Biscucuy, Venezuela 1930 - Paris 2000. Mauro Mejíaz was a Venezuelan painter and sculptor who met Braulio Salazar, who guided him in the early years of his artistic career.
In 1955, Mejíaz was appointed professor of sculpture and ceramics. Under the influence of Siqueiros, he became interested in social realist painting. In 1962, he became editor of the art section of the newspaper La Antorcha. In 1961, Mauro Mejíaz created a gigantic mural in Barcelona, Venezuela.
In 1964 he settled in France, a country that granted him citizenship and where he lived until his death. In Paris, he met Oswaldo Vigas and participated in an exhibition at the Latin American Salon in the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris in 1965. Mauro Mejíaz explored many forms of painting: social realism, impressionism, cubism, expressionism... However, more out of necessity than technical skill, he discovered the immense possibilities of spreading
Oil pigments applied with rags and solvent, combined with the frottage technique, are mastered by the artist. Between 1970 and 1975, he developed his current style without a pre-established plan. The influence of Chilean artist Roberto Matta, with whom he has exhibited since 1967, is evident in his work. Mejíaz's paintings, illustrations, and mural decorations have long been described by critics as surreal, fantastical, visionary, science-fiction, visceral, and depicting interplanetary landscapes.
In 1981, the International Society of Japanese Artists selected one of his works as one of the top 25 from a group of 312 from 46 countries.
AWARDS
1952. Lions Club Award, X Arturo Michelena Salon
1954. Antonio Herrera Toro Prize, XII Arturo Michelena Salon
1981. Arturo Michelena Prize. Caracas, Venezuela
Société des Bains de Mer Prize, Monte Carlo Grand Prix, Monaco
Société des Bains de Mer Prize, Monte Carlo Grand Prix, Monaco
Arturo Michelena Prize, XXXIX Arturo Michelena Salon
WORKS IN MUSEUMS AND COLLECTIONS
Azorín-Monovar Museum, Alicante, Spain
Carmelo Fernández Museum, San Felipe
Museum of Contemporary Art Ralli Foundation, Punta del Este, Uruguay
Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje
Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris
Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona, Spain
City Museum, Tomelilla, Sweden
Palais de L'Europe, Menton, France
Legislative Assembly of the State of Anzoátegui, Barcelona
Ateneo of Barcelona, Anzoátegui State
Ateneo of Valencia, Carabobo State
Columbus House, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Cajigal High School, Barcelona, Edo. Anzoategui
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1951. Ateneo of Valencia, Carabobo State
1952. Hotel Carabobo, Valencia, Carabobo State
1954. Ateneo of Valencia, Carabobo State
1957. Ateneo of Valencia, Carabobo State
1960. Ateneo of Valencia, Carabobo State
Ateneo of Guanare
1961. House of Culture, Maturín
Venezuelan-American Institute, Puerto La Cruz
New Cadiz Museum, La Asunción
University of Oriente. Cumaná, Venezuela
1962. El Pez Dorado Gallery. Caracas, Venezuela
New Sparta House. Barcelona, Venezuela
1963. Anzoátegui Hall. Barcelona, Venezuela
University of Oriente. Cumaná, Venezuela
1964. Galería G. Caracas, Venezuela
Permanent Art Exhibition. Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela
Carlos Gauna House of Culture. Acarigua-Araure, Venezuela
Ateneo de Valencia. Carabobo State, Venezuela
Industrial Technical School. Acarigua, Portuguesa State, Venezuela
1968. 3+2 Gallery. Paris, France
Witsch Gallery. Bonn, Germany
Gallery 999. Hamburg, Germany
Theo Gallery. Vienna, Austria
1969. Orly Airport. Paris, France
Galería Latina, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
1970. 3+2 Gallery. Paris, France
Saint-Germain-des-Prés Gallery. Paris, France
Matou Gallery. Hamburg, Germany
Art-Club Gallery. Antibes, France
1972. Gaudí Hall, Barcelona, Spain
L'Armitière Gallery, Rouen, France
1974. BCT Clermont-Ferrand, France
1975. Ford Space. Paris, France
Orly Airport. Paris, France
Supreme Gallery. Malmö, Sweden
1976. García de la Peña Gallery. Pamplona, Spain
1977. L'Œuf du Beau-Bourg Gallery. Paris, France
1978. Fontana d'Or Gallery. Girona, Spain
Roman Temple Gallery. Vic, Spain
1979. Emiciclo Center. Murcia, Spain
City Council of Murcia, Spain
Yerba Gallery. Murcia, Spain
Punto y Raya Gallery. Murcia, Spain
Simon Gallery. Paris, France
1982. Art Visionnaire Gallery. Paris, France
Music Festival. Palace of Congress, Strasbourg, France
Beffroi Gallery. Tours, France
Art Sans Frontières Gallery, Strasbourg, France
1983. Enfac Gallery. Turin, Italy
La Finestrella Gallery. Carnelli, Italy
1984. “Metamorphosis Found” GAN
Euro-American Art Center, Caracas
À l'Enseigne du Triangle Gallery. Paris, France
1985. Orly Art Gallery. Paris, France
1986. Dufour Gallery. Amiens, France
“Miniatures” Durban Gallery, Caracas
Astra Hotel Gallery. Paris, France
Venezuelan Cultural Center, Embassy of Venezuela, Bogotá
Cluny Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
Lilián Estévez Gallery. Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
1987 Corinne Timsit International Gallery. Paris, France
1988. Dabernkow Gallery. Friedrichdorf, Germany
Larc Gallery. Bourg-en-Besse, France
1989. Dufour Gallery. Amiens, France
1990. Gangloff Gallery. Mulhouse, France
Art Forum Gallery. Park City, USA.
