HomageCarlos Cruz-Diez
On November 16th, the Venezuelan-American Endowment for the Arts will pay homage to Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez, presenting him with the Páez Medal of Art 2012. The event is held at the institution's Annual Charity Gala, which will take place at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City.
The Venezuelan-American Endowment for the Arts (VAEA) is a charitable institution established in New York in 1999 with the goal of promoting and enhancing friendship between Venezuela and the United States of America, through social, educational and cultural programs of a bi-national character. The Páez Medal of Art, the institution's most important award, is given yearly to individuals, groups, or institutions excelling in the field of artistic production and creation.
Carlos Cruz-Diez is one of Venezuela's most prominent visual artists. His career has developed in Venezuela and across the world. His permanent quest for excellence and his efforts as a promoter of educational programs make him an example and inspiration for several generations. His artistic production is rooted in the kinetic art movement of the 1950s and 1960s. As his thinking on art evolved, his ideas has contributed to the shifting of attitudes in the perception of color in art. According to Cruz-Diez, "color is an autonomous reality, freed from anecdote, that evolves in real space and time without need for form or support."
The VAEA 2012 Gala will feature performances by Venezuelan musician David Mazzarri, interpreting live music from his most recent recording, Cortos de imaginación, and by DJ Extraordinaire, Titina Penzini.
