Juan D'Greck

= Juan D'Greck =

Juan D’Greck was born in Colombia in 1941. He studied Fine Arts at the [http://www.ucaldas.edu.co/ University of Caldas] in Manizales, where he earned a scholarship to attend the School of Plastic Arts in [http://www.unal.edu.co/unaln/ National University of Colombia] , from which he graduated in 1961 [http://www.colarte.arts.co/colarte/conspintores.asp?idartista=17913 ] .

A true artist by nature, Juan D’Greck has lived for and by his art since the 1960s, although in his early years he experienced with television scenography, ran an art gallery in Bogotá, and taught at the University of Caldas.

Following the advise of a respected art critic, the young Juan D’Greck left the bustling art scene of Bogotá and went back to the mountains to find his inner self. There, during 30 years of living in communion with nature, and experimenting with every possible element, he mastered over 140 art techniques—including two of his own.

The artist’s life in isolation would only be interrupted by grandiose projects, like a mural he made for the University of Caldas in 30 days, by working 20 hours a day, in 1970; or a 20 piece exhibition predicting the destruction of the Andean town of Armero in 1984, which indeed occurred a year later, when the Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted after 150 years of inactivity; or moving back to Bogotá to set a record by creating the world largest painting on canvas, measuring 430 square feet, in 1994.

Juan D’Greck sized the momentum and stayed in Bogotá for nine years, showing the results of his three decades of investigation in the mountains through several exhibitions throughout Colombia and the United States [Homenaje a Marta Traba - D'Greck. Fenalco, Colombia. 1998] . In 2003, the artist went back to his element, moving his studio to a ranch in the Cauca Valley, nestled between rivers and mountains, from where he continues to share his art with the world.

About his work, Juan D'Greck says "Since the 1960s, my work has been mainly abstract. I consider it to be the best medium to generate individual sensations through the energy we all carry inside. I use the intensity of color as the trigger that activates the machine of ideas within every human being; a machine limited only by our spiritual, cultural and physical conditions".

Juan D’Greck has mastered and created over 140 art techniques throughout his career of 45 years. He combines several elements, including natural stones and bronze, to create a stunning work that is unique to the Colombian artist [Revista "alternativa". Edición No. 23. Agosto - Septiembre 1999. Colombia, 1999.] .

"I'm an artist who makes art without prejudges, without dogmatic ties, I just use myths as a reference for my own creations" - "Juan D'Greck (1998)." [En Homenaje a Marta Traba. Fenalco. Bogotá, Colombia, 1998.]

Individual ehxibitions

* 1968 – Sociedad Amigos del Arte. Pereira, Colombia
* 1968 – Galería Velásquez. Armenia, Colombia
* 1969 – Casa de la Cultura. Armenia, Colombia
* 1971 – Café Teatro La Rampa. Manizales, Colombia
* 1983 – Banco de la República. Manizales, Colombia
* 1984 – Teatro Los Fundadores. Manizales, Colombia
* 1987 – Teatro Los Fundadores. Manizales, Colombia
* 1990 – Teatro Los Fundadores. Manizales, Colombia
* 1993 – Teatro Los Fundadores. Manizales, Colombia
* 1994 – [http://www.corferias.com/ Corferias] . Bogotá, Colombia
* 1994 – Club Caldas. Bogotá, Colombia
* 1998 – Auditorio CEGA, Banco Ganadero. Bogotá, Colombia
* 1998 – Galería de Arte FENALCO. Bogotá, Colombia
* 1998 – Centro de Exposiciones Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Bogotá, Colombia

Collective exhibitions

* 1960 – Salón Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia
* 1961 – Galería de Arte Moderno Casimiro Eiger, Bogotá, Colombia
* 1967 – Salón Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia
* 1969 – Casa de la Cultura, Armenia, Colombia
* 1969 – Casa de la Cultura, Calarcá, Colombia
* 1991 – Salón Internacional – Colombian Ambassy, Washington D.C., USA
* 1992 - Universidad de Caldas – Escuela de Bellas Artes, Manizales, Colombia
* 1993 – Universidad de Caldas – Escuela de Bellas Artes, Manizales, Colombia
* 1994 - Universidad de Caldas – Escuela de Bellas Artes, Manizales, Colombia