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Biografía
1935
Rafael Canogar was born in Toledo on May 17, son of Genaro Rafael García-Cano Boix and Alfonsa Gómez Puñal. He is the second of four brothers: César, Rafael himself, Estrella and Maria Rosa.
After the civil war, his family moved to different provinces, fixing his residence in Madrid in 1944.
1945
He started his high school education. At an early age, he already liked drawing very much and showed a great skill. His father, who also liked drawing, bought him his first oil colors.
1946
The family moved to San Sebastian for one year.
1947
In the same house where he stayed lived the painter Olasagasti, who recommended the family to send Rafael to study with the Basque painter Martiarena.
1948
The family returned to Madrid. Martiarena advised them to visit the master Vázquez Díaz, who accepted Rafael as disciple after seeing his paintings. Determined to be a painter, he quit school for devoting entirely to painting.
He worked in the morning at Vázquez Díaz’s studio and made drawings in the afternoon at Círculo de Bellas Artes (a private, non-profit cultural organization).
The portrays of his brothers and that of Adriano del Valle belong to this period. He soon showed an interest for contemporary artists, like Braque, Picasso, Miró, of which he first heard at Vázquez Díaz’s studio.
1952-1953
He exhibited at the Xagra Gallery in Madrid, along with painter Cristino de Vera.
He spent the summer periods painting in Toledo. The painting Paisaje de Toledo and others used in his first exhibition, belong to this period.
1954
He exhibited individually at Altamira Gallery, where he only sold one painting. As he offered his paintings for a price of 500 pesetas, he sold everything through Vázquez Díaz’s friends. His master also bought him a painting with a view of Toledo. He met and became acquainted with art critic Manolo Conde.
1955
He painted his first abstract works, where the influence of Miró (in a young Canogar) can be easily noticed.
He met and became acquainted with Feito. He made his firstjourney to Paris along with Manolo Conde. He exhibited individually in Paris, at Arnaud Gallery.
Back in Madrid, he exhibited at Fernando Fe Gallery, where an avant-garde art group was being formed.
He exhibited at Barcelona’s Latin American Biennial. He participated in the exhibitions Divergences, at Paris’s Arnaud Gallery, and Arte Abstracto, at Madrid’s Fernando Fe Gallery.
1956
He traveled to Italy with Manolo Conde and exhibited individually at Florence’s Numero Gallery, with a short presentation by Sánchez Camargo in the catalogue, who emphasized the matter, thick and coarse textures, a “touch of asceticism, spiked belt, martyrology that characterize his painting.”
He is invited to Alexandria’s Biennial. He participated in Antología del Ateneo de Madrid; and in the 28th Venice Biennale, where Luis Felipe Vivanco presented the Spanish pavilion that for the first time gathered a small group of Spanish abstract painters.
Along with Manolo Conde, he organized a pottery workshop in El Escorial, which he subsequently quit as it was incompatible with painting. He exhibited individually at Barcelona’s Athenaeum with a text by José Luis Fernández del Amo.
1957
Meeting other painters and critics led them to join together in order to perform a common artistic action. The group El Paso was formed, which started as an “activity aimed at creating a new state of mind within the Spanish artistic scene.” El Paso made lots of collective exhibitions, the first one at Buchholz Gallery, and in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art, they brought to Madrid the important exhibition Arte Otro, which was held at “Sala Negra” Gallery in Madrid. El Paso exhibited in several Spanish cities and, at the same time, developed and participated in other cultural activities.
1958
El Paso published the installment Cuatro pintores españoles (Four Spanish Painters) (Canogar, Feito, Millares and Saura). Canogar in invited to the Biennials in Venice and Alexandria, and is also selected for Pittsburgh International.
Canogar’s contribution to Venice Biennial drew the attention of critics and his work was widely recognized. Rome’s L’Attico Gallery offered him a contract and collaborated with this gallery for several years.
1959
Club 49 organized in Barcelona an exhibition with four El Paso painters at Gaspar Gallery. In this exhibition, Canogar met Miró. He lived in Rome for a few months, where he worked in his first exhibition for L’Attico Gallery. He met an American woman, Ann Jane McKenzie, in Rome, who subsequently became his wife. The Italian art critic Enrico Crispolti wrote the text of his book edited by Arte de Hoy collection. He traveled to Paris for taking part in the exhibition 13 Peintres Espagnols Actuels, at the Museum of Decorative Arts.
Magazine Papeles de Son Armadans published an issue dedicated to the group El Paso. Canogar wrote his text “Tener los pies en la tierra (Down to Earth).”
After a first collective exhibition presented by Maurizio Calvesi, Canogar exhibited individually at L’Attico Gallery. An important exhibition presented by Nello Ponente, who saw in Canogar “that dramatism in the form... so typical of the young Spanish painters”, emphasizing the tension of the painter to a reality that Calvesi considered “imminent, silenced and clearly dramatic”, which Po nen - te described as “reality from actual experience and actual action”, “a product of conscience.”
During some time, our artist worked in Rome, and became more familiar with Italian painting and the art critics of that country. Crispolti presented him in Milan’s Blu Gallery.
1960
Crispolti presented him, along with Jean Dypreau and Juan Eduardo Cirlot, in the individual exhibition at Brussels’s Aujourd’hui Gallery. He obtained the Critics Award. In May, the group El Paso was dissolved. In its three years of existence, they developed their intended function: breaking the isolation that the Spanish artistic scene was experiencing. The last exhibition of this group took place, organized by Canogar at the Roman L’Attico Gallery, in which, apart from Canogar, also participated Chirino, Feito, Millares, Rivera, Saura and Viola. At the same time, a folder with the graphic work of the group was published.
He traveled to the USA and got married in Los Angeles with Ann Jane McKenzie. In New York, he visited two exhibitions of Spanish painting (where his work was included) organized at MoMA and Guggenheim respectively. El Paso artists Canogar, Saura, Millares and Rivera, exhibited in New York’s Pierre Matisse Gallery. He traveled to France and Germany.
1961
His first daughter, Susana, was born. He made his second individual exhibition in Paris, at Rive Gauche Gallery, for which Cirlot wrote a text. He traveled to Italy for exhibiting for the second time at L’Attico Gallery, presented by Umbro Apollonio. He traveled to the USA.
1962
He signed in Madrid a short written program full of new intentions: “I seek, he wrote, a formal-informal synthesis, a balance between form and matter. I first work with an informal, tortured and organic matter that then transforms and is arranged in a latent and elemental geometry... Expansion-contention, two elemental forces I’m interested in investigating...”
L’Attico published Quaderni dell’Attico no. 5, dedicated to Canogar, with texts by Dypreau, Cirlot and Crispolti. He is invited to the Venice Biennial, where he was given a special hall. He presented his work at Bologna’s II Cancello, at Cologne’s Anne Abels Gallery, and at Milan’s Il Naviglio.
1963
He participated in the exhibition 20 años de pintura española, which traveled through different Spanish cities. He exhibited at Madrid’s Biosca Gallery and Paris’s Rive Gauche Gallery. Francesco Arcangeli praised, in the text of these catalogues, Canogar’s new direction, and the “images of a modern realism” in his painting, embodying that “new change of reality”, without which “the progress of avant-gardes would be impossible and void.”
1964
“Without any doubt, Spanish art aims now at the chronicle, on its conspicuous dose of brutality and banality”, wrote Alberto Boatto, when presenting the only personal exhibition of the year, at L’Attico Gallery, mentioning how Canogar had “already expected to close, more than a cycle, a period of his work, as the modifications in his new period will not only cover one of the many possible variations of his language, but all of them and their capacity for relating to reality.”
From this time on, Canogar’s direction, so far mainly centered around Spain and Italy, aimed at other international places and, as a result, lots of different personal exhibitions took place in the USA: San Francisco, Oakland, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago...
