to her. It later inspired her art, where she often uses pieces of pottery and clay.
She studied advertising for a short time. Then, she went to the School of Arts and Crafts in Valencia from 1965 to 1970. After that, she continued her art studies at the School of Fine Arts of Valencia until 1972.
First Art Shows
Carmen Calvo had her very first solo art show in Valencia in 1976. A year later, in 1977, she had another show in Madrid. These early exhibitions helped her share her art with more people.
Living in Different Cities
From 1983 to 1985, Carmen lived in Madrid at a special place for artists called the Casa de Velázquez. In 1985, she received a scholarship from the Spanish government. This allowed her to move to Paris, France, where she lived until 1992. Since then, she has lived and worked back in her hometown of Valencia.
Carmen Calvo's Artistic Journey
Her Unique Art Style
Carmen Calvo admires many famous artists like Giotto and Joan Miró. Early in her career, she started using terracotta (a type of reddish-brown clay) in her art. This material became a key part of her work. Besides painting, Carmen is also known for creating "interventions." These are art pieces that are sometimes placed permanently in public buildings.
Important Recognition and Exhibitions
In the 1980s, Carmen Calvo received several scholarships and awards. She won the LaSalle Seiko First Prize for Painting and the Alfons Roig Award. In 1980, she was one of only nine artists chosen to show their work at the New images from Spain exhibition. This important show took place at the famous Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
In 1982, she also showed her art at the first-ever ARCO fair in Madrid. This is a major contemporary art fair.
Later Works and Achievements
In 1990, the Institut Valencià d'Art Modern held a special show looking back at all her art since 1973. In 1995, Carmen created a large mural for the Alboraya-Palmaret Station on Valencia's metro Line 3.
Later in the 1990s, she began to add photographs to her art. She also started creating art installations, which are like large art scenes. These works helped her share her unique view of the world.
In 1997, Carmen Calvo represented Spain at the Venice Biennale, a very important international art exhibition. She created a gallery of mirrors for this event. In 2003, the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid also held a special exhibition of her work. From December 2016 to January 2017, her exhibition Carmen Calvo. Todo procede de la sinrazón (1969–2016) was shown in Madrid.
In 2013, she received the National Award for Plastic Arts from the Spanish government. This is one of the highest honors for artists in Spain. In 2014, she became a member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos de Valencia.
In 2018, she participated in the PHotoEspaña Festival with her exhibition Quietud y vertigo.
Art and Feminism
Carmen Calvo's art often explores themes related to feminism. In March 2019, she and another artist, Carla Fuentes, received the Carmen Alborch Award. This award recognized their important contributions to culture and feminism.
Awards and Honors
- LaSalle Seiko First Prize for Painting, Barcelona, 1985
- Alfons Roig Award from the Provincial Diputation of Valencia, 1989
- Medal of the Faculty of Fine Arts of San Carlos de Valencia, 2009
- National Award of the Spanish Association of Art Critics (AECA) and ARCO for the most important work by a living Spanish artist, 2012
- Catalan Association of Art Critics (ACCA) Award, 2013
- National Award for Plastic Arts, 2013
- Carmen Alborch Award, Socialist Party of the Valencian Country, 2019
See also
In Spanish: Carmen Calvo (artista) para niños
