BIOGRAPHY
Born in Bilbao, Basque Country, (Spain) in 1938, José-María Cundín's professional trajectory expands more than a half century. Esteemed as an outstanding advocate of the historical Avant Garde in his native Basque Country, his first one-man show was in Bogota, Colombia, where he lived during the '5Os and created wide-ranging projects.
Cundín established residence in the United States in 1958 in New York. Before settling in New Orleans in 1964, where he is regarded with renown, he worked in Paris and Bruges, Belgium. In the ‘70’s he spent long periods working and teaching in Mexico.
Cundín's paintings and sculptures are in numerous Corporate and Private collections in Europe (including Spain, France, England, Germany and Belgium) and the Americas (the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia) and his works hang in these Institutions: Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao; ARTIUM, (Contemporary Art Museum), Vitoria, Basque Country, Spain; Museo de Zea, Medellin, Colombia; New Orleans Museum of Art; and Johnson & Wales University.
Presently he resides and works in Folsom, Louisiana
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 - CALLAN CONTEMPORARY, New Orleans, LA "REMEMBRANCE OF THE EXHIBIT "JACOB AND HIS TWELVE SONS" BY ZURBARAN"
2020 - CALLAN CONTEMPORARY, New Orleans, LA "OPEN LETTER TO THE BENEVOLENT ORDER OF BUCOLICS ANONYMOUS"
2017 – CALLAN CONTEMPORARY, New Orleans, LA “THE SUPREME LEADER AND RELATED SCENES”
2016 – MACAYA GALLERY, Miami, FL “PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURE”
2016 – IMPERIAL CALCASIUE MUSEUM, Lake Charles, LA “PANOPTICON”
2016 – CALLAN CONTEMPORARY, New Orleans “A BASQUE REVIEW (de Profundis)
2014 - IMPERIAL CALCASIEU MUSEUM, Lake Charles, LA “NOVISIMO PASTELARIO VASCO, NPV (Paintings) and PISCIS: A Marine Bestiary (Sculpture)
2013 - Exhibits his unique limited edition engraving of the “UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE”, City Hall, Mandeville, LA
2012 - CALLAN CONTEMPORARY, New Orleans “OPUS CONCAVA”
2012 - ST.TAMMANY ARTS ASSOCIATION, Covington, LA “THE BASQUE SYNDROME: An Impertinent Selection of works”
2010 - GALLERY BIENVENU, New Orleans, LA “TWELVE ANTI-PORTRAITS”
2009 - GALERIE GIGI, New Orleans. A reportage of the artists’ unique engraving by hand of “THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES”
2009 - GALLERY BIENVENU, New Orleans, LA “FOLSOM BLUES, REDS AND YELLOWS: Portraits, Self-Portraits, Anti-Portraits, and Pseudo-Portraits”
2008 - GALLERY BIENVENU, New Orleans, LA “MACVLARIA: A Lyrical Interlude of Spots, Stains, and Blemishes”
2007 - GALLERY BIENVENU, New Orleans, LA “40 YEARS WANDERING THROUGH THE DESSERT” a Retrospective Show
2002 - ACADEMY GALLERY, New Orleans, USA. Presenting 3 Projects:
- “TWELVE EXTRAPOLATIONS ON THE AMERICAN FLAG"
- "EX-VOTOS: A BORDELLO’S REMEMBRANCE OF SOME STRUMPET OF MERIT AND FAME”
- “THE OBELISTIC PRESENCES”
2001 - MARYLAND HALL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS, Annapolis, USA “THE RADIOACTIVE PORTRAIT OF MADAME CURIE AND OTHER PRESENCES”
2000 - ACADEMY GALLERY, New Orleans – “THE ANTHOLOGY OF THE INTIMIDATING ENTITIES”
1996 - ACADEMY GALLERY, New Orleans - "MORPHOGENISIS TOWARD A HERMETIC REPRESENTATION"
1993 - COMMENOZ GALELRY, Key Biscayne, USA – “LATEST PAINTINGS”
1992 - UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS, Houston, TX. Represents Spain in the "QUINCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS"
1992 - ACADEMY GALLERY, New Orleans - “OPUS BARROCA”
1990 - ACADEMY GALLERY, New Orleans, USA "Movement Toward Abstraction"
1988 - ON FOUR GALLERY, New Orleans, USA “HOMAGE TO WILLIAM TELL”
1988 - GALERIA VANGUARDIA, Bilbao, Spain – “PROJECTO PARA UN BESTIARIO MARINO” (Polychrome Sculpture)
1983 - ACADEMY GALLERY, New Orleans – “BEASTS OF THE SEA” Marine Bestiary paintings
1980 - GALERIA SITIOS, Algorta, Spain
1979 - OLD WOODRING HOME, Lake Charles, LA, USA
1979 - BIENVILLE GALLERY, New Orleans, USA (Polychrome sculpture)
1978 - OVO DE IONGH, Houston, TX USA
1978 - Museo De Bellas Artes De Bilbao, Spain - "ENSAYO PARA UNA ICONOGRAPHIA LAICA”
1977 - Bienville Gallery, New Orleans “INDECENT EXPOSURES”
1977 - GALERIA ARABA, Vitoria, Spain
1976 - GALERIA ARABA, Vitoria, Spain
1975 - GALERIA LUZARO, Bilbao. Spain
1975 - GALERIA PECANINS, Barcelona, Spain
1974 - GALERIA PECANINS, Mexico City, Mexico
1973 - BIENVILLE GALLERY, New Orleans, USA -“THE TEMPTATIONS OF PALEMON EL ESTILITA”
1971 - BIENVILLE GALLERY, New Orleans, USA
1971 - DAVID GALLERY, Houston, TX. USA.
