Josep BAQUES
1931, Spain

Josep Baqués is an artist with a vast professional career. At the end of the sixties, he had his first solo exhibition and from that moment on, his work has been exhibited and appreciated in Catalonia and Spain, as well as abroad. His exhibitions have prompted several artists to write about his art – having these essays published in newspapers, books and magazines.

Born on June 8, 1931 in Montmeló near Barcelona, Josep Baqués spent his first years in the countryside, in an environment where direct contact with nature, the earth and its fruits, was his main focus in life. His father was a farmer. The tranquil life in the countryside and his whole childhood became suddenly altered by the Spanish Civil War (1936 – 1939). The aftermath of the war was even harder for a ten-year-old child who left the town of Montmeló to settle in the big city of Barcelona with his mother and younger sister.

During his adolescence and youth, Baqués always found a way to earn a living drawing or painting; as a draftsman, drawing comics or movie posters. Josep Baqués married Esperanza Lopez Montoya on May 31, 1954 and subsequently had three children. In 1957, he took the position of graphic design supervisor in a publicity enterprise in Barcelona and remained there until the opening of his own graphic design workshop, Estudi Baqués, where his creative imagery stood out. He was acknowledged with several awards, like the Silver Delta (Delta de Plata) in 1962 and the prestigious Laus design award in 1971. In 1961, Baqués founded “Grafistas FASD” (currently ADGFAD), the first association for graphic designers in Spain. As an instructor, Baqués was a professor of Graphic Design at the Escuela Oficial de Publicidad in Barcelona.

Being a graphic designer provided him with the ability to master and experiment with techniques and composition. The balance found in his compositions throughout his work is a reflection of the background acquired as a graphic designer.

According to Antonio L. Bouza, “…the magic and fantasy impregnated in his work makes it very original. He has been deemed a surrealist by some art critics… Another adjective given to Baqués has been the one of being a metaphysic. Once one contemplates his works, they do not easily go forgotten. If one carefully examines his paintings, which they will certainly invite you to do, one will get immersed in the painting the same way we welcome our guests into our homes. Color, composition and lines, performed with great ability, appear and disappear while defining the essential trademark of this work… As a consequence of the skillful placement of shapes and objects, the corollary of the exquisite composition, rhythm stands out…”

Baqués is currently living a successful professional career. He is known for his characteristic, friendly and out of the mainstream style, and has reached a laudable high-level technique. Baqués will go on incorporating new material elements and new textures to his paintings as a result of a continuous study of his own work. (Excerpts from Baqués… Lirisme Màgic.)

EXHIBITIONS

1968 Jihlava – Czech Republic Gallery Kruga – Belgrade Pistoia – Italy Galeria AS – Barcelona, Spain Gallerie BG – Frankfurt, Germany

1969 Represents Spain at the Japan Print Association Participates in “Pictorama 1” – Barcelona, Spain 1976 Galeria Nartex – Barcelona, Spain Art Expo – Barcelona, Spain

1978 Galeria Tom Maddock – Barcelona, Spain

1979 Galeria Lantina – Florida, USA

1980 Kraskin Gallery – Maryland, USA

1981 Galeria Bearn - Palma de Mallorca, Spain

1982 Schweyer-Galdo Galleries – Michigan, USA Gallerie Hohmann – Waslrode, Germany

1983 EP Gallerie – Düsseldorf, Germany

1984 Galeria AB – Barcelona, Spain

1985 Presentation of Play – Singapore, Japan

1986 Bülowska Gallerie – Malmö, Sweden Kunthaus Eckernförde Galerie – Germany

1987 Galeria Maria Callas – Florida, USA Gallerie Radicke – Bonn, Germany

1988 Hotel Llevant, Llafranc Palafrugell – Girona, Spain Gallerie Kurze – Erföde, Germany Galeria Intellecte – Sabadell, Spain Galeria Soler/Casamada – Terrassa, Spain Galeria Cinquecento – Barcelona, Spain Gallery Monells – Helsingborg, Sweden

