Carlos Cairoli

Carlos Cairoli's art is rooted in Constructivism and Neo-Plasticism, focusing on the exploration of three-dimensional space through geometric forms.

Biography of Carlos Cairoli

Carlos Cairoli was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1926. He studied Fine Arts in Buenos Aires and was influenced by the constructivist theories of Torres García. Cairoli briefly joined Lucio Fontana's experimental group on spatial research in Buenos Aires during the late 1940s.

In 1952, Cairoli moved to Paris and began exhibiting regularly at the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles, Comparaisons, and Grands et Jeunes d’Aujourd’hui from 1955. His early European influence came from his visits to Vantongerloo, a member of De Stijl. Cairoli was involved with the Groupe Espace, founded in 1951, which aimed to synthesize the arts within architectural spaces.

By 1959, Cairoli joined the Groupe Mesure, founded by Georges Folmer, which included notable figures such as Jean Gorin and François Morellet. He organized the Constructivism: Festival 1962 in Paris and participated in international exhibitions, including the Stedelijk Amsterdam’s Experiment in Constructie.

The artist died in 1995 in Chartres, France.

Carlos Cairoli's Art Style

Carlos Cairoli's art is rooted in Constructivism and Neo-Plasticism, focusing on the exploration of three-dimensional space through geometric forms. His work includes collages, reliefs, and sculptures that emphasize rhythm and repetition, creating a spatio-temporal dimension. This approach sought to extend the utopian vision of universal art established by earlier movements.

Although Cairoli's exploration of spatial concepts positioned him at the forefront of the revolution, his intellectual standards led him to adopt a critical stance towards what he saw as its commercialization, which conflicted with his own aesthetic rigor. Supported by Wilhelm Sandberg and others, Cairoli distanced himself from the growing commercialization of Optical and Kinetic Art, severing ties with the few galleries that were promoting these movements as global phenomena in the 1960s.

His refined style involved abandoning color in favor of intricate visual effects achieved through minimalistic, parallel lines incised into Plexiglas. This technique positioned him between American Minimalist Art and the Systematic Art of the School of Zurich, offering a unique third perspective in the contemporary art scene.