This year he definitely quit informalism. To him, it lost the vitality and spirit of rebellion that once had. In any case, informalism marked him and his new work was still influenced by the technique of his previous period. His new work was based on the narrative chronicle, which is taken from the mass media. Photographs that he used (already in his last informalist period) as support and structure for lights and shadows.
He is invited to the exhibition España libre held in Rimini, Florence, Ferrara, Regio Emilia and Venice.
His second son, Daniel, was born.
1965
He was invited as “Visiting Professor” by the Mills College at Oakland, California, where he stayed working and lecturing for more than one year. During his stay, he exhibited at Mills College Gallery and at San Francisco’s The Young Museum. He gave several conferences and participated, along with ceramist Prieto, in the “Summer Mills College Workshop”. Immediately after his last lecture, he returned to Madrid.
His images got gradually rid of matter to provide their meaning with more strength and control. But he still needed an accidental element, a memory of his informalist language, which he achieved by working the backgrounds from the other side of the canvas, where color run through as glazing, not interfering with the image.
1966
He traveled to Venice and participated in the exhibition Lavoro in Corso at Fenice Theater. He exhibited individually at Salle Communale in Trieste’s Palazzo Costanzi and in Pescara’s Galleria 3. He exhibited in Pittsburg and Saint Augustin (USA), exhibition organized by the Spanish Tourism Subsecretariat.
His third son, Diego, was born.
1967
His transitional period ended, after which he defined his painting in a very specific and personal manner. His urban images acquired a third dimension, which started from his expressive needs. Wood and glass fiberreinforced polyester were then the base of his work. He needed that third dimension or physical extension of the image to make the presence of man, his main character, more real. Vicente Aguilera Cerni wrote about this: “... the aesthetic version based on an objective reproduction is also the revelation of a sense. It is a moral call. Hence, the importance of Canogar’s latest work: his success, in artistic terms, in joining the aesthetic and the ethical sides. He gave to the tired trade of creating art a dignity that seemed irretrievably lost” (text in catalogue Canogar, Spanish Museum of Contemporary Art, Madrid, 1971.
He exhibited at Juana Mordó Gallery in Madrid. He participated in La dimensión de lo real, along with other artists, in Zagreb’s Studentski Gallery.
1968
He is invited to the Venice Biennial, where he was given a special hall. He exhibited there seven works of that year: sculpture-paintings in wood and polyester, with a strong impact in terms of iconography and objects.
Magazine Art International dedicated him an important article by Vicente Aguilera Cerni.
1969
He traveled to Los Angeles, where he exhibited individually at Silvan Simone Gallery. He was invited by Tamarind Lithography Workshop to work for two months in their studios. He created 22 lithographs, 20 of which are part of two folders titled The Earth and La Violencia. In Chicago, he exhibited individually at Deson-Zaks Gallery.
He traveled to Brussels, where he exhibited at Withof Gallery. New individual exhibition at Rome’s L’Attico Gallery. He was invited to participate in the 11th Inter - national Painting Festival at Cagnes-sur-Mer, where he was awarded the Golden Palette Prize.
1970
The film Cántico, from director Jorge Grau, was made, inspired in Canogar’s aesthetics. He exhibited at Cologne’s Klang Gallery and Berlin’s Poll Gallery. He participated in the international exhibition Kunst und Politik, organized by Karlsruhe’s Badischer Kunst -verein.
1971
Retrospective exhibition at Art History Institute in Parma University, including an essay by Quintavalle in the catalogue. He was invited to São Paulo Biennial, where he was given his own special hall, and where he was awarded the Itamarati Grand Prize. He opened the new art gallery Tolmo in Toledo. Magazine Nueva Forma dedicated him two issues (numbers 71 and 109), with texts by Santiago Amón and Juan Daniel Fullaondo.
1972
Madrid’s Museum of Contemporary Art organized an anthological exhibition of his work. He was invited as resident artist in Berlin by D.A.A.D., but after a residency period of two months, he returned to Madrid, where he was building his new house-studio and had several pending exhibitions at Madrid’s Rayuela Gallery, Los Angeles’s Silvan Simone Gallery, Milan’s Il Naviglio Gallery, Berlin’s Poll Gallery, Valencia’s Punto Gallery, Barcelona’s Adrià Gallery and Bilbao’s Lúzaro Gallery. He was awarded the “Golden Sun Prize”, made by Miró, by the newspaper Iberian Daily Sun of Palma de Mallorca.
His fourth son, Roberto, was born.
1973
He exhibited at Madrid’s Juana Mordó Gallery and at Altea’s Alcoarts Gallery.
Magazine Nueva Forma dedicated him a new mono - graphic issue.
1974
He returned to Berlin, invited by D.A.A.D., where he worked for several months. The works made there were exhibited at Poll Gallery. He traveled to Italy, where he exhibited at Milan’s and Parma’s Bocchi Galleries, and Torino’s Grazia Boissier Gallery, and also at Madrid’s Rayuela Gallery.
1975
He made a large exhibition, Construcciones 1968-75, at Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris, with texts in the catalogue by Antonio García-Tizón, Vicente Aguilera Cerni and José María Ballester. This exhibition then traveled to Scan - dinavia and was held at Lund Kunsthall, Oslo’s Sonia Heinie Foundation and Copenhagen‘s Louisiana Mu - seum. The opening day of the Oslo’s exhibition was the day on which Franco died. A symbolic date that coincided with a new direction in his work, which aimed at escaping from the social chronicle.
He participated in Pirkanpohja-75’, Ähtäri, Finland. He exhibited again at Los Angeles’s Silvan Simone Gallery and Brescia’s Galleria d’Arte San Michele.
1976
Faithful to his constant curiosity, he returned to abstraction, which is a reflection on surfaces and materials. He exhibited his new work at Madrid’s Juana Mordó Gallery, with text by Daniel Giralt-Miracle (“Canogar, between variation and evolution“), who wrote: “Art is still alive. The wheel of styles keeps turning and giving signs of activity. For some, this activity will be new, original, and unprecedented; for others, repetitive, pure reiteration...”. This exhibition also traveled to Stock -holm’s and Helsinki’s Christel Gallery.
1977
He traveled and exhibited individually at Malmö’s Nordenhake Gallery and Göteborg’s Benet Malgram Gallery in Sweden, and at Oslo’s Nordenhake-Rykken. Madrid’s Estiarte Gallery exhibited his graphic work called Trayectoria. He also exhibited at Aele Gallery, along with his friend Cruz-Novillo.
1978
The Bank of Granada organized an exhibition-tribute to El Paso group on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its foundation. Canogar participated, along with other members of this group, in the conference organized for this purpose. This exhibition then moved to Madrid’s Juan March Foundation. He traveled and exhibited at Hague’s Galerie Nouvelles Images and at Valencia’s Punto Gallery. He traveled to Venezuela for participating in the 1st Latin American Encounter of Art Critics and Plastic Artists, and participated in the exhibition that, with this purpose, was organized by the Fine Arts Museum of Caracas.
1979
He exhibited at Bogotá’s San Diego Gallery and at Rome’s Galleria Senior, as well as at Girona’s 3 i 5 Gallery and Seville’s Imagen Múltiple Gallery.
1980
Retrospective exhibitions of his work are organized at Tenerife’s Professional Association of Architects and Saragossa’s Luzán Gallery. He traveled to Sofia, Bulgaria, invited by the National Gallery, to participate in the International Congress of Plastic Artists, around the subject “Lenin and Our Time”. He traveled and exhibited at Helsinki’s Bronda Gallery. Murcia’s City Hall organized the exhibition Contraparada, which was a tribute to El Paso Group. He traveled to Dublin for participating in an event called Rosk’80.
