Fernando Villapol facts for kids
Fernando Villapol Parapar was born on February 26, 1953, in San Tirso de Abres, Spain. He is a famous sculptor from Galicia, known for his modern art. He also works as a museum curator, which means he helps manage museums and their collections. He is also an art critic, someone who writes about and judges art.
Today, Fernando Villapol lives and works in Bretoña, a town in Galicia. He is also the person who started the Ethnographic-Pedagogic Museum in Bretoña. Even though he studied art in Lugo, Spain, he mostly taught himself. He learned a lot about sculpture by traveling and exploring art around the world. He visited places like Africa, Cuba, Canada, France, Greece, and Italy to learn more.
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What materials does he use?
Fernando Villapol uses many different materials to create his sculptures. He likes to work with:
- Metal, like iron and bronze.
- Wood, including common yew, oak, Spanish box tree, and chestnut wood from Galicia.
- Stone, such as marble and granite.
What is his art style?
Art experts often describe Fernando Villapol's sculptures using different art styles. These include:
- Realism: This style makes art look very much like real life.
- Abstract art: This style uses shapes, colors, and textures that don't look like real objects.
- Surrealism: This style mixes real things with dream-like or imaginary ideas.
Some famous artists who have inspired Villapol include Diego Velázquez, Urbano Lugrís, and Salvador Dalí. Recently, experts have said that Villapol's art is a mix of all three styles. He even created a new word for his unique style: reabsu. This word comes from the first parts of REalism, ABstractism, and SUrrealism.
He explained it himself:
Critics have not succeeded in finding a single style to define my body of work. The majority of critics arrive at the conclusion that my body of work is a mixture of realism, abstractism, and surrealism. Using the first syllables from each of these styles I have created a new word to better define the artistic style that I create, called reabsu.
Awards and special honors
Fernando Villapol has won several awards for his amazing sculptures:
- Arte de Meigas e Trasnos Prize (Sarria, Spain, 1990)
- Lugo Plastic Arts Award (Lugo, Spain, 1994)
- Cangas do Morrazo Prize (Cangas, Spain, 2004–2006)
- 1st prize in sculpture at the 10th Burela Art Competition (Burela, Spain, 2005)
- Luarca Arts award (Luarca, Spain, 2006)
The Ethnographic-Pedagogic Museum
Fernando Villapol founded and manages this museum in Bretoña, which opened in 2002. It shows a lot about the old rural culture of Galicia and modern Galician art.
The museum has items from local history that show how important jobs changed over time. You can see tools and displays from:
- Clog makers (who made wooden shoes)
- Bakers
- Carpenters
- Shoemakers
- Basket weavers
- Farmers
There are also displays that look like a typical Galician school, doctor's office, dentist's office, and chemist's shop from the 1800s.
The museum also has original writings from famous authors like Otero Pedrayo and Vicente Risco. Plus, it has many paintings by modern Galician artists such as Urbano Lugrís and Laxeiro. A special collection at the museum is over 2000 old soda syphon bottles from Galicia and Asturias!
Where can you see his art?
Fernando Villapol's sculptures are part of public collections in several museums:
- Provincial Museum of Lugo (Lugo, Spain)
- Ethnographic-Pedagogic Museum (Bretoña, Lugo, Spain)
- Museum of Fonsagrada (Lugo, Spain)
He has also had many solo art shows where only his work was displayed. These shows have been held in various galleries and cultural centers across Spain, and even in Paris, France, and Portugal.
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