Manuel Rivera, born 1927 in Granada, moved to Madrid in 1951, where he died in 1995. Along with Antoni Tàpies, Eduardo Chillida, Antonio Saura and Manolo Millares, Rivera is one of the most important representatives of the Spanish post war art.
The artist group "El Paso" (1957-1960), founded by Millares, Saura, Rivera and some other young artists, was meant to fight against the traditional political authorities and values of the fascistic Spain under Franco. The claim to freedom and the social commitment were opposite to the traditional norms just as were the artistic tools of abstract expressionism and the use of the so-called "poor" materials. "El Paso" gave Madrid a value comparable to the famous art centers of the USA and to Paris and Barcelona in Europe. A self-standing equivalent to the American Action Painting and to the Tachism of the Ecole de Paris was born.
The young Spanish artists soon became famous in the international art world because of travel exhibitions in Paris, London, Italy, Brazil and the United States. They also were presented at the Biennials in Venetia and Sao Paulo. In Spain, Galería Juana Mordó showed his work.
Manuel Riveras work has his roots in the Informel Art. After early figurative works in academical tradition, he turns towards abstract creation. His interest is directed to find visual solutions for the challenges of space and light. Within the limits of traditional painting, he could not proceed. In 1954 and 1955, he went through an artistic crisis and finally began to work with wire netting. "I knew, this is my material". Since 1957, Manuel Rivera works exclusively with wire netting and weaves. He developed a very special and unique form of art.