New journey to Bulgaria for participating in the Spanish painting exhibition organized by Sofia’s National Gallery. He participated in the exhibition Printed Art, A View of Two Decades, organized by New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
1981
He participated in ARCO (International Contemporary Art Fair), at the stand of Juana Mordó Gallery. He was designated member of the Advisory Council of the General Directorate for Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture, a position held until his resignation in 1984.
1982
He was awarded the Grand Prize of Sofia’s International Painting Triennial. He participated as jury in the 3rd Oviedo Biennial, which organized the Exhibition-Tribute to El Paso Group, in the 25th anniversary of its foundation. He participated in the exhibition Tribute to Vázquez Díaz, organized by Madrid’s Municipal Museum, celebrating the centenary of his birth. He was awarded the National Fine Arts Prize. The Ministry of Culture organized the anthological exhibition of his work: Rafael Canogar, 25 años de pintura (25 Years of Paint - ing), in the halls of the National Library, with catalogue texts written by Miguel Logroño, Enrico Crispolti and Manuel Padorno. Caja de Ahorros de Alicante y Murcia organized an anthological exhibition at Alicante. He exhibited at Valencia’s Punto Gallery.
1983
He was designated member of the Board of Directors at Madrid’s Círculo de Bellas Artes (he resigned in 1986) and of the Board of Madrid’s Museum of Contemporary Art.
Anthological exhibition of his work at Cáceres’s Museum of Contemporary Art. He exhibited, for the first time, the series of tributes to Julio González, where he incorporated images again, at the exhibition Premios Nacionales 1982, organized by Madrid’s Museum of Contemporary Art. About this new work, María Luisa Borrás wrote: ”Canogar was most famous for succeeding in representing the common man, the anonymous manof the street with a direct and extrapictorial language, but now this painter offers in an eminent, genuinely pictorial, balanced, wise and clear language, the face of the new abstraction. In short, a new painting and, at the same time, perfectly rooted to tradition, whose only danger is becoming academicism” (La Vanguardia, 24-2-85). He exhibited at Girona’s Cadaqués Gallery and participated in Con Sempere, organized by Banco Exterior de España, La experimentación del arte, at Madrid’s Centro de Arte Conde Duque, and in Art Against Apartheid, at Paris’s Fondation National des Arts Graphiques et Plastiques.
1984
He was designated chair of the Administration Council of National Heritage. His biggest contribution in that time was the implementation of the Contemporary Art Collection of National Heritage.
He participated in the portfolio Homenaje a Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, edited by the Ministry of Culture, Government of Andalusia and the National Commission for the 5th Centenary.
He exhibited in the stand of Juana Mordó Gallery at Art Basel Fair.
1985
He was designated Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Letres in France. He lectured in courses for “Arte Actual” painting workshop at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. He participated as speaker in the international seminar “Europe’s Future”, organized by Red Cross at Madrid’s Círculo de Bellas Artes. He participated, as member of the Board of Directors, in the creation of Madrid’s Communication Users Association.
He participated and donated a work for the exhibition Art Against Apartheid. He participated in exhibitions at Helsinki’s Galerie Bronda, Berlin’s Poll Gallery, and Barcelona’s Gaspar Gallery.
1986
He traveled to Cuba for participating in the 2nd International Encounter of Serigraphers, organized by Portocarrero Workshop. He made the poster and collaborated in the presentation of Buero Vallejo’s playwright El concierto de San Ovidio, at Madrid’s Teatro Español.
The Cultural Center of Alcoy’s City Hall organized an anthological exhibition of his work. He participated in ARCO (International Contemporary Art Fair), at the stand of Cadaqués Gallery, and in the exhibition La presencia de la Realidad en el Arte Español Contemporáneo, which then moved to different Latin American museums.
1987
He was invited by Paris’s City Hall to attend and participate in the exhibition Cinco siglos de Arte Español, organized by Spain’s Foreign and Culture Ministries and Paris’s City Hall. New journey to Paris, this time for his anthological exhibition at Paris Art Center, which then moved to Germany’s Bochum Museum. On the occasion of this exhibition, an important catalogue with texts by Ante Glibota, Gérard Xuriguera and Peter Spielmann was published.
He participated in the seminar “Reencuentro con El Paso”, organized by Cuenca’s Universidad Menéndez Pelayo, and in the round tables “Memories”, organized by the Cultural Center of Caja de Pensiones in Barcelona.
He was chosen member of the Board of Directors, representing National Heritage, for Fundación de Gremios (Guild Foundation). He acted as jury in Castilla-La Mancha Plastic Arts Awards. He was chosen member of the Consultative Commission for the Fine Arts University of Castilla-La Mancha.
1988
He traveled to India.
Pierre Matisse Gallery organized the exhibition El Paso, celebrating the 30th anniversary of this group’s foundation. Retrospective exhibition at Murcia’s Palacio Almudí.
He acted as chair of the Plastic Arts Awards of C.E.O.E. Foundation. He traveled to South Korea invited by the Selection Committee for the Olympiad of Art.
He participated (and wrote a text) in the exhibition Aspectos de una década, pintura española, 1955-1965, at Madrid’s Caja de Pensiones Foundation. He traveled to Chile, invited by Chile Crea, to take part in their activities. He exhibited in Valencia’s Punto Gallery and participated in Una colección muy especial. Obras originales sobre papel, at Rayuela Gallery.
1989
He lectured in a painting workshop at Arteleku in San Sebastian.
He was invited to Taiwan for participating in the exhibition Aspects of Contemporary Painters in Paris, organized by Taiwan Museum of Art. He also participated as member of the jury in the Scientific Journalism Award, organized by Madrid’s Consejo Superior de Inves ti ga ciones Científicas. He traveled to Paris, where he participated in the exhibition Espagne Arte Abstracto 1950-1965, organized by Artcurial. He traveled to Cuba, invited by Portocarrero Serigraph Workshop, where he made two serigraphs for the collection of this workshop. He exhibited in Castellón’s Tretze Gallery and Alicante’s Italia Gallery. He participated in Spanish Masterpieces of the 20th Century, organized by Tokyo’s Seibu Museum of Art.
1990
Retrospective exhibition at Ferrara’s Civica d’Arte Moderna Palazzo dei Diamanti, in Italy. Bilbao’s Fine Arts Museum organized the retrospective of his graphic work and published the catalogue Rafael Canogar: Obra Gráfica 1959-1990, with texts by Miguel Zugaza and Miguel Rubio. He traveled to Paris for participating in the exhibition Le Visage dans l’art contemporain, at Luxembourg Museum. He participated in El arte de los 60, organized by the Regional Government of Madrid, and also in Couleurs de la Vie. Cent Artistes témoignent pour l’homme, itinerant exhibition through several European countries.
He chaired the jury of C.E.O.E. Arts Award. He was chosen member of the jury for the 3rd Albacete Biennial and for Castilla-La Mancha Plactic Arts Regional Awards. He was also chosen member of the Selection Committee for the 1st International Symposium of Open Air Sculptures, held in Madrid. He traveled to Istanbul and Paris for exhibiting in Fiac’90 as artist of Punto Gallery. He exhibited individually in Paris’s Lina Davidov, Lyon’s TH and Porto’s Afinsa-Trindade.
1991
His retrospective exhibition Obra Gráfica 1959-1990 was held in the art halls of the old University of Salamanca and in Santiago de Compostela’s Auditorium. He traveled to Milan for his individual exhibition (with works from the period 1957-1964) at Galleria Arte 92, with catalogue text by Fabrizio D’Amico. He participated in Art Basel Fair as artist of Madrid’s Bat Gallery.
