Sempere of a century ago

Next April will mark the centennial of the birth of the most international artist from Alicante, one of the most important Spanish creators of the second half of the 20th century. One of the biggest supporters of modernity in Spain.

Before Eusebio Sempere got there a shy and introverted childa precocious artist, a medical enthusiast, a young movie buff enchanted Gary Cooper, and also a lover of baroque music, who dances with the Beatles and sings especially the songs of French singer-songwriters. Georges Brassens. A young man forced to survive packing fruit, unloading trucks, lighting up Christmas cards or be an installer Denise René gallery in Parissecondly, something that has already brought him closer to his profession.

despite being born with left eye squintsomething that deprived him of so much vision, which might have been a reason to move away from the art world, was the opposite and brought him even closer. its own unique universe of imagination and creativity. So as a child he created his own puppets and founded their little theater Sunday afternoon. “I got a dime for the intro, read a book, and was telling stories with some characters tied to a stick. It was very funny,” he said. In 2019, her sister Concha, now 102 years old, to Geometricae magazine.

Everything was leading the little “Eusebiet” into the art world. At the age of 13, during the Civil War, the inhabitants of Onil began asking him what to do. portraits of deceased loved ones. And so he did it from photos.

Transfer to Valencia

The family was forced to move to Valencia when his father lost the doll factory he co-owned in Onil. The first to walk was Sempere. was 16 years old and this was another great opportunity for his career.

While graduating from high school in that city, he went to night courses. Arts and Crafts School. There he received his first drawing award. But Sempere wanted study medicine, something that strangely led him into the world of art. She started attending dissection lessons alone. Valencia City Hospital and what he did was make drawings of corpses.

Sempere was always ahead. He studied at Istanbul University between 1941-1946. San Carlos School of Fine Arts. But the norm was never for him, so much so that years later he described himself as:or “rebel of the moment” and keep it in the center “He was helpless.” “The models to follow academically were a copper pot, a skull, and a curtain behind it. In other words, the most unbeatable ».

he was a priest Father Roig, the person who paradoxically introduced him to art Kandinsky, Matisse or Le Corbussier. His unrest and a scholarship from the Spanish Association of Universities made him cross the border and He went to Paris in 1949. When he returned to Valencia in the summer of that year, he arrived full of folders with pictures on paper. Display it in the Mateu gallery. It was the first abstract art exhibition to be held in that city and the results were not very positive. “After two years I completely destroyed them,” the artist assured after a while.

back to paris

He returned to Paris, where he lived until 1960 and met Abel Martín, who was his companion until his last days. Also where he met Braque, Harp, Palazuelo or Chillidawhere you can see your work Picasso, Mondrian, Klee or Modiglianiand where developed his own geometric abstract language leaving the figuration behind. I remember really crying when I had to say goodbye to figuration. As if saying goodbye to one world to enter another world forever». In 1974, he assured the artist.

On his return to Spain He settled in Madrid in 1960. and began a career that led to success and recognition. Participated in projects such as Cuenca Museum of Abstract ArtThe cybernetic art, design and birth of the University of Madrid Computing Center Paseo de la Castellana Open Air Sculpture Museum or thanks to its own Museum of the Insured (now MACA) donation of contemporary art collection in 1977 to Alicante. And among many privileges, he was given an award. Prince of Asturias Awards.

“He never counted the bad things, only the good parts,” said the artist’s sister. Let’s hope the Year of Sempere continues that philosophy and has many good things to say.