Vigo: Juan Oliveira (1980-90)

Pazo de Reis was born in 1928. He studied industrial engineering. A member of a wealthy family, John Oliveira has no direct relationship with art until well advanced age. If you had great contact with the horse world, so present in his work. The riding and breeding for participation in competitions.

The first sculpture he did was discussing with an artist who had commissioned him to do a mare I had. The sculptor was modeling in the stable when going to see how the work Oliveira expression reproached him saying that horses horse jumping not that. The artist bother saying "an artist can not mediate" what Oliveira insisted it was to be the final recipient of the work. Then the artist invited to Oliveira ProBase the same in another easel. At that time Oliveira was surprised to see how his hands were able to create, in his words, "was the flash of my life when I discovered at that moment that my hands are absolutely faithful to my thinking. All I want to do my hands translate it. " After finishing the work, and when two friends were artists who came to see the two works the artist said he had made his life's work. But they were praising the work was, but they knew they had done sculpture Oliveira.

After this he was encouraged to continue in the art world, to own Laxeiro told the sculpture he had made: "If you have the balls to follow, because you are the host, you are the best in the world doing this, because they never interpreted the horse in art history like you've played them. " After the meeting with the art world, delivered with passion Oliveira to modeling performing his first show in less than a year.

It starts in the 70s with his first exhibitions arousing admiration and rave reviews. His works run through Spain and abroad come to causing a sensation in England.

Make your first memorial monuments like the abandoned dog at the zoo in Madrid or the monument to the horse ("Pegasus") at the airport in Madrid.

Model also sports themes, bullfighting and playground, always filled with a pop attitude dynamic as opposed to static.

In Vigo takes first monument symbolizing the mythical Europe very expressive abduction using the holes in the shape like Bucinos. Seven feet high and 1,500 kilos of very concise but full forms of expression, strength and lightness.

Monument to the Horses - 1991

But his greatest work is the sculpture of the Plaza of Spain, also in Vigo, where five horses climb a spiral waterfall nearly 20 meters high. This work does not stop surprising and impassive to anyone who sees it. This sculpture conveys tension, dynamism and expressiveness. A game machine, curves, surfaces and voids filled recesses. It has already become a symbol of the city.

He also horses that crown the building Caixanova Cultural Centre.