Member of the jury for the Plastic Arts National Council of Alcobendas’s City Hall and for Premio a la Obra de un Artista, granted by publication Diario 16 of Palma de Mallorca. He was awarded the Order of Isabella the Catholic in recognition of his work at National Heritage. Member of the Board of Directors of Wostell Museum in Malpartida de Cáceres. He exhibited in Barcelona’s Barcelona Gallery, Madrid’s Bat Gallery, Girona’s Cadaqués Gallery and San Remo’s Studio Beniamino. He participated in 100 Paintings: Spanish in the 20th Century, organized by Mie Prefectural Art Museum and The Sankei Shimbum, Japan.
1992
He exhibited individually at Caja de Córdoba, with catalogue text by García-Tizón. He traveled to Canada, invited by the engraving company Presse Papier de Trois- Rivières. He was chosen as member of the jury in Almería Biennial. He exhibited his work in Castilla-La Mancha Pavilion and Royal Pavilion at Seville’s EXPO-92.
He divorced from his first wife and married again with Purificación Chaves.
Barcelona’s Editorial Ibérico 2 Mil publishing house edited two volumes with his entire work, including texts by several authors. Canogar gave a new twist in his work, in his “fragmented poetics”, as Víctor Nieto Alcaide wrote. Canogar wrote that his new work are “structures formed by superposing different layers of paper pulp... with images that, as sign or icon, construct or reconstruct the actual work. Both elements are basically structural, which remind of primary and archaic ornamental elements as well as construction-deconstruction opposition forces.”
1993
He traveled to Chile, invited to participate in the 1st Congress of Chilean Plastic Artists. He was chosen member of the jury for the Painting Prize organized by Caja de Ahorros de Córdoba. He traveled to Paraguay, invited by the Latin American Cooperation Institute, for giving a conference, “The State of the Graphic Work”, and for opening the itinerant exhibition Paper Territories, in which he took part. He exhibited in Scheffel Gallery at Bad Homburg, Germany, and at Alicante’s Italia Gallery. He participated in “Air Collection”, gathering graphic work, and in the collective itinerant exhibition that traveled through Latin America for this purpose. He traveled to Lima, where he gave several conferences about his work before opening the exhibition Paper Territories in that city.
1994
He participated in the individual exhibition O novo Canogar at Auditorium Halls in Galicia Museum of Pobo Galego, which included a text by Canogar in the catalogue. He participated in the collective exhibitions Miró 100 años después (Miró, 100 Years Afterwards), held at Bat Alberto Cornejo Gallery, and El color de los sueños (The Color of Dreams) at Jorge Mara Gallery, both in Madrid. He traveled to Chile, invited as member of the jury for Valparaiso Biennial, after which he also traveled to Magallanes Strait.
He participated in the collective exhibition Contemporary Spanish Prints, at Graphic Studio Dublin Gallery, which then moved to Limerick City Gallery of Art and to Sligo Model Arts Center, all of them in Ireland. Individual exhibition at the Exhibition Halls of Banco Zaragozano, in the city of Saragossa, and at Valencia’s Punto Gallery.
1995
Individual exhibition at Barcelona Gallery in the city of Barcelona. Collective exhibition at Robayera Gallery in Miengo, Cantabria. He participated with Barcelona Gallery at the Art Fair of Cologne, Germany.
He lectured in the 1st Pablo Ruiz Picasso Workshop in the Contemporary Art Museum “Unión Fenosa” of La Coruña, and in a painting workshop at Madrid’s Círculo de Bellas Artes. He traveled to Buenos Aires, invited by the organization committee of Feria Arte al Sur, in whichhe participated as foreign artist. From Buenos Aires he moved to Patagonia for paying a visit.
1996
He was chosen member of the Fine Arts Royal Academy of San Fernando, Madrid, Spain. He created the poster for the Masked Ball of Madrid’s Círculo de Bellas Artes. He exhibited in Palma de Mallorca’s Pelaires Gallery and in the Contemporary Art Museum “Unión Fenosa” of La Coruña, with catalogue texts by Víctor Nieto Alcaide and also by Canogar. Closing round table about his work, with the participation of Gloria Moure, Cruz Pérez Rubido, Xavier Seoane, Julio Argu?elles, and Luis Caruncho acting as moderator. He participated in the collective exhibition L’espai, el limit, el gest, el silenci at Barcelona Gallery.
Member of the jury for the 15th Plastic Arts Awards in Alcobendas, Madrid. He participated in a round table paying tribute to Manuel Rivera at Madrid’s Centro Conde Duque. Member of the jury for Sofia’s International Painting Biennial and Cairo’s 6th International Biennial.
1997
Individual exhibitions at Pamplona’s García Castañón Gallery on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the foundation of Caja de Pamplona; at Vostell Museum in Malpartida de Cáceres (El cuadro del mes); and at Bordeaux’s Regarde sur l’image Gallery.
Retrospective exhibitions La pasión de pintar, 1956-1997, at Centro Cultural Casa del Cordón, Caja de Burgos, and Canogar 1957-1997, at Toledo’s Santa Cruz Museum, which was also held at the museums of Ciudad Real and Albacete; and an anthological exhibition at Marbella’s Engraving Museum.
Member of the jury for the 5th Mostra Unión Fenosa in La Coruña and for International Painting Prize “Eugenio Hermoso” in Fregenal de la Sierra, Extremadura.
He participated in the collective exhibition 40th Anniversary of El Paso Group at Centro Cultural Caixavigo.
1998
Individual exhibitions at Atlántica Art Center, La Coruña (Canogar, Obra reciente) and Lisbon’s António Prates Gallery. He exhibited as guest of honor in the 7th Cairo International Biennial. He participated as guest artist at the 59th National Exhibition of Plastic Arts in Valdepeñas.
He participated in the collective exhibitions Una Colección para los Fondos del CAAM. Obra internacional, at the Atlantic Center for Modern Art in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; Abstracción española Años 60, at Madrid’s Estiarte Gallery; Ciento y... Postalicas a Federico García Lorca, at Madrid’s Postal and Telegraph Museum.
He traveled to Málaga for participating in “Brindis por Picasso (A Toast to Picasso)”, invited by Málaga’s Picasso Foundation.
Member of the jury for the 1st International Sculpture Biennial in the city of Resistencia, Argentina, and for the Autumn Prize, in the city of Huelva.
He was awarded the 9th Plastic Prize “Cultura Viva 1998”, granted by the Cultural Association “Cultura Viva” of Madrid.
Conference at London Spain Institute, titled “Introduction to a Decade of Art in the Spanish Avant-Garde”, organized by Christie’s. He gave a conference on his work at Valdediós Monastery, Oviedo.
1999
Anthological exhibition of his graphic work at El Paso Hall, in the Arts Cultural Center of Alcorcón, Madrid. Exhibition along with Luis Feito at Porto’s Darío Ramos Gallery. Collective exhibition Colección de Arte Contemporáneo Banco Zaragozano, in the city of Saragossa. Individual exhibition at Toledo’s Tolmo Gallery.
Experimental Engraving Workshop at Alcalá la Real, Jaén. Member of the jury at Sarjah International Biennial. Conference on “Sculpture in Public Spaces”, organized by UNED (Spanish Open University) in Plasencia. Member of the jury for the 10th La Carbonera Biennial in the city of Langreo, Asturias.
2000
He was selected as special guest in the exhibition of graphic work 2. Hrvatski trijenal grafike, Talijanski institut za kulturu, Zagreb, where he was awarded the Honor Prize “Tomislav Krizman”.
Individual exhibition at Tardor Cultural Center in Villafamés, Castellón. He participated in the collective exhibition Tawassul, which was held in several museums of Spain and Morocco; also, in the collective exhibition of graphic work Grabado. La huella del artista, at Barcelona’s ‘la Caixa’ Foundation; in the exhibition Memoria y modernidad. Arte y Artistas del siglo XX en Castilla-La Mancha, at Toledo’s Centro Cultural San Marcos (itinerant); in the exhibition, ¿Quién dijo no? Imágenes del Arte Pop, at Casa de Cultura in the city of Santoña, Santander.
