Afrika – Joan Gardy Artigas

GARDY ARTIGAS, Joan (1938 -) “Afrika” 
Lithograph Signed and numbered on the bottom: J. Gardy Artigas 14/75 
Titled on the reverse. 74x55cm – 29×21,75″

Artigas was born in Boulogne-Billancourt (near Paris). He and father Josep Llorens Artigas worked closely with Miró and Pablo Picasso. As a teenager Artigas worked for Miró and later trained at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.

He met the Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti and established his own studio where at Giacometti’s suggestion he concentrated on sculpture. Artigas had some success and supplied his expertise to the cubists Georges Braque and Marc Chagall.

Artigas created the 7,200 tiles for the Miró Wall that he coloured based on an image which Miró had created. The artwork includes the signatures of both artists. Artigas returned to assisting Miró when his father decided to retire.

Continuing his own artistic endeavours, he was awarded his first solo exhibition in America in 1982. He has been a visiting artist at two American universities and he has founded a foundation to celebrate his father’s work. Gardy-Artigas serves on the board of the foundation Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona.