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FCG International Arts Award 2004: Anthony Caro

 “A sculptor born in New Malden, Surrey Great Britain, in 1924; for his great creative capacity in his permanent and eager search and constant success in the expression of the form and shape”. According to the jury that met in Valladolid on June 17, 2004, chaired by, Mr. José Pérez – Guerra Sánchez, director of the Punto de las Artes; and made up by the following members: Mr. Luis Chillida Belzunce, director of marketing and comunication of the Chillida Leku Museum; Mr. Manuel Martín Ferrand, journalist and collaborator of ABC; Mr. Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, editor of the 2 News of TVE and Mr. Marcos–Ricardo Barnatán Hodari, writer and art critic of El Mundo.

Anthony Caro - Biography

R.I.P., Iron´s Master. Deceased in 2013.

Anthony Caro (born 1924) has played a pivotal role in the development of twentieth century sculpture. After studying sculpture at the Royal Academy Schools in London, he worked as assistant to Henry Moore. He came to public attention with a show at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1963, where he exhibited large abstract sculptures brightly painted and standing directly on the ground. They engage the spectator on a one-to-one basis. This was a radical departure from the way sculpture had hitherto been seen and paved the way for future developments in three-dimensional art.

Caro’s teaching at St Martin’s School of Art in London (1953-1981) was very influential. His questioning approach opened up new possibilities, both formally and with regard to subject matter. His innovative work as well as his teaching led to a flowering and a new confidence in sculpture worldwide.

Caro often works in steel, but also in a diverse range of other materials, including bronze, silver, lead, stoneware, wood and paper. Major exhibitions include retrospectives at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (1975), the Trajan Markets, Rome (1992) and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo (1995), Sculpture into Architecture at the Tate Gallery, London (1991), Sculpture from Painting at the National Gallery, London (1998) and The Last Judgement at the Venice Biennale (1999). He has been awarded many prizes, including the Praemium Imperiale for Sculpture in Tokyo in 1992 and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Sculpture in 1997. He holds many honorary degrees from universities in the UK, USA and Europe. He was knighted in 1987 and received the Order of Merit in May 2000.

Awards and Memberships

1947                 Landseer Scholarship, First Landseer Award, Royal Academy Schools, London

1959                 Sculpture Prize, First Paris Biennale

   Ford Foundation – English Speaking Union travel grant

1966                 David E Bright Foundation Prize, Venice Biennale

1968                 Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of East Anglia, England

1969                 Commander of the Order of the British Empire

   Prizewinner, São Paulo Biennale

1976                 Presented with key to New York City by Mayor Abraham Beame

1979                 Honorary Member of American Academy and Institute of Arts & Letters

   Honorary Doctor of Letters, York University, Toronto, Canada

1981                 Honorary Degree, Brandeis University, Massachusetts, USA

    Honorary Fellow, Christ's College, Cambridge University, England

1981-83            Member of Council, Royal College of Art, London

1982-89           Trustee, Tate Gallery, London

1982-92           Member of Council, Slade School of Art, London

1984                 Trustee, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, England

1985                 Honorary Doctor of Letters, Cambridge University, England

1986                 Honorary Fellow , Royal College of Art, London

1987                 Honorary Degree, University of Surrey, England Knight Bachelor, Queen's Birthday Honours

1988                 Honorary Foreign Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences

1989                 Honorary Fine Arts Degree, Yale University, Connecticut, USA

1990                 Honorary Fine Arts Degree, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

1991                 Honorary Fellow, Wolfson College, Oxford

The Henry Moore Grand Prize: First Nobutaka Shikanai Prize,Hakone Open Air Museum, Tokyo, Japan

1992                 Honorary Member, Accademia delle Belle Arte di Brera, Milan, Italy

   Praemium Imperiale Prize for Sculpture, Japan Art Association, Tokyo

1993                 Honorary Doctor of Letters, Winchester School of Art,

   University of Southampton, England

1994                 Honorary Doctorate, Royal College of Art, London

1996                 Chevalier des Arts et Lettres, France

                        Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Charles de Gaulle, Lille, France

   Honorary Doctor of Letters, Durham University, England

1997                 Lifetime Achievement Award, International Sculpture Center, USA

                        Honorary Fine Arts Degree, Florida International University, USA

                        Honorary Fellow, Royal Institute of British Architects, London

                        Honorary Fellow, Royal Society of British Sculptors, London

1998                 Honorary Board of Trustees, International Sculpture Center, USA

                        Honorary Fellow, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland

                        Honorary Fellow, Bretton Hall College, University of Leeds, England

1999                 Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Westminster, London

2000                Order of Merit conferred by HM Queen Elizabeth

If you need more information:

www.anthonycaro.org