Manuel Rivera

The recorded working language is Spanish. Work by Manuel Rivera is recorded in the collections of Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Tate, Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Carnegie Museum of Art. Distinctions recorded are Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts and Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.

Born in Granada, Rivera began his training as a sculptor in the studio of Martín Simón. His interests moved to painting and he trained at the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes de Seville (now part of the University of Seville) where he began his studies in 1945 at the age of 18. His first major exhibition was at the Granada Press Association in 1947. After completing his education, he moved to Madrid in 1951 where he became known as a painter of murals and frescos in public spaces and churches. This led to commissions as a muralist and fresco artist in cities throughout Spain. Initially a painter working in the style of figurative art, Rivera began working in an abstract style in the 1950s. In 1953 he took part in the Congreso de Arte Abstracto de Santander (Congress of Abstract Art). In 1957 he co-founded the El Paso group in Madrid with fellow artists Rafael Canogar, Luis Feito, Juana Francés, Manolo Millares, Pablo Serrano, Antonio Suárez, and Antonio Saura. The founding members also included art critics José Ayllón and Manolo Conde. From 1957 through 1960 Rivera and the other artists in this group jointly presented several exhibitions in Spain and abroad which had a profound impact on the development of Spanish Art. The group's final exhibition was at the L'Attico gallery in Rome in 1960. The Marlborough Gallery featured a retrospective exhibition of the group's works in May and June 2004 entitled ‘El Paso, 1957-1960’. In 1967 Rivera began experimenting with artistic techniques and ideas from Asian cultures. In 1981 he was awarded Spain's gold medal for Merit in Fine Arts. He was also the recipient of the Chevalier's Cross of l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France.

Manuel Rivera is recorded with the occupation sculptor. Recorded as painter and sculptor.