César Manrique

Madrid (1945-1964)

He moved to Madrid in 1945 and received a scholarship for the Art School of San Fernando, where he graduated as a teacher of art and painting. He lived with his partner Josefa "Pepi" Gómez, who came from a wealthy family and through whom he developed connections in the art world. They lived at two locations in Madrid over the period, and would regularly host "artists, architects, and poets, as well as ambassadors, politicians, business leaders and aristocrats" at social gatherings in their home. These connections would offer a means for Manrique to gain commissions for his artwork.^[6]

Manrique lavishly decorated his Madrid home with art, and designed several elements such as the lamps, chairs and ceramics. The art historian Carlos Diaz-Bertrana has suggested that this represented an early indication of how he had "spilled over beyond the canvas", by moving into other art forms. During his time in post-war Madrid he avoided becoming involved with Francoist politics personally, despite his connections in the area. He once stated that he preferred "to be an eagle rather than a sheep". His works in the period contributed to early Spanish informalism and abstract art.^[7] In 1959, he shared an exhibition with Maud Westerdahl [es], an enameller and art critic with whom he would develop a lasting friendship.^[6]

New York (1964-1966)

After the untimely death of Gómez in 1963, he felt the need to leave Madrid- which reminded him of her. On the advice of a cousin he moved to New York in 1964, where he stayed with the Cuban painter Waldo Diaz-Blart.^[5] A grant from Nelson Rockefeller allowed him to rent his own studio. He set up on the Lower East Side, where he could be close to the art scene that was present there at the time. He painted many works in New York, which were exhibited in the prestigious "Catherine Viviano" gallery as well as the Guggenheim Museum.^[1] His exhibitions at the Viviano in particular were foundational in his establishing a presence in the New York art scene, and more broadly the art market for North America.^[6] The period saw him exposed to pop art and abstract expressionism.^[7]

Manrique however grew to dislike New York's culture and lack of natural settings, and came to miss the volcanic terrain and friendly people of Lanzarote.^[8][9]

I feel true nostalgia for the real meaning of things. For the pureness of the people. For the bareness of my landscape and for my friends... man in New York is like a rat. Man was not created for this artificiality. There is an imperative need to go back to the soil. Feel it, smell it. That's what I feel.

Lanzarote "Volcano Home" (1966-1988)

Manrique returned to Lanzarote in 1966; the island would be his home for the remainder of his life. Upon arriving, he intended to start an artist's colony on the island.^[10] Pepín Ramírez, a childhood friend of Manrique as well as the president of the island^[11] helped Manrique realize this idea. While travelling in the volcanic plains left behind by the 1824 eruption, Manrique discovered a cave, and climbed down to discover several volcanic bubbles and a tunnel. He decided to develop the location into his home, and over several years excavated and augmented the caverns, adding above ground elements also. It would form the centrepiece of his "artist's colony" on the island, and a spot for regular nude, hedonistic parties.^[12] The site has been described as "the lair of a Bond villain who ditched world domination to throw the swingiest parties in town".^[13]

Manrique gained a lot of attention with his commitment to protect Lanzarote from what he regarded as pernicious tourist developments. Manrique was not against tourism on the island. On the contrary, he thought (high-quality) tourism should be the economic engine of the island.^[10] He had a major influence on the planning regulations on Lanzarote following his recognition of its potential for tourism and lobbied successfully to encourage the sustainable development of the industry.^[14] One aspect of this is the ban of high-rise hotels on the island, which do not fit the aesthetic harmony that should cover the entire island, according to Manrique.^[15] Those high buildings that were built before the ban are generally keeping with the use of traditional colors in their exterior decoration. Homeowners are encouraged to protect this visual unity by keeping the exterior of the houses white (with specific colors for the woodwork).

With his goal in mind- helping improve tourism to the island while maintaining its natural beauty- Manrique spent much of the following 25 years designing and building structures, attractions, and public sculptures. An early example of this was the El Diablo restaurant (1970), which uses uses the heat of the Timanfaya volcano to cook food upon a well-like structure. The building has large panoramic windows which offer views of the volcanic landscape.^[16] He also designed the visitor center for the Timanfaya volcanic park as well as its devil symbol. This was followed by the Mirador del Río in 1973; a scenic overlook of the island which includes a cafe worked into the volcanic rock. Manrique published a book in 1974 called Architecture Unpublished, collaborating with the renowned Spanish architect Fernando Higueras.^[17]