1971 - GALERIA GRISES, Bilbao, Spain – “Pinturas 1971”
1970 - GALERIA ILLESCAS, Bilbao. Spain
1970 - GALERIA SEN, Madrid, Spain
1968 - SIMONNE STERN GALLERY, New Orleans – “JOURNEY WITH A MAD MONK”
1968 - DAVID GALLERY, Houston, TX
1968 - GALERIA GRISES, Bilbao, Spain – “LAS TRIBULACIONES DE ROSITA CAMARGO”
1967 - GALERIE SIMONNE STERN, New Orleans
1967 - ORLEANS GALLERY, New Orleans, USA
1966 - ORLEANS GALLERY, New Orleans – “THE JUBILEE OF ROSITA CAMARGO”
1965 - ORLEANS GALLERY, New Orleans, USA
1964 - GALERIA ILLESCAS, Bilbao, Spain
1963 - SMITH GALLERY, Brussels, Belgium
1957 - CLUB DE PROFESSIONALES, Medellín, Colombia
1957 - SALA CULTURAL de la UNION ESPANOLA, Barranquilla, Colombia
1956 - SALA TEQUENDAMA, Bogota, Colombia
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
ACADEMY GALLERY, New Orleans – Participated in more than a dozen group shows between 1989 and 2011
2015 – CHRISTWOOD’S ATRIUM GALLERY, Covington, LA
2014 – ST. TAMMANY ARTS ASSOCIATION, Covington, LA
2013 – ST. TAMMANY ARTS ASSOCIATION, Covington, LA
· 2009 - BARRISTER’S GALLERY, New Orleans – “THE MORBID ANATOMY CABINET”
· 2006 - BARRISTER'S GALLERY, New Orleans – “KATRINA YOU BITCH”
2005 - BARRISTER'S GALLERY, New Orleans - “HYDRIOTAPHIA”
2004 - BARRISTER'S GALLERY, New Orleans – “JAZZ FEST POSTER RECONSIDERED”
1995 - Represents Spain in the "1V SALON IBERO-AMERICANO DE BELLAS ARTES" Instituto Cultural Mexicano, Washington D.C. USA
1995 - CENTER GALLERY, Miami Dade Community College, Miami "HAND IN PLACE’
1995 - Academy Gallery, New Orleans. Presents “THE INFINITE SELF PORTRAIT” for THE SELF IMAGE exhibit.
