| Preparatory Drawings by Eduardo Arranz-Bravo at Franklin Bowles Galleries |
 Eduardo Arranz-Bravo, 'Allons enfants', 2009. Oil on canvas, 79 X 79. Photo: Courtesy Franklin Bowles Galleries. |
| NEW YORK, NY.- Franklin Bowles Galleries announces the opening of "Arranz-Bravo: 2010". The joint exhibition features works on canvas and paper along with a series of unusual sculptures and preparatory drawings done while the artist was in residence at the Mercer Hotel located in the SoHo area of New York City in 2008. Eduardo Arranz-Bravo first came of age as an artist in the 1960’s and his aesthetic was inspired and nurtured during the emergence of American Pop Art. Arranz-Bravo was a friend to contemporary luminaries Richard Hamilton and Mel Ramos; he also collaborated on many projects and happenings with the Spanish pop artist, Rafael Bartolozzi. Working and exhibiting closely for over ten years, Arranz-Bravo and Bartolozzi brought back a new level of realism which emphasized formal subjects with a critical and ironic twist. In later years, the work of Arranz- Bravo evolved to include more elements of abstraction, although he seldom strayed from his humanistic roots. The Arranz-Bravo Foundation, located just outside Barcelona in L’hospitalet, was inaugurated in September 2009. The new director, Albert Mercade, will be organizing several exhibitions in 2010 in keeping with one of the foundation’s core missions: to work with the younger generation of Spanish artists, to support their artistic visions, and to sponsor exhibitions which promote their latest achievements. Arranz-Bravo, is very open to new trends in artistic expression and understands the need for ongoing dialogue with all generations of artists – past, present, and future. In 2010 the Foundation will feature a cataloged exhibition of self-portraits painted by Arranz-Bravo throughout his career. Eduardo Arranz -Bravo has exhibited steadily since his early days with Rafael Bartolozzi at Sala Gaspar and has been represented by the Franklin Bowles Galleries in the United States since 1997. Over the course of his career Arranz-Bravo has garnered many accolades and achievements, including the Gran premio and Medella de Oro at the International Biennale in Ibiza. He represented Spain at the XXXIX Venice Biennale, and was chosen as one of only three artists to help promote the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games through artistic work. His participation in this project resulted in the acquisition of 27 works by the Museo Olimpico in Lausanne, Switzerland. Currently the artist lives and works in Barcelona and Cadaques, Spain. His work is included in numerous public collections including the Museo Nacionál Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain; Skidmore Art Museum, Saratoga Springs and New York, USA; Museo d’Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain; Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Museu d’Art Contemporani, Barcelona, Spain. Recent works of note are two important public sculpture commissions both located in "L’Hospitalet : L’Acollidora" (The Welcoming Woman) installed on a main street of the city, and the "Pont de la Libertat" (Bridge of Liberation) which spans a major crossroads in the city. |