He chaired the jury for the 6th International Engraving Biennial in Orense, organized by Caixanova.
2001
He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Spanish Open University in recognition of his avant-garde art and critical attitude.
He traveled to Muscat, invited by the Association of Oman Artists.
He participated in several individual exhibitions: 50 años de pintura (retrospective), Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía; Dossier, Rafael Canogar-obra gráfica, Kabinet Grafike, Zagreb; Obra reciente, Madrid’s Estiarte Gallery; Rafael Canogar, Madrid’s Juan Gris Gallery; Última década. Obra gráfica, Madrid’s Idearte Gallery; Rafael Canogar, Granada’s Representación Art Gallery; Canogar, recuperar la memoria, Barcelona’s 3 Puntos Gallery; Obra reciente, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s Manuel Ojeda Gallery; and Canogar, más allá del espacio pictórico (Sculptures), at Madrid’s Raquel Ponce Gallery, with catalogue text by Rafael Canogar.
He was expressly invited to exhibit in Croatia, in an exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Graphic Work Department in the Croatian Academy for Science and Fine Arts.
He participated in the following collective exhibitions: 1972-2000, Punto Gallery, Valencia; Reencuentro-Tawaussul, including Spanish and Moroccan artists, at Madrid’s Círculo de Bellas Artes (Itinerant); Las claves de la España del siglo XX, Valencia Sciences Museum; De Picasso a Barceló. Collection of the Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía, at Buenos Aires Fine Arts National Museum; Memoria y modernidad. Arte y Artistas del siglo XX en Castilla-La Mancha, held in Caja Castilla-La Mancha, in the city of Cuenca.
He participated in a round table in Salamanca, organized by Cristóbal Gabarrón Foundation, on “The future of contemporary art, its expectations and possibilities in the new century.”
Member of the jury for the 7th Mostra Unión Fenosa, organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art “Unión Fenosa.”
2002
He was awarded the Prize “Tomás Francisco Prieto”, by the Foundation Real Casa de la Moneda, in recognition of the work and projection of essential artists of this time.
He participated in several individual exhibitions: At the Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation in Granada and at Caja de Granada la General; at Gustavo de Maeztu Center in the city of Estella, Navarra; at Alicante’s Italia Gallery, at Badajoz’s Ángeles Baños Gallery and at Porto’s Sala Maior Gallery.
He was named “Favorite Son” of the city of Toledo, opening the exhibition Gráfica, a retrospective of his graphic work, at Toledo’s San Marcos Cultural Center.
He participated in the following collective exhibitions: El Paso, at Madrid’s Centro Cultural de la Villa; De Picasso a Tàpies. Collection of the Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía; Gemeentemuseum, The Hague; Mostra d’ Art Contemporani, Lecasse Foundation, Alcoy; Relevos, Rafael Canogar-Alberto Reguera, Seville’s Museum of Fine Arts; Artistas españoles actuales en el centenario de la escuela de arte de Toledo, Toledo’s Art School; Homenaje a los años de El Paso, Espacio Líquido Gallery, in the city of Gijón.
The Conference Cycle “En Torno a Rafael Canogar (Around Rafael Canogar)” was held at the Cultural Center “La General” in Granada, organized by Rodríguez-Acosta Foundation.
Member of the jury for the 3rd ABC Prize for Painting and Photography, Young Artists Awards of Castilla-La Mancha, 2nd Contemporary Painting Prize of Wellington Foundation, 12th Painting Awards of the Spanish Open University, and the Arts Prize Cristóbal Gabarrón in the city of Valladolid.
He received an honorary plaque as Illustrious Painter, awarded by the Spanish Association of Artists and Writers.
2003
He was awarded the Fine Arts Gold Merit Medal.
The exhibition Rafael Canogar. Retrospectiva gráfica 1959-2003, was held on the occasion of the Prize “Tomás Francisco Prieto 2002”, at Madrid’s Museo Casa de la Moneda, with the presence of Her Majesty Queen Sofia in the opening act, and for which a catalogue was published including his entire graphic work with texts by José Marín Medina and poems by Miguel Ángel Muñoz.
He participated in several individual exhibitions: Espejismos y Realidad, Arte y Naturaleza Art Center, Madrid; Realidad y Memoria, Madrid’s Círculo de Bellas Artes; Canogar 1975-2003, organized by Arte Español para el Exterior, which was also held subsequently at Królikarnia Palace, National Museum of Warsaw, National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires, with the presence of the King and the Queen of Spain in the opening act.
And he participated in several collective exhibitions, including: El Paso, at Saragossa’s Ibercaja Exhibition and Congress Center; Un siglo de cambios. ABC, Madrid’s National Library; De Tàpies a Barceló. Arte Contemporáneo en exposiciones privadas en Toledo, Toledo Royal Foundation, in the city of Toledo; La Spagna dipinge il Novecento. Capolavori at the Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía, Corso Museum, Rome; Trajecte de paper, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia; Libert@dexpresión.es. 25 aniversario de la Constitución española, Cultural Center “La Beneficencia”, Valencia; and Entre dos siglos, Madrid’s Rayuela Gallery.
Member of the jury for the 1st edition of “Castellano- Manchegos del Mundo: Arts and Sciences Awards.”
2004
Individual exhibitions: Canogar. Realidade e memoria, Fundação D. Luis I, at Lisbon’s António Prates Gallery; and Cascáis’s Cultural Center. He traveled to Portugal to attend the opening act; Rafael Canogar. Retrospectiva Gráfica 1959-2003, Federico García Lorca Cultural Center, Rivas Vaciamadrid; retrospective exhibition Canogar, 1975-2003, organized by Arte Español para el Exterior, held at Parque Fundidora, Nuevo León Arts Center, Monterrey (itinerant exhibition: Warsaw, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Montevideo); he traveled to Mexico for the opening act and presented the book by Miguel Ángel Muñoz, Espejismo y Realidad: Aproximaciones a la obra de Rafael Canogar; he also attended the opening act at Antiguo Colegio San Ildefonso, Mexico City, where he presented the folder Cinco espacios para Rafael Canogar, with five engravings and five poems by Miguel Ángel Muñoz, dedicated to the artist; he then traveled to Montevideo, for closing this itinerant exhibition at the National Museum of Visual Arts, where he gave a conference; Al filo de dos siglos (graphic work), Gregorio Prieto Foundation in the city of Valdepeñas; La materia fragmentada, Metta Gallery, Madrid.
He created the sculpture in memory of the terrorist attack that took place on March 11, 2004 for the city of Valdemoro, Madrid, unveiled on June 30, at Parque Tierno Galván of that city.
In an act held on September 16 at Cáceres, with the presence of the King and Queen of Spain, he was awarded the 2003 Fine Arts Gold Merit Medal.
He acted as jury in the 2nd IDEA Graphic Work Prize, the 12th Call for Plastic Arts Grants by the Foundation Marcelino Botín in Santander, the 5th Painting Prize for the Plastic Arts Department of the University of Murcia, and the National Photography Prize.
He participated in several collective exhibitions, including: El Paso y los años 60, at Saragossa’s Aroya Gallery; itinerant exhibition: España años 50. Una década de creación, Málaga’s Municipal Museum, Mu?csarnok Kunsthalle, Budapest, and Národní Galerie, Prague, organized by Sociedad Estatal para la Acción Cultural Exterior; El Paso 1957-1960, Madrid’s Marlborough Gallery; Imagen de un Centenario. Pintores chilenos y españoles Ilustran Neruda, America Museum, Madrid.
2005
He participated in the following individual exhibitions: Canogar, grabador, Exhibitions Hall at Caixa Galicia Foundation in Santiago de Compostela; Canogar. Arquitecturas fragmentadas, Pelaires Contemporary Cultural Center, Palma de Mallorca.