1993 - Participates in FIART (Feria International de Arte), Bogota, Colombia
1992 - INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico - “PRESENCIAS PLASTICAS”
1991 - MIAMI INTERNATIONAL ART EXPOSITION, Miami, USA
1991 - "FIVE SCULTORS IN THE GARDEN" River Ridge, La USA
1990 - NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART - "ART IN BLOOM"
1985 - NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART – Presents a selection from his “MARINE BESTIARY” project
1984 - Galerie Simonne Stern, New Orleans - “INTRODUCTIONS V”
1984 - The Historic New Orleans Collection PORTRAITS SELDOM SEEN “with his painting "MUNICIPAL NOVENA: Nine Portraits of the Mayors of New Orleans”
1975 - CENTRO CULTURAL EL NEGROMANTE, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico “EXPOSICION DE MAESTROS”
1972 - GALERIE ILLESCAS, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain SCULPTURE
1970 - GALERIA DECAR, BILBAO, Basque Country, Spain -"ONCE PINTORES EN LA FIGURACION DE HOY" (Eleven Figurative Artists of Today)
1969 - PALACIO DE BELLAS ARTES, Mexico City - "ARTISTAS VASCOS CONTEMPORANEOS" (Contemporary Basque Artists)
1969 - DORVAL MUSEUM OF ART, Dorval, Canada - "ARTISTAS CONTEMPORANEOS ESPANOLES" (Contemporary Spanish Artists)
1964 - SMITH GALLERY, Brussels, Belgium
SPECIAL PROJECTS
2000 - Develops the project "MONUMENT FOR THE MARTYRS OF EL SALVADOR" for the campus of LOYOLA UNIVERSITY, New Orleans, USA
1997 - Creates the mural "THE TRANSIT OF GARGANTUA THROUGH BILBAO" for the Library of JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY, North Miami, FL USA
1996 - Presentation of his work and development of the theme "COLLOQUY WITH AN ARTIST OF THE MILLENNIUM" in the LOWE ART MUSEUM, Miami, FL USA
1993 - Selected by "FLORIDA ARCHITECTURE" magazine for its’ FIRST ANNUAL MASTERS VERNISAGGE, Coconut Grove, FL USA
1991 - Public release of his project "LIMITED EDITION ENGRAVING OF THE DECLARATION Of INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", New Orleans, USA
1989 - Organizes and institutes "LAS JORNADAS PLASTICAS" in Cuellar, Segovia, Spain
1987 - Creates and directs MAQUILAS ARTESANALES SEGOVIANAS (MAS), Tapestry Atelier, Segovia, Spain
1987 - Designs the scenery and posters for the plays "THE CARDBOARD DEBUTANTE" and “THE COCK CROWS” by Christopher Blake at the MARIGNY THEATRE, New Orleans, USA
1981 Creates the scenery for "DIALOGUE BETWEEN A DYING MAN AND A LIBERTINE By Voltaire for the TEATRO UNIVERSITARIO de la UNIVERSIDAD DE GUADALAJAR, Mexico
1981 - Works in Patzcuaro, Mexico on a Polychrome polyester sculpture project
1975 - Founded the School of Tapestry "TALLERES LIBRES DE LAUQUINIZ" in Lauquiniz, Basque Country, Spain
1974 - Co- Founded the cultural magazine "TIERRA ADENTRO" for the INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES, Aguascalientes, Mexico
1965 - Joins the historical ORLEANS GALLERY and participates in communal projects with its’ members
1963 - Produces and performs his Happening "CON LAS BOLAS DE CRISTAL" in the PETITE THEATRE, Bruges, Belgium
1961 - Illustrates BOHEMIA LIBRE, New York, USA
1958 - Collaborates with diverse publications (BOHEMIA LIBRE, SOCIEDADES HISPANAS, CONFEDERADAS, EDITORIAL SURAMERICANA etc...) creating political vignettes and illustrations in New York
1957 - Assists at various workshops and establishes the ITINERANT PUPPET THEATRE, New York, USA
1956 - Works in Bogota, Colombia illustrating the periodical "EL TIEMPO DOMINICAL" and the magazines "CROMOS" and "LAMPARA"
TEACHINGS
1983 - Teaches Color and Composition at the NEW ORLEANS ACADEMY OF FINE ART, New Orleans, USA
1974 - Teaches Color and Composition at the INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE BELLAS ARTES, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
1972 - Professor of Color and Composition at the FACULTAD DE BELLAS ARTES, University of Bilbao, Spain
1957 - Participates in a teaching program for Plastic Arts with Aristides Meneguetti in EL EL MUSEO DE ANTIOQUIA, Medellin, Colombia
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART, New Orleans - “LE PETIT BUROCRAT”, oil on canvas, 58"x68" (150x150cm.) Purchased by the Museum from the exhibit "THE ANTHOLOGY OF THE INTIMIDATING ENTITIES” in 2000
UNIVERSITY OF JOHNSON & WALES, Nth. Miami, USA "THE TRANSIT OF GARGANTUA THROUGH BILBAO, oil on canvas over stretched board 120"x120" (300x300cm.) Commissioned by the University in 1997
ARTIUM, Contemporary Art Museum of Vitoria, Spain “LOS ENEMIGOS DE HENRY FORD” oil on linen, 51"x51" (130x130cm.) Purchased by the Museum in 1976
MUSEO DE BELLAS ARTES DE BILBAO. Bilbao. Spain “GRUPO DE PERSONAJES” oil on linen 60"x60" (150"x150cm.) Purchased by the Museum in 1969
EL MUSEO DE ANTIOQUIA, Medellín, Colombia "Pareja Musical", oil on linen, 30"x40" (75x100cm.) Purchased by the Museum in 1957