Born the second son of a low-class family –his father was a railway worker; Julio Le Parc was born on September 23rd 1928 in the town of Mendoza, Mendoza state, located at the foot of the Andean Cordillera, 1100 kilometres west of Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital city. He spent his childhood in Mendoza and started school there. Overall a mediocre student, he was however gifted at sketching celebrities portraits and illustrated cards. He started to work on and off from age 13, as a delivery boy, as an apprentice in a bike’s repairs shop, even as a fruit packer in a factory. In 1942, he settles down in Buenos Aires along with his mother and brothers. He was working in the day as an apprentice at a fine leather goods manufactory and studying at night to prepare the School of Fine Arts, admission exam/test. After studying four and a half years plus two and a half years yet again to get his degree, he leaves the Fine Arts Academy in a total and confused rebellion against submission and obedience. He becomes somewhat marginal, meets with anarchists and Marxists, and tries to comprehend his problems in a different way. He wanders around the country, getting some odd job as construction or steelworker. Aware of being an outsider, he returns to society, works as a concierge at an official theatre, joins an independent experimental theatre company, and takes as a free candidate the admission test to the Fine Arts Superior School, which he gets the second time around. A founding member of Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV) and award-winning artworks, he is a significant figure in Argentinean modern art.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2013
Casa Daros, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Nara Roesler Gallery, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
Bugada & Cargnel Gallery, Paris, France
Galerie Denise René, Paris, France
Lélia Mordoch Gallery, Paris, France
Gallery of multiples, Paris, France
2012
Inauguration of Centro Cultural Julio Le Parc, Mendoza, Argentina
Nuit Blanche 2012: Obelisk in light Le Parc, Place de la Concorde, Paris / Vibrant light, Espace Beaugrenelle, Paris, France
2011
Lélia Mordoch Gallery, Miami, FL, United States
The eye of the Cyclops. Works from 1959 to 1971, Galerie Bugada & Cargnel, Paris, France
2010
Otra Mirada, Borges Cultural Center, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2009
Le Parc, Casa de las Américas, Havana, Cuba
Installation of the monumental sculpture Torsión 4, Monterrey, Mexico
2008
Lumiere, Galerie Lélia Mordoch, Paris, France
Blanco-Negro. Black-white, Argentina Gallery, Paris, France
2007
Luz en movimiento. Colección Daros-Latinamerica, Luis Angel Arango Biblioteca Casa Republicana, Bogotá, Colombia
Galeria Nara Roesler, São Paulo, Brazil
2006
Julio Le Parc and Vertigo Vertical, Orangery of Sucy Castle, Sucy-en-Brie, France
Le Parc, Laboratorio de Arte Alameda, Mexico City, Mexico.
2005
Julio Le Parc and Vertical Vertigo, Orangerie, Cachan, France
Le Parc Lumiere, Daros-Latinamerica Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland
2004
Archivio di Stato / Palazzo del Senato, Milan, Italy
Verso the luce. Torsioni, Castello di Boldeniga, Italy
2003
Il Cinetismo attualità e storia a confronto, Circolo degli artisti, Turin, Italy
2002
Modulations & Alchemy, Studio F.22, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Brescia, Italy
Galleria d'arte Tarozzi, Pordenone, Italy
2001
O escultor da luz e do movimento, Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Opere dagli anni '60 al 2000, Valmore Studio in Arte, Vicenza, Italy
Luz e movimento, Pinacoteca do Estado, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Retrospectivamente, Nara Roesler Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
2000
Dialogando con la luz, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina / Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Neuquen, Argentina / Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes Cordoba, Argentina
Julio Le Parc, Homenaje at the silent manes of Martha Park, Espacio Contemporaneo de Arte, Mendoza, Argentina
Alchimies 1988-2000, Lavignes-Bastille Gallery, Paris, France
Julio Le Parc celebrates light, The Villa des Tourelle Gallery, Nanterre
1999
Espaço Julio Le Parc. Experiencias from 1959 to 1999, II Bienal Mercosul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Light dialogue. Exhibition on both sides of the sea, Fort Liédot, Île d'Aix, France / Saint-Nicolas Tower, La Rochelle, France
Modulation, Galleria Melesi, Lecco, Italy
1998
