Carmelo Arden Quin

Uruguayan

(1913–2010)

Carmelo Arden Quin was first exposed to constructivist ideas as a young painter by his mentor Joaquín Torres-García. After moving to Buenos Ares during World War II, Quin developed the conceptual basis of Arte Madí. The artists of Grupo Madí embraced the democratic potential of abstract art by using unexpected materials or shaped supports. Arden Quin left Argentina for Paris in 1948, establishing the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Madistes. It was here that American artists like Ellsworth Kelly were be inspired to create shaped canvases of their own. His paintings are characterized by irregularly-shaped canvases and an often-playful relationship between line, form, and color. Many of his works feature articulated or mobile pieces, an influence from Torres-García.

Carmelo Arden Quin

Uruguayan

(1913–2010)

Carmelo Arden Quin was first exposed to constructivist ideas as a young painter by his mentor Joaquín Torres-García. After moving to Buenos Ares during World War II, Quin developed the conceptual basis of Arte Madí. The artists of Grupo Madí embraced the democratic potential of abstract art by using unexpected materials or shaped supports. Arden Quin left Argentina for Paris in 1948, establishing the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Madistes. It was here that American artists like Ellsworth Kelly were be inspired to create shaped canvases of their own. His paintings are characterized by irregularly-shaped canvases and an often-playful relationship between line, form, and color. Many of his works feature articulated or mobile pieces, an influence from Torres-García.

Roa

1950

Lacquer on wood

44 × 53 cm; 17 3/8 × 20 7/8 in

Among the earliest works in the collection, Arden Quin’s Roa is a quintessential example of the Madí aesthetic: shaped and layered geometric forms that seem to float in space. During his time in Buenos Aires, he began experimenting with curved wood, alternating convex and concave forms, and irregular shapes in a new expression of Concrete art.

© 2025 Kanbas. Any images or other visual representations of artworks are © their respective Artist or Estate, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

© 2025 Kanbas. Any images or other visual representations of artworks are © their respective Artist or Estate, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

© 2025 Kanbas. Any images or other visual representations of artworks are © their respective Artist or Estate, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.