1989 Bülowska Gallerie - Malmö, Sweden

1990 Galeria Cinquecento – Barcelona, Spain Galeria Intellecte – Sabadell, Spain Sala Vayreda – Olot, Spain Galeria Soler/Casamada – Terrassa, Spain

1991 Galleri Miguel de Agustin - Helsingborg, Sweden Minerva, Galeria d’Art – Mataro, Spain Galeria d’Art Grup Diagonal – Barcelona, Spain Konstmässa - Helsingborg, Sweden

1992 Galerie Radicke – Bonn, Germany “Suite Olimpica”, Minerva Galeria d’Art – Mataro, Spain Konstmässa - Helsingborg, Sweden

1993 Museu Monjo – Vilassar de Mar, Spain Galeria Forum – Girona, Spain Galeria d’Ara – Igualada, Spain Galeria El Carme – Vic, Spain Galerie Jacqueline Lemoine – Paris, France Konstmässa - Helsingborg, Sweden Galeri De Agustin & Roxenstein - Helsingborg, Sweden

1994 Galeria Manuel Macias – Madrid, Spain Galeria Intellecte – Sabadell, Spain Galeria Bearn – Palma de Mallorca, Spain EP Gallerie – Düsseldorf, Germany Galeria d’Art Foz – Sitges, Spain Konstmässa - Helsingborg, Sweden

1995 Llhi Galeria d’Art – Escalade-Engordany, Andorra Galeria d’Art l’Arcada – Blanes, Spain Camarote Pizarro, Galeria de Arte – Valencia, Spain Sui Generis Gallery – Vancouver, Canada El Carme, Galeria d’Art – Vic, Spain Jutta Radicke Gallerie – Bonn, Germany Solientura Konstmässa – Stockholm, Sweden Konstmässa - Helsingborg, Sweden

1996 Art Americas ’96 – Florida, USA Agora 4 Merrick – Florida, USA Galerie Jacqueline Lemoine – Paris, France Konstmässa - Helsingborg, Sweden Galeria Pizarro – Valencia, Spain

1997 Galeria d’Art Foz – Sitges, Spain Art Expo – Barcelona, Spain Art 97 – Vancouver, Canada Galeria d’Art Arcada – Blanes, Spain Galeria Pizarro – Valencia, Spain

1998 Galeria El Claustre – Girona, Spain Galeria Llucia Homs – Barcelona, Spain Galeria El Carme – Vic, Spain

1999 Sala Rusiñol – Sant Cugart Art Expo – Barcelona, Spain Galeria d’Art Foz – Sitges, Spain

2000 Galeria d’Art Terraterma – Lleida, Spain Euroarte – Lisboa, Portugal Art Expo – Barcelona, Spain Inter Atrium – Porto, Portugal Galeria Pizarro – Valencia, Spain Galeria d’Art l’Arcada – Blanes, Spain

2001 Galeria El Claustre – Girona, Spain Sala d’Art E. Arimany – Tarragona, Spain Galeria d’Art Foz – Sitges, Spain Galeria Pizarro – Valencia, Spain

2002 Inter Atrium – Porto, Portugal Art Expo – Barcelona, Spain Galeria MDA – Heisingborg, Sweden “Catalunya Pinta Roma”, El Claustre – Girona, Spain Galeria Pizarro – Valencia, Spain Galeria d’Art Terraferma – Lleida, Spain

2003 Sala d’Art E. Arimany – Tarragona, Spain Galeria d’Art Foz – Sitges, Spain Galeria Pizarro – Valencia, Spain Nominated for the National Award of Design

2004 Grup Escolà, Salduba – Zaragoza, Spain Grup Escolà, Mar – Barceonla, Spain Galeria El Claustre – Girona, Spain

Source: http://www.onessimofineart.com/artists/Baques/bio/bio.html