Alquimias, Sala de Arte Contemporaneo, Quito, Peru
1997
Theater Galleries - Cherbourg Cultural Center, Cherbourg, France
Games Room, Ecole de Beaux-Arts, Cherbourg, France
Galería Italia, Alicante, Spain
Alquimias, Sala de Exposiciones CAM, Alicante, Spain
Theater Galleries - Cultural Center, Cherbourg, France
Alquimias, Galería Rayuela, Madrid, Spain
Alchimies di Julio Le Parc, Studio F.22, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Brescia, Italy
1996
Games room and surface work, Anis Gras, Arcueil, France
Alchemy. Recent works, Galerie Dionne, Paris, France
Alquimias, Galería Rayuela, Madrid, Spain
Alquimias, Centro de Arte Palacio Almudí, Murcia, Spain
Alquimias, Studio F.22, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Brescia, Italy
The light years, Espace Electra, Paris, France
1995
Open House, Cachan, France
The light years, Espace Art Brenne, Regional Natural Park of La Brenne, France
1994
Research 1958-1994, Michael Gallery, Heidelberg, Germany
Galerie Les Lumières, Nanterre, France
1993
'Alchemy' by Julio Le Parc, Studio F.22, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Brescia, Italy
1991
Obra reciente, Galería Punto, Valencia, Spain
Italia Gallery, Alicante, Spain
Galleria Melesi, Lecco, Italy
1990
Galería Aritza, Bilbao, Spain
Opere grafiche e acrilici di Julio Le Park, Verifica 8 + 1, Mestre, Venice, Italy
Galería Trazos Tres, Santander, Spain
Galleria Bergamini, Milan, Italy
Alquimias, Galería Rayuela, Madrid, Spain
Le Modulazioni di Julio Le Park, Studio F.22, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Brescia, Italy
Alchimie e Modulazioni, Galleria d'Arte Moderna Rotta, Genoa, Italy
1989
Van Eyck Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Experiencias. Retrospectiva, Universidad Católica, Santiago, Chile
Experiencias - 30 años (1958-1988), 5ta Avenida, Mendoza, Argentina
1988
"Modulazioni" by Julio Le Parc, Studio F.22, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Brescia, Italy
Galería Alberto Elia, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Casa de la Cultura, Salta, Argentina
Pryzmat Gallery, Krakow, Poland
Retrospectiva, Le Parc & Le Parc, Salas Nacionales de Exposición, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1987
Modulaciones, Galería Carmen Waugh, Santiago, Chile
Aeblegaarden Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Galerías Arte Autopista, Medellín, Colombia
Sala de Arte Contemporaneo, Quito, Ecuador
Exhibition Hall, Casa del Parque Municipal, Crevillent, Spain
Galleria la Chiocciola, Padova, Italy
Villa Durazzo, Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy
Instituto Francés de Cultura, Santiago, Chile
1986
Obra reciente, Galería Punto, Valencia, Spain
Mental Espaces, Galería Rayuela, Madrid, Spain
Tema variacion en azul, Galería Juan Gris, Madrid, Spain
Galería Italia 2, Alicante, Spain
Open House at Le Parc workshop, Atelier Le Parc, Cachan, France
Experiencias 1959-1985, Sala of exhibitions of the ajuntament, Valencia, Spain
Retrospective. The Lonja, Zaragoza, Spain
1985
Modulazioni. Opere Recenti, Galleria dell'ariete, Primaluna, Lecco, Italy
Modulaciones, Sala de arte contemporáneo, Quito, Ecuador
Al Retiro Le Parc, Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, Spain
1984
Cenobio Visualità, Milan, Italy
Modulaciones, Galería Alberto Elía, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Galería Camino, Brent, Lima, Peru
Galerías Arte Autopista, Medellín, Colombia
Nuevas Modulaciones, Galería de Arte Diners, Bogotá, Colombia
Museo Rayo, Roldanillo, Colombia
1983
Galería Aritza, Bilbao, Spain
Galería Rayuela, Madrid, Spain
Verifica 8 + 1, Mestre, Venice, Italy
1982
Galería Collage, Madrid, Spain
Modulations, SBG Galerie -Pavillon Werd, Zurich, Switzerland
1981
Modulations. Themes with variations. Original stencils, Artcurial, Paris, France
Latin American Space, Paris, France
AM Studio, Rome, Italy
La luce e colore, Centro Culturale Una Arte, Fano, Italy
Galería de Arte Diners, Bogotá, Colombia
Ruben Dario Theater, Managua, Nicaragua
Rectorate of Ancona University, Ancona, Italy
Modulaciones, Galería Latinoamericana Casa de las Américas, Havana, Cuba
Obras 1959-1981, Museo de Bellas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela
1980
La modulazione della luce, Pinacoteca and Musei Comunali, Macerata, Italy
Pinturas recientes, Galería Rayuela, Madrid, Spain
Galería Iman, Valladolid, Spain
G. Salvi Galleria, Sassoferrato, Italy
Variaciones tematicas, Galería Sepia, Asunción, Paraguay
Galería Punto, Valencia, Spain
Galleria La Virgola, Fabriano, Italy
Palazzo Comunale, Fermo, Italy
