Pedro Uhart (1938)

1938 Born in Concepcion, Chile 1957 Begins law studies while painting 1962 Leaves for Europe.Attends the Fine Art School, Paris but find the courses to academic 1971 Abandons law in order to devote to painting 1972 Begins to paint on sheets, being unable to afford canvas. He hangs what he calls “Floating Murals” in publica gardens and streets so as to be seen by everybody

1973 8th Biennale de Paris. Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, showing his first political floating mural “Once de septiembre de 1973” Galeria Alzaia-Roma 1974 F.I.AC. Paris “Art for the people”-Congress House London Royal College of Art – London 1975 White Chapel Art Gallery “Floating Murals” London Floating Murals at Central Park -New York Floating Murals, Washington square. New York. Cultural Affaires of New York Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Battery Park New York 1976 Keettle’sYard Gallery, Cambridge, G.B. Begins research on colour photography. He tackles the Polaroid film with versatility, sometimes scraping or painting on the surface, or putting it into an ice box. He record, images from T.V.; which he transforms 1977 Salon de Mai 1977, Paris ART 8/77 Bale- Suisse- Galerie Lahumiere “Floating Murals” 1978 Creates a “floating door” for the children’s studio at the Georges Pompidou Center Paris 1979 Salon de Mai 1979. The first Paris “ Instalation” was censured publicly 1980 “Photographisme,” Polaroid Center-Paris Floating Murals and the book Mascaras at Galerie Biren,Paris 1981 Galeria Encuentros. Barcelona Bienal Latinoamericana de Puert Rico 1982 Galerie Biren-Paris Librarie Galerie La Hune, Paris Photokina.Köln.Germany L’amerique Latine à Paris - Gran Palais - Paris 1983 “Images perdues rêvées amuses.” Centre Georges Pompidou Paris Polaroids at the Galerie Vivianne Esder- Tokio –Japan 1984 Floating Murals –Down Town Gallery, New York Centre Culturel Limoges, France Galerie Troi, Paris 1985 Galeria Tartessos-Barcelona 1987 Galeria Tartessos-Barcelona 1988 Polaroids-Comptoir de la Photographie-Paris 1991 “Tropicalismo”-Kellart Gallery-Paris 1995 Amazonas – Festival International de Biarritz 1997 Visions Japonaises” Galerie Mostini-Paris 1999 Opera Gallery Paris-Singapur-Miami-New York

As mural paintings have a privilege place in South American art, Uhart spontaneously chose this technique to express his vision. Since he could not accomplish any mural paintings in France, he created something he called « floating murals », using as medium huge sheets that he could hang anywhere so that anyone could look at them. As early as 1976 he was also interested in photography, innovated in that field by using Polaroid pictures that he scratched or painted over.

His paintings are figurative and quite influenced by the folkloric traditions of his country. He combines his poetic imagination which comes close to that of the primitives, with contemporary graphic design such as in is posters, popular cartoons, and children’s ilustrations. (Pedro Uhart created a floating door, for the children’s studio at the Georges Pompidou Center). But once discoveries have been made, artists are never content with them, and seek new fields to conquer in order to avoid mannerisms or some sterilile, stereotyped procedure.Pedro Uhart is not exception.

In the seventies, his paintings condemned the dictatorship in Chile and glorified the struggle for freedom.Pedro Uhart then developed various cycles of paintings: the Amazons, the Musicians, the Sofas, and the Japanese Visions after his stay in Japan in 1990 and 1991. A tribute to Japanese life in the 18th and 19th centuries throughout erotic scenes taking place in sumptuous bedrooms opening into luxurious gardens. During the years, Pedro Uhart has remained attracted to the purity of colours. His reds, purples, pinks and yellows defined by black lines are a vibrant hymn to life that seems to be dancing on the canvas.

His other interests include photography (scratched or painted over Polaroid pictures), architecture and collecting furniture designed by Antonio Gaudi