He participated as jury for different Prizes, among them: Historical Novel Prize “Alfonso X El Sabio”, 5th Edition, CCM, Toledo; 21th School National Prize ONCE; Unipublic Painting Prize, 11th Edition; and Extraordinary Photography Prize of Aena Foundation.
He lectured for several courses and workshops, including: Course on Theory and Practice of Artistic Creation, at Universidad del Mar, Murcia.
Marca Sports Painting Prize, Autumn Festival, Madrid. 27th Autumn Painting Prize in Plasencia. 6th Engraving Prize “José Caballero”, city of Las Rozas, Madrid.
He illustrated the book Don Quijote y Canogar, presented in the Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía.
He participated in the folder Leyendas, edited by Arte y Naturaleza.
He participated in several collective exhibitions, including: El tren de la memoria, Building D of complex “El Águila”, Gobernment of Madrid, Madrid; Abstracciones-Figuraciones, 1940-1975, Collections of the Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía, Toledo’s Santa Cruz Museum; Las tres dimensiones del Quijote. El Quijote y el arte español contemporáneo, Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía, Madrid.
2006
He was awarded the 2005 Culture Prize of the Regional Government of Madrid.
Individual exhibitions: Fragmentaciones, a special hall organized on the occasion of having received the Gold Medal at Seville’s Contemporary Art Fair; Canogar, paso a paso, at Caixanova Social and Cultural Center, in the city of Vigo, and at Provincial Museum of Pontevedra; Rafael Canogar, obra sobre papel, at Espai Guinovart, in Agramunt, Lleida; Rafael Canogar. La pasión de cons truir espacios (work on paper), Ignacio Ramírez “El Nigromante” Cultural Center, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico; Memoria, Rayuela Gallery, Madrid; Rafael Canogar, Bach Quatre Gallery, Barcelona; Rafael Canogar, 1996-2006, Salvador Victoria Museum-Foun dation, Rubielos de Mora, Teruel; Des truc ción-cons trucción, Van Dyck Art Gallery, Gijón.
He participated as jury in different Prizes, including: AENA Photography Prize, Arte y Naturaleza Painting Prize, ALBIAC Prize, International Contemporary Art Biennial “Parque Natural Cabo de Gata-Níjar”, CCM Painting and Sculpture Prize, Uclés Monastery, Cuenca.
He presented in his studio the book Canogar, paso a paso, written by Enrique Beotas and Pedro Sempere; and Rafael Canogar. El paso de la pintura, written by Víctor Nieto Alcaide, at Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía.
18th Fast Painting National Prize, Madrid. Marca Sports Painting Prize, Madrid. 28th Autumn Painting Prize in Plasencia.
He participated in several collective exhibitions, including: Las tres dimensiones del Quijote. El Quijote y el arte español contemporáneo, Albacete Museum; Gran Formato, Atlántica Art Center, La Coruña; Maestros del siglo XX, at Actual Arte Contemporáneo, Madrid; Spanish 20th Century Art of the BBVA Collection, BBVA Exhibitons Hall, in Palacio Marqués de Salamanca, Madrid; Hace 50 años El Paso, MUBAG, Alicante; itinerant exhibition Puentes a la Abstracción, 50 años del Grupo El Paso, at Fran Laurel Foundation, Barcelona, and at Museo de la Pasión, Valladolid.
2007
He created a 9-meter high sculpture for the city of Murcia, which was unveiled on March 22.
Individual exhibitions: 30 años con Canogar (series Fragmentaciones, Barcelona Gallery, in Barcelona; Rafael Canogar, La Aurora Gallery, in Murcia; Rafael Canogar, fragmentaciones, Sala Maior, Porto.
He participated in the following collective exhibitions: Puentes a la Abstracción. 50 Años del Grupo El Paso, Palau de la Música of Valencia, Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo of Marbella and Museum of Cáceres; Ijusticia. La Justicia en las Artes. De la Edad Moderna hasta nuestros días, Carlos de Amberes Foundation, Madrid.
2008
He participated in two individual exhibitions: Rafael Canogar. Fragmentaciones grabadas, Zuloaga Hall, Goya Museum, Fuendetodos, Zaragoza; Rafael Canogar. Obiettivo: la pittura, Galleria Borgogna, Milan.
He participated in several collective exhibitions, including: Una nueva mirada (A New Look), AENA collection of contemporary art, Exhibitions Hall at Arquerías of Nuevos Ministerios, Madrid; Artistas contra el cambio climático (Artists Against Climate Change), Exhibitions Hall at Lucas Aguirre Cultural Center, Cuenca; España. Arte Español 1957-2007, 18th Century Sant’Elia Palace, Palermo, Italy; Empresas con arte. Una mirada a la pintura española contemporánea, Palacio de la Bolsa, Madrid; Spanish Contemporary Art at António Prates Collection and Foundation, António Prates Foundation, Ponte de Sor, Portugal; Aena, Collection of Contemporary Art, Exhibitions Hall at Hospedería Fonseca, Salamanca; Homenaje y Memoria. Centenario Salvador Allende, Palacio de la Moneda Cultural Center, Santiago de Chile; Grupo El Paso. Pintura y escultura, sponsored by Caja de Ávila, at Palacio de los Serrano, Ávila; El Paso a la moderna intensidad, Antonio Saura Foundation, at Casa Zavala, Cuenca, and at Antiguo Convento de la Merced, Ciudad Real; graphic work folder created in Rome: Dalla Città Proibita alla Città Eterna, on the occasion of the Olympic Games at Beijing.
He was awarded the Extraordinary Prize “Castellano-Manchegos del Mundo”, by the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha.
He participated as jury in different Prizes.
2009
He participated in several individual exhibitions: Rafael Canogar. Obra gráfica, Infanta Cristina Cultural Center, Pinto, Madrid; Rafael Canogar. Accademico di Spagna, Archivio di Stato, Florence; Canogar en su gráfica, Anabel Segura Cultural Center, Alcobendas, Madrid; Rafael Canogar, Álvaro Alcázar Gallery, Madrid.
He participated as jury in different Prizes.
He participated in several collective exhibitions, including: 25 Years in Van Dyck Contemporary Art, Van Dyck Art Gallery, Gijón; Blanco-Negro, sujeto-spacio-percepción. Chirivella-Soriano Collection, at Palau Joan de Valeriola, Valencia; Escultura y Obra gráfica. Aena Arte, Exhibitions Hall of the University of Málaga; 14 artistas y un poeta (14 Artists and One Poet), Mexican Culture Seminar Gallery “Francisco Díaz de León”, Colonia Polanco, Mexico City; Miradas. Desde el informalismo a lo multicolor. Caixa Galicia Collection, Caixa Galicia Foundation, La Coruña; Informalismo y poética. El Paso, Centro de Arte Tomás y Valiente (CEART), Fuenlabrada, Madrid...
He was awarded the 17th Prize “Ignazio Silote per la Cultura”, in Rome, and the 1st International Serigraph Prize of Villa de Torre-Pacheco, Murcia.
2010
He obtained the Grand Prize of the Spanish Association of Art Critics as author of the best work presented by a living artist at International Contemporary Art Fair ARCOmadrid.
In June, he traveled to Damascus for opening the collective exhibition Ilham-Inspiración, Acción Cultural Española.
He participated as guest artist in the 71th International Exhibition of Plastic Arts in Valdepeñas, at the Municipal Museum of Valdepeñas, Ciudad Real.
The exhibition Rafael Canogar. 75 años 75 obras (75 Years, 75 Works) was held, celebrating his 75th anniversary, at Alfândega Congress Center, in Porto.
