EQUIPO CRÓNICA Biography
Spain, 1964-1981
The Equipo Cronica was an artistic group in Spain which used the aesthetics of pop art as a vehicle for combative political discussion. It was originally formed by Manuel Valdes (1942), Rafael Slbes (1940-1981) and Juan Antonio Toledo (1940). In their work, a continuous dialogue is proposed between different references of the history of art, the world of posters and the political imagination of the sixties and seventies.
Proceeding the Estampa Popular Valenciana and marked by a concern for social, cultural and political issues which shook the country, the collective was founded in 1964. It was strongly influenced by the pop movement and new Parisian figuration, employing images of mass media and refashioning them in new situations that intended to respond to the relation between art and society in 1960's Spain.
Like the Pop Art movement in America, The Equipo Cronica utilized the visual cliches and impersonal style of popular mass-media imagery as a means of artistic communication to the masses. Their themes incorporate social- political content and coincide with the moment of American Imperialism in Vietmam and Franco's dictatorship in Spain. Their work was also a reaction against other groups such as dau al set or Equipo 57. Many of their themes are inspired by Spanish painting of the golden age, integrating the iconic imagines in contemporary society.
The group experienced a revolution in the 1970's when they abandoned the rigidity of drawing and line to create more pictorial works with elements of trompe l'oiel. In the year 1981 they ceased their collaboration with the sudden death of Rafael Solbes.
The work of the Equipo Cronica has steadily gained more importance with the passing of time and they stand as the foremost art movement of Spain in the 1960's. Their works steadily enrich the collections of Spain and Europe.
SELECTED MUSEUMS AND COLLECTIONS - Reina Sofia (MNCARS), Madrid - Center for Contemporary Art, Malaga - Patio Herreriano. Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Español, Valladolid - Institute for Modern Art(IVAM), Valencia