Faculty of Architecture of Nantes, France
1979
Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Center St-Martial, Angouleme, France
Galleria Sincron, Brescia, Italy
Modulaciones, Galería Durban, Caracas, Venezuela
Galleria La Polena, Genoa, Italy
Galería de Arte Camino Brent, Lima, Peru
1978
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Ibiza, Spain
Galeria Ederti, Bilbao, Spain
Modulacions, color, multiple, Galería René Métras, Barcelona, Spain
"Stencils" temes a variació, Galería Eude, Barcelona, Spain
Graphic Gallery / CB2, Caracas, Venezuela
Experiencias 1959-1977, FundacióJoan Miró, Barcelona, Spain
1977
Royan Festival, France
Torques Gallery, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Experiencias 1959-1977, Sala del Ministerio de la Cultura, Madrid, Spain
Retrospective, Robert Desnos Room, Ris-orangis, France
1977
Royan Festival, France
Torques Gallery, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Experiencias 1959-1977, Sala del Ministerio de la Cultura, Madrid, Spain
Retrospective, Robert Desnos Room, Ris-orangis, France
1976
Modulations, Galerie Denise René Right Bank, Paris, France
Paintings. Drawings. Collages. Editions, Galerie Denise Rene Left Bank, Paris, France
Pinturas recientes, Museo de Arte Moderno, Bogotá, Colombia
Galería Rayuela, Madrid, Spain
Retrospective, Experiencias 1959-1977, Galería Mestre Mateo / Lume Aula de Cultura / Escuela Técnica Superior of Arquitectura, La Coruña, Spain
1975
The long walk, Galerie Denise René Right Bank, Paris, France
Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City, Mexico
Galleria Lorenzelli, Bergamo, Italy
Global Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
1974
Recent works of Le Parc "Couleur 74", Galerie Denise René Right Bank, Paris, France
Le Palace Theater, Paris, France
1973
Denise Rene Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Galleria La Polena, Genoa, Italy
Lorenzo Artes Antegüedades, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1972
Editionen und Multiple, Denise René Gallery - Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf, Germany
Bright works. Paintings. Landforms. Parallel Architectures, Françoise Mayer Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
Investigaciones 1959-1972, Antañona Galería de Arte, Caracas, Venezuela
Research 1959-1971-Untersuchungen, Städtische Kunsthalle, Düsseldorf, Germany
Retrospective, Haus am Waldsee, Berlin, Germany
1971
Albums couleur n° 1 et miroirs, Galerie Denise René rive gauche, Paris, France
30 Multiples Série R, Galería René Métras, Barcelone, Espagne
30 Multiples Série R, Galería de Arte Antañona, Caracas, Venezuela
1970
Kinetische Objekte, Ulmer Museum, Ulm, Germany
Color 1959, Galerie Denise René Right Bank, Paris, France
30 Multiple Series R, Galerie Denise René Left Bank, Paris, France
Denise Rene Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Retrospective, Casa de las Americas, Havana, Cuba
1969
Galleria de 'Foscherari, Bologna, Italy
Retrospective, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden
Retrospective, Konsthallen, Gothenburg, Sweden
Retrospective, Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter, Oslo, Norway
1968
Buchholz Gallery, Munich / im Osram-Hans Gallery, Munich, Germany
Punta del Este, Uruguay
Gray Gallery, Bilbao, Spain
Galleria d'Arte Naviglio 2, Milan, Italy
Luz Espacio Movimiento. Obras de Julio Le Parc, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, Mexico / Museo de Arte Moderno, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
1967
Halfmannshof, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Françoise Mayer Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
Howard Wise Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Pavilion of Argentina, IX Bienal of São Paulo, Brazil
Retrospective, Instituto Di Tella, Buenos Aires, Argentina / General Electric, Montevideo, Uruguay / Museo de Bellas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela / Asunción, Paraguay
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2009
Flash! Light and Movement. Tampere, Finland.
2002
50 años de pintura geométrica latino-americana. La Plata, Argentina.
1994
Portes ouvertes. Cachan, France.
1987
I Bienal de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador.
1983
Arte Programmata e Cinetica 1953-1963. Milano, Italy.
1975
Brigade International de Peintres Antifascistes. Athens, Greece.
1970
Kinetics. London, UK.
1967
Light in Orbit. New York, New York, USA,
1960
Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuel. Paris, France.
1957
IV Bienal de São Paulo. São Paulo, Brazil.