2011
Caja Castilla-La Mancha Foundation and the City Hall of Toledo organized a large retrospective exhibition of his work, at San Marcos Cultural Center, along with the publication of the catalogue Rafael Canogar. Reinventar la pintura, Fundación Caja Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, 2011. On February 28, the Catalogue Raisonné of his work is presented at the Fine Arts Royal Academy of San Fernando, created by Paloma Esteban Leal.
He received from his majesty the King of Spain the Prize awarded by Toledo Royal Foundation for his commitment with art and Toledo. On September 21, Juan Manuel Bonet and Vicente Verdú presented at Madrid’s Álvaro Alcázar Gallery the book Espejismo y realidad. Divergencias estéticas de Rafael Canogar, edited and com mented by Miguel Ángel Muñoz, and published by Síntesis.
2012
He exhibited individually at Madrid’s Álvaro Alcázar Gallery, and Paris's Protée Gallery.
The National Engraving Department at Fine Arts Royal Academy of San Fernando awarded him the National Engraving Prize, and organized a retrospective exhibition of his extensive graphic work.
2013
He participated in The Fifties, artistic interventions performed by Ámbito Cultural-El Corte Inglés in collaboration with ARCOmadrid, with the work Entre el Pueblo Estoy; and in the collective exhibition El Paso. Abstracción y Vanguardia / Abstrakzioa Eta Abangoardia, Sala Kubo-Kutxa Aretoa, in Donostia-San Sebastian.
He participated in the round table “Pasado, presente y futuro de la imagen” (Past, Present and Future of the Image), COAM, Madrid.
Individual exhibitions: Exhibition of Painting, Prints and Sculpture, Gallery Different, London; La Abstracción de Rafael Canogar, Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno (IVAM), Valencia; Reinventar la Pintura, Punto Gallery, Valencia.
He created and presented the official poster for the 18th Flamenco Biennial, 2014, in Seville.
2014
Individual exhibitions: Las Abstracciones de Rafael Canogar 1957-2014, Fernández-Braso Gallery, Madrid; El Último Canogar, Antonio Pérez Foundation, Contemporary Art Center, Cuenca; Fragmentaciones gráficas, Antonio Pérez Foundation, Graphic Work Museum, San Clemente, Cuenca; Rafael Canogar. Una visión retrospectiva, obras de 1958 a 2013, Van Dyck Art Gallery, Gijón.
Collective exhibitions: Colectiva de Escultura, at Álvaro Alcázar Gallery, Madrid; Ocho Maestros del Arte de Nuestro Tiempo, Contemporary Art Museum “Infanta Elena”, Tomelloso, Ciudad Real.
He participated in the round tables: “Arte y Naturaleza e influencia de esta tierra en Vázquez Díaz”, curated by Isabel Ignacio, stand of Huelva Provincial Council, at ARCOmadrid; and “Arte Contemporáneo: de la Creación a la Conservación”, organized by Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España (IPCE) belonging to the Ministry of Culture
He received the Prize “Una Vida DEARTE”, 13th Contemporary Art Fair, at Palacio Ducal of Medinaceli, Soria, where he also exhibited.
He was chosen member of the jury for the Photography Awards of Aena Foundation and in the 81th Autumn Festival, at the Spanish Association of Painters and Sculptors.
He participated in the seminar “El Minotauro Pinta. Picasso antes y ahora”, organized by Fundación Picasso-Museo Casa Natal of Málaga’s City Hall, and participated as speaker at the 1st International Congress of Political Art, organized by AECA/AICA Spain, at Art Center National Museum Reina Sofía, Madrid
2015
The conference “Rafael Canogar y su Obra” was held at Adolfo Suárez Cultural Center, in Tres Cantos, Madrid, in which Rafael Canogar spoke about his work, his career and his creation process.
He exhibited individually at 3 Punts Gallery, in Barcelona. He exhibited collectively in: Constelaciones de la Mirada. Artistas españoles contemporáneos en la Colección Miguel Ángel Muñoz, Museo de Sitio of the Centro de las Artes San Luis Potosí, San Luis, Mexico; The World Goes Pop, Tate Modern, London; Graphic Wars, Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, California; Tener Visiones [Construyendo el Mundo Moderno]. Escultura internacional del siglo XX, Odalys Gallery, Madrid; Abstracciones. Nueva York, París, Cuenca, México, Museum of Modern Art, Mexico.
He participated in the collective exhibition "Arte Contemporáneo en Palacio. Pintura y escultura en las Colecciones Reales". This collection was started by Canogar in 1987 when he was member of the National Heritage Board, and took place at Madrid's Royal Palace.
He participated in the closing act of the course 2014-2015 at Toledo’s Scientific and Literary Athenaeum, with the conference “Encrucijadas”, at the Fine Arts and Historical Sciences Royal Academy in Toledo; he also gave the conference “Autobiografía intelectual” along with Víctor Nieto Alcaide, at Juan March Foundation.
He participated in the International Congress Spain-Japan “Arte Hoy”, organized by the Association of Art Critics (ACYLCA-AICA/SPAIN) and Asia Studies Center (CEA) of the University of Valladolid, held at Valladolid’s Patio Herreriano Museum.
He was chosen member of the jury for the Photography Prize of Aena Foundation.
2016
Collective exhibitions: Exposición 1957-1975, Andalusia Center for Contemporary Art (CAAC), Seville, Monasterio de la Cartuja de Santa María de Las Cuevas; Lo Nunca Visto. De la Pintura Informalista al fotolibro de Postguerra, 1945-1965, Juan March Foundation.
“Encounters: Rafael Canogar and Alberto Reguera”, talks around the exhibition Alberto Reguera. El Aura de la Pintura, 1990-2015, Museum of Contemporary Art “Esteban Vicente”, Segovia.
He designed the front page of newspaper “EL PAÍS”, special edition for its 40th anniversary (1976-2016).
He participated as member of the jury in the Photography Awards of Enaire Foundation, and in the course “Lessons on Artistic Creation and History and Theory of Art”, with the conference “The Rebirth of the Spanish Plastic Art”, Fine Arts Royal Academy of San Fernando. He gave the conference “The Rebirth of the Spanish Plastic Art”, at the Illustrious Bar Association.
2017
Participates in the Madrid Contemporary Art Fair (ARCO Madrid), with Álvaro Alcázar Art Gallery.
Individual exhibition, "Los lenguajes de la pintura", at CortabitArte Art Gallery, in the city of Soria.
Individual retrospective exhibition "Ayer Hoy" Centro de Arte Tomás y Valiente (CEART)
Individual exhibition "El espacio de la pintura”. Álvaro Alcázar Art Gallery. Madrid.
"Phoenix Art Exhibition". Rafael Canogar is awarded with "Best Abstract Painting Art for Phoenix Art Award" by Chinese National Academy of Painting and Art. Fenhuang.
Luis María Ansón, publishes an article in "El Cultural" magazine. "Rafael Canogar entremos más adentro en la espesura"
Pere Antoni Pons, publishes an article in ARA news paper: "SUPERVIVENTS D´EL PASO, MEMORIA VIVA D´UN ART I D´UN PAIS".
Canogar is interviewed by Tendencias del Mercado del Arte magazine, Nº 106. (pages 26-31)
Canogar participates in "Estampa Fair". The artist joins in Álvaro Alcázar Art Gallery. Matadero, Madrid
2018
Participates in the collective exhibition funded by the Bank of Spain "From Goya to the present” at the Mohamed VI Museum of Contemporary Art Rabat (MMVI).
Awarded the Medal of Honor by the Spanish Association of Painters and Sculptors (Asociación Española de Pintores y Escultores AEPE), in recognition for his artistic production.
Participates in the exhibition "Madrid, Muse of the Arts”. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Madrid.
Takes part in the collective exhibition “With Rebellion awareness is born", Mayoral Gallery, Barcelona.