1991. L'Espace Baudelaire. Rillieux-la-Pape, France
1998. Ascaso Art Gallery, Valencia, Carabobo State
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1952. Venezuelan Art Salon. Caracas, Venezuela
1954. XII Arturo Michelena Salon. Valencia, Venezuela
Planchart Salon. Caracas, Venezuela
1956. Museum of Fine Arts. Caracas, Venezuela
International Salon. Valencia, Venezuela
1957. Julio T. Arce Hall. Barquisimeto, Venezuela
1959. XI. Planchart Hall. Caracas, Venezuela
4th Salon of Young Painters. Barcelona, Venezuela
1963. Central University of Venezuela. Cumaná, Venezuela
1965. Latin American Salon. Museum of Modern Art. Ranelagh Gallery. Paris, France
International Hall. Juvisy, France
1966. Zunini Gallery. Paris, France
Edouard Smith Gallery. Paris, France
1967. Salon de Mai. Museum of Modern Art. Paris, France
Billmora-Berg, Sweden
1968. Grands et Jeunes d'Aujourd'hui. Museum of Modern Arts. Paris, France
1969. “Ce curieux monde” Gallery 3+2. Paris, France
International Hall. Cosne-sur-Loire, France
1970. Salon Comparisons. Paris, France
Menton Biennial. Menton, France
Tour of Latin American artists. Scandinavia
1971. Grands et Jeunes d'Aujourd'hui. Paris, France
Salon de Mai. Paris, France
Montparnasse Festival. Paris, France
Young Sculpture. Paris, France
Peintres et Antiquaires. Paris, France
Salon d'Art du Mantois. France
1972. Grands et Jeunes d'Aujourd'hui. Paris, France
“Surréalistes et paralléles Oniriques” Galeria Art de Monde. Paris, France
“Science Fiction” Galeria Desbriéres. Paris, France
“25 manners of the Etre ou de ne pas Etre Surréaliste” Galeria Jean Prud'homme. Paris, France
“Erotisme et Surréalisme Fantastique” Gallery 3+2. Paris, France
“Jeune Sculpture” Paris-Ivry, France
“Du Surréalisme au Fantastique” Galeria de l'Université. Paris, France
“Haute Tension” Chave Gallery. Vence, France
Grands et Petits Maîtres d'Aujourd'hui. Limoges, France
“Art Fashion 72” Galeria Valerius de Saadeleer. Belgium
“8 Contemporary Peintres face au landscape” Colombes, France
The Bertrand Russel Peace Foundation. London, England
“Amnesty” Sala Reale delle Cariatidi. Milan, Italy
1973. “Le Réalisme Onirique” Art-Club Gallery. Antibes, France
Grands et Jeunes d'Aujourd'hui. Paris, France
Lansciona, Sweden
1974. “La Guerre et la Paix” Art-Club Gallery. Antibes, France
Grands et Jeunes d'Aujourd'hui. Paris, France
“Jeune Sculpture” Paris-Ivry, France
Zaragoza Biennial. Spain
1975. “Jeune Sculpture” Paris-Ivry, France
Menton Biennial. France
1977. “Paysages Intérieurs” Galeria Arcanes. Brussels, Belgium
1978. “Palace of the Vicereine” Barcelona, Spain
Tertre Gallery. Mataró, Spain
Pedro IV Walls Gallery. Vich, Spain
Badalona Municipal Museum. Spain
Granollers Museum. Spain
1979. Galería Diario Pueblo. Madrid, Spain
Association against the comb of death. Paris, France
1981. Venezuelan Art Biennial. Caracas, Venezuela
XXXIX Arturo Michelena Hall. Caracas, Venezuela
Monte Carlo Grand Prix. Monaco
1988. Spring Salon. Maison Alfort, France.