In 1976, Manrique designed the overhaul of the Castillo de San José at Arrecife, which saw the historic structure refurbished. The fortress building became home to the International Museum of Contemporary Art, which showcases the work of both Canarian and international artists. He also developed the restaurant on site.^[18] Manrique worked on an extensive remodeling and excavation program of the volcanic caverns at Jameos del Agua through the 1970s, adding an auditorium among other changes. Manrique desired to respect the natural formations of the cavern in his works, stating that "the most important aspect of art is nature. In Jameos del Agua, I did nothing more than underline the beauty that was already there."^[19] It opened to the public in 1977.^[20]

Manrique was particularly active in the mid 1980s in campaigning against large building developments. The plans would have seen tourism accomodation quadruple in Lanzarote, through the construction of large apartment complexes and hotels; critics argued that it would have led to uncontrolled growth. Manrique referred to the plans as "suicide" for the island. He was involved in a number of marches and protests, which were ultimately successful in having several of these developments scaled back or outright cancelled. Tourism growth did occur, but in a more managed and regulated way as a result of these protests.^[21]

Haria and final works (1988-1992)

In the late 1980s, Manrique made the decision to move out of his elaborate volcano home. He designed a new, more simple Palm Grove House in the small Lanzarote village of Haria which would become his permanent residence, while redeveloping the volcano home into an art gallery. For this purpose, he launched the César Manrique Foundation. The goal of this group was to provide public access to the property as well as to further his goals of art, education and nature conservation in the Canary Islands, particularly Lanzarote.^[22] Though Manrique was in his early 70s by that point, he remained active, and in 1989 began work on the Jardin de Cactus at Guatiza, a vast garden in a remote area of the island containing hundreds of species of cactus and an elaborate restaurant. The site opened in 1991, and was his last major contribution to the landscape of the island.^[23]

In 1990, he created one of the BMW Art Cars as a collaboration with the German designer and paint artist Walter Maurer.^[24] Their collaboration for the international automobile company increased Manrique's fame beyond the country's borders. Manrique maintained a close friendship with Walter Maurer for the rest of his life, and was involved in a constant artistic exchange.^[25][26] Before the collaboration with César Manrique, Maurer had already designed BMW Art Cars with other highly recognised international artists such as Andy Warhol, Frank Stella and Roy Lichtenstein. The work for the joint Art Car was carried out in Maurer's studio in Munich. César Manrique took care of the initial design proposals, coordinated them with his artistic partner Walter Maurer and was responsible for the final approval, while Maurer was responsible for applying the design to the BMW 730i.^[27]

Manrique's final artistic works were his wind toys- dynamic sculptures that are animated by the wind. The first installed was Veleta in Arrieta. Many of them went on to be constructed after his death, based on the notes and drawings he left behind.^[28] The last building credited to the artist was the Parque Marítimo César Manrique which opened in Tenerife in 1995.

Architecture

In Lanzarote:

• 1968- Taro de Tahíche (Manrique's house near Teguise, the present seat of the Fundación César Manrique).
• 1970- El Diablo Restaurant (uses volcanic heat to cook).
• 1972- LagOmar, house briefly owned by Omar Sharif. Collaboration with Jesús Rafael Soto.^[36]
• 1973- Mirador del Rio (overlooking the neighbouring island of Graciosa).
• 1976- International Museum of Contemporary Arts in the Castillo de San José, Arrecife.
• 1977- Jameos del Agua (concert venue/nightclub for 600 persons in a cave).
• 1977- Murals, garden and swimming pools of the five-star hotel Las Salinas in Costa Teguise.
• 1988- Casa / Museo César Manrique (Manrique's house and artist studio in Haria, with landscaped garden).
• 1991- Jardín de Cactus (a cactus garden home to over 1,100 different varieties of cactuses near Guatiza).

Outside Lanzarote:

• 1977- Lago Martiánez (large "semi natural" open air sea-water pool complex in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife).
• 1983- La Vaguada Shopping Centre in Madrid.
• 1989- La Peña (a restaurant and belvedere on El Hierro).
• 1989- Mirador del Palmarejo (a lookout point in La Gomera).
• 1992- Canarian Pavilion (Expo 92, Seville, Spain).
• 1995- Parque Marítimo César Manrique, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife (construction finished after his death)

Sculpture

• 1968- Monumento And Museo del Campesino (Monument at San Bartolomé dedicated to agricultural workers)
• 1970- El Diablo, symbol of the Timanfaya National Park.
• c. 1970-1975- Sin título. Serie Juguetes del viento.^[37]
• 1990- El triunfador
• 1990- Vane, wind toy in Arrieta
• 1990- Energy Of The Pyramid, wind toy in the grounds of the Fundacion.
• 1994- Fobos, wind toy in Tahiche, marks the location of his death^[38]

Other

• 1990- BMW Art Car in collaboration with Walter Maurer, Munich, Germany.