José María Cruz Novillo
Cruz Novillo was one of the Spanish artists who, from the 1970s onwards, undertook the renovation of the geometric visual language in Spain. His work was influenced by mathematical, musical, and geometric parameters, as well as by various theories of color. In the nineties, he developed the plastic concept "Diafragma," a name that encompassed a multitude of works whose common characteristic was the combination of a variable number of monochromatic, sound, photographic, or three-dimensional elements. In his work, geometric abstraction and figuration coexisted in a natural way since both came from the patterns marked by the combination of musical notes, numbers, and colors.
He was a member of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Over his career, he received major accolades, including the National Design Prize (1997), the National Painting Prize of the Community of Castilla-La Mancha (2002), and the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts (2012). In 1977, he represented Spain at the International Biennial of São Paulo, Brazil. His work became part of prestigious national and international private and public collections, such as the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS), the Museo Patio Herreriano in Valladolid, Spain, the Fundación Juan March in Madrid, Spain, and the Colección Accenture in Madrid.
