Moisès Villèlia (1928 -1994)

Biographical Sketch

Moisès Villèlia was born in the neighborhood of Gracia, in Barcelona, in 1928, son of the sculptor Julian Villelia. He is considered the forerunner of Arte Povera. At 14, he began learning the carpentry trade at his family's furniture factory in Mataró, near Barcelona. In the early 40's Moisès Villelia first became interested in artistic expression. He founded the group 'Art Actual' in Mataró, had a first exhibit, but soon left the group. Met the artists Brossa, Cirici, Pellicer, Lerin. Joan Prats brought him into the Club 49. In 1958 he began his plastic works using simple materials such as bamboo, cork and plants. Met Miró, James Johnson Sweeney, Pierre Matisse and Frank O'Hare (1959). Studio in Cabrils. Became friends with the planners of the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art in 1960, who honored his works in the one of their first exhibits.

In 1963, Villelia turned down an invitation to represent Spain at the Sao Paolo Biennale. From 1967-71, he lived in Paris, Argentina, Perú and Ecuador. The cultures of South America left a lasting impression on the artist, evident in his works. He encountered there the dense bamboo thickets which would later characterise his plastics and paintings. In 1971 he returned to Barcelona, called back by the Sala Gaspar. In 1986 Villelia experimented with bamboo and ceramics, working together with the ceramist Isabel Torquemada. Moisès Villèlia died at the age of 66 in Barcelona after a long illness.

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References:

Moisès Villèlia Antològica 1950-1990, Catalogue, Espais Centre d'Art Contemporani, Girona.

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Note:

The references given are not meant as a list of the best works available on the subject, but simply reflect the author's sources.

Registers and catalogues of works are included when known and correspond to the information given in the index.