New Delhi: Internationally acclaimed artist Cristobal embarked on a visit to India on April 25 and will be in the country till May 3 as a part of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)’s Distinguished Visitors Programme- 2021-2022. Gabarron is globally known for his works of public art, as much in paint as in sculpture or monumental montage. His installations in parks, streets, and squares have contributed to redefining the essence of cities and communities all over the world. The Spanish artist created his work The Head of the Giant in 2019-2020 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth.
The Head of the Giant comprises a series of 49 paintings in mixed media. In an introduction to this work, Gabarron wrote: “Gandhi represents not only the non-violence, but he also represents for me the absolute loyalty to be free, to be in solidarity, to be patient, to have a positive ideology for humanity.”
In Delhi, Gabarron will also meet the Indian President Ram Nath Kovind; senior officials of ICCR; visit the Gallery of Modern Art and Lalit Kala Academy and attend the India Art Fair. In the next legs of his visit, he will go to Kolkata, Santiniketan and Mumbai. The artist, whose 50-year career spans France, Italy and the United States is focused on his interest in humanism, people who live in harmony with their natural surroundings, their peaceful coexistence, and the development of human values.
During over 50 years of experience, Gabarron has collaborated with public and private organizations from around the world to create noteworthy works of art for special events including the mural for the Barcelona Olympics (1992) and the set of murals for the Universal Exposition of Seville (1992), and the group of sculptures for Atlanta Star (1996). His collaboration with the United Nations has been a constant in his career ever since 1986 when he designed the commemorative stamp for the International Year of Peace based on his work, Our Hope for Peace.
This work was followed by Dawn in the new Millennium, which commemorated the UN Millennium Summit (2000), the Millennium Chapel (2001) and most recently Enlightened Universe, which was inaugurated by the secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, on October 24, 2015, in New York City's Central Park to mark the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.
Cities around the world have embraced Gabarron's vision by exhibiting his monumental sculptures. Prominent museums and European, American, and Asian institutions have exhibited Gabarron's works in iconic streets and squares. Additionally, several cities have publicly and permanently incorporated his large outdoor sculptures as part of their cultural heritage. His work has been the subject of analysis in retrospectives, such as those held by the Chelsea Art Museum, IVAM (Valencia Institute of Modern Art), the Gdansk Museum of Modern Art in Poland, or the National Museum of Art of China in Shanghai.
In 2020, the city of Valladolid with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Co-operation and the United Nations Regional Information Centre in Brussels commemorated the 75th anniversary of the United Nations with a double exhibition of Cristobal Gabarron.