Participates in the collective exhibition organized by the Cervantes Institute ”The poetics between abstraction and figuration" Spanish Art in the 50s and 60s. Itinerant exhibition travelling to Prague; Moscow, Rossiyskaya Academia; Rome, Cervantes Institute; Lisbon and New York.
Exhibition “Let us pause, artistic dialogues between Jang Jae Cheol and Rafael Canogar” Han-ul Gallery at the Korean Cultural Center in Madrid.
Awarded the “Extraordinary Medal of Cultural Merit” by the Castilla-La Mancha Region.
Participates in the collective exhibition "Paris despite everything, Foreign Artists 1944-1968", Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid.
Participates in the Madrid Contemporary Art Fair (ARCO Madrid), with various galleries.
2019
Participates in discussion panel of the Encuentros Colecciona (Collectors forum) on the evolution of contemporary art and collections in Spain since the Transition to democracy, on the occasion of the 40-year commemoration of the 1978 Constitution, organized by ´9915 Private Collectors of Contemporary Art` Association and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.
Feature 2En el Estudio de Rafael Canogar, "Reinventar la Pintura” (Painting re-invented: in the Studio of Rafael Canogar), by Vicky Úrculo for ARS magazine, a publication dedicated to Art and Collecting, nº 42 (April-June 2019).
Participates in ARCOMadrid (International Fair of Contemporary Art) 2019, in diverse galleries.
Participates in KIAF ART SEUL 2019, with Álvaro Álcazar Gallery.
Participates in collective exhibition "En Paralelo. Un día es un día" (In Parallel, a day is a day), Álvaro Álcazar Gallery.
Feature "Rafael Canogar" in Magazine of the ex-Congress and Senate members of the General Courts. Number dedicated to the Bicentenary of the Prado: Historia de un Proyecto Formidable (The Prado Museum: History of a Formidable Project). Nº 12, December 2019.
Participates in exhibition ´The Sleep of Reason, the Shadow of Goya in Contemporary Art`, curated by Oliva María Rubio. Exhibition Space Plaza de Colón in Fernán Gómez Cultural Center, Madrid. September – November 2019.
2020
Participates in exhibition “El Sueño de la Razón. La Sombra de Goya en el Arte Contemporáneo” (The Sleep of Reason, the Shadow of Goya in Contemporary Art), curated by Oliva María Rubio. Kubo-Kutxa exhibition space. Donostia-San Sebastián. January, 2020.
Participates in ARCOMadrid (International Fair of Contemporary Art) 2020, in diverse galleries.
Rafael Canogar attends the inauguration of the exhibition “El Paso. El arte como lucha" (art as a political statement). Las Claras Cultural Center of Cajamurcia. February, 2020.
Cover donated by Rafael Canogar as homage to all those fighting against Coronavirus. XI Weekly edition entitled “VALUES, the largest wave of solidarity in history”. Special number of ABC Newspaper, May 2020.
Book publication: Rafael Canogar. "La Experiencia del arte. Ensayos y notas escogidas” (The experience of Art. Essays and selected notes), introduction, selection and interview by Miguel Ángel Muñoz.
Book publication: “El rapto” (The kidnapping) Maram al-Marsi and Rafael Canogar. La Cama Sol Editorial, January, 2020.
Text for publication “Diez artistas y el Museo del Prado” (Ten artist and the Prado Museum). La Fábrica Editorial.
2021
Exhibit: “Canogar: The informalist years”, Mayoral Galería d´Art, Barcelona. February – March 2021.
Participates in the third edition of SAM, Modern Art Salon in Madrid, 2021.
Solo exhibit “Reborn” 2020 Paintings by Rafael Canogar, Infanta Elena Contemporary Art Museum of the Virgen de las Viñas Coop, Tomelloso (Ciudad Real). March – May 2021.
Article on Rafael Canogar in Harper´s Bazar Spain nº 127. Collector´s Edition. April 2021.
Article “Rebirth of an inexhaustible artist” on Rafael Canogar in XL Weekly magazine nº 1747, ABC newspaper. April 2021.
Receives Barón de Forna Prize at the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts. May 2021.
“Rafael Canogar: Horizon, gesture and imprint”. Revistart magazine nº 204, 2021.
Participates in ARCOMadrid (International Contemporary Art Fair) in several galleries, July 2021.
Installation and inauguration of the “Greco II” sculpture in the Faculty of Science of the University of Oviedo (Asturias, Spain), work by Rafael Canogar and donated by the Azcona Foundation. October 2021.
2022
Inauguration and installation of the sculpture made by the artist Rafael Canogar, in homage to the victims of Covid-19 in front of the Cambrón Gate, Toledo. January 2022.
Participates in ARCOmadrid, (International Contemporary Art Fair). Álvaro Alcázar Gallery and others. February 2022.
Inauguration of the “Rafael Canogar Space”, permanent exhibition dedicated to the artist in the Antonio Pérez Foundation for Contemporary Art, Cuenca. March 2022.
Participates in the Tribute to Antonio Pérez, Cuenca. April 2022.
The Scientific and Literary Athenaeum of Toledo awards him the first Alfonso X el Sabio Prize for Arts and Sciences in recognition of his long and fruitful artistic career, as well as for being one of the best and most renowned representatives of the city in the world through the arts.
Publication of the book: PÉREZ SEGURA, Javier: “Canogar. Matter, form, figure”. Ediciones Asimétricas, 2022.
Participates in KIAF ART SEOUL 2022, with the Álvaro Alcázar Gallery. September, 2022.
Solo exhibition "Origin, The space of painting" Rafael Canogar. Shiras Gallery, Valencia. September 2022.
Collective exhibition “Back to the reverse of reverse. Spain at the São Paulo Biennial”, Centro Niemeyer, Avilés, Asturias, with his participation in various events. July - December 2022.
Solemn Opening of the academic year at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Santa María de la Arrixaca in Murcia, with a speech by Rafael Canogar, entitled "The 50s. The origin of our Vanguards". October 2022.
2023
Cover and article in XLSemanal magazine, Rafael and Daniel Canogar, Art Revolutionaries: “We defend the artist as worker”. Number 1838 ABC Newspaper. January 2023.
Feature in Descubrir el Arte magazine, Nº 287. Rafael Canogar protagonist of a book and an exhibit in Avilés (pages 73-78). January 2023.
Solo exhibition “Huellas” (Impressions) Rafael Canogar. MIRA Cultural Center, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid. March - July 2023.
Collective exhibition “Word as Image”. Norton Simon Museum of Art. Pasadena, California, USA. August 2023 – January 2024.
Solo exhibition “Infomalism Dialogues. Rafael Canogar visits Pablo Serrano”. Aragon Institute for Art and Contemporary Culture, Pablo Serrano. Zaragoza. March 2023 – January 2024.
Solo exhibition “De Architectura”. Artist´s collection (1993-2009). Carmen Thyssen Museum, Málaga. September – December 2023.
2024
Solo exhibition “Huellas (Impressions), Rafael Canogar”, José Hernández and Kioto 1998 Exhibition Spaces (Old Santa María la Rica Hospital), Alcalá de Henares, Madrid. January – March 2024.
Inauguration of the “Rafael Canogar Space” a permanent exhibition dedicated to the artist at the Tallerón de Roca Tarpeya building, overlooking the Tagus river, headquarters of the Royal Toledo Foundation and the Victorio Macho Museum, Toledo. March 2024.
Participates in ARCOmadrid (International Contemporary Art Fair). Álvaro Alcázar Gallery and others. March 2024.
Solo exhibition “Art itinerary, Rafael Canogar”. Amós Salvador Contemporary Art Exhibition Center, Logroño, La Rioja. March – May 2024.
Collective exhibition “EL PASO GROUP”. Bancaja Foundation, Valencia. April – September 2024.
Gentleman Magazine Prize. Presented at Lázaro Galdiano Museum, Madrid. June 2024.
