brief Biography of Antonio Calvo Carrion

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ANTONIO CALVO CARRIÓN

In this academic year 2021 - 2022, it has been 100 years from the birth of Antonio Calvo Carrión, the well-known painter from La Algaba. In order to celebrate the first centenary of his birth, the Secondary School Matilde Casanova has devoted its Heritage project to him this year under the title of “Calvo Carrión Year”.

Antonio was born at Manuel Clavijo Street, better known as San Antonio, on December 26, 1921.

His family was a large: his parents, two brothers and a sister, being the painter the eldest son.

His health was very deliciated during his childhood. Furthermore, he suffered from various diseases, such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. Despite of this, Antonio managed to survive adolescence and his health got stronger.

Since he used to paint very well, he entered the ceramic factory of La Cartuja in Seville as an apprentice. There, he was sent to round off his skills at the School of Arts and Crafts between the years 1936 and1939, when the Civil War took place.

In 1940, he continued his artistic training, this time at the Fine Arts College in Seville, located on Gonzalo Bilbao street. Once graduated, he went to Madrid where he would become established himself as an artist.

Antonio worked on all the themes: still lives, landscapes, portraits, nudes, religious themes, having great acceptance both nation and worldwide. His success led him to space out his visits to La Algaba and he set his home in Palma de Mallorca.

Although he was a magnificent realist painter, Antonio was looking for a different way of painting. In the wake of Picasso's Cubism, as well as other avant-garde art movements, he shaped his most personal style, Universalism.

Universalism was his great creation. In 1964, he published his Universalist Manifesto. He defends the idea of ​​a new humanity able to overcome all the vices and prejudices of that moment. This new concept of mankind will be the basis of Universalism, which is captured in his different masks, especially. His collection of masks is intended to be a call for freedom of expression a respect towards others.

This new stage meant a great success and because of this, his paintings were displayed in such important cities as New York or Paris.

In 1975, he began to teach at the School of Arts and Crafts in Palma de Mallorca. Sadly, a traffic accident in 1979 put an end to his life. Today, the legacy of Antonio Calvo Carrión returns to his town stronger than ever as a result of his centenary.

Live /experience the Calvo Carrión Year! Feel Art! Feel La Algaba!