Pedro Friedeberg
(Mexican, b. 1936)

"Clock"

carved and gilt-painted wood with inset mechanisms
signed at bottom of one foot.
h. 20", w. 10-1/2", d. 6"

Notes: I adore everything that is useless, frivolous and whimsical.
Pedro Friedeberg

Born in Florence to German-Jewish parents who fled to Mexico City when he was three, Friedeberg is a true artistic visionary, finding inspiration in virtually all aspects of art, philosophy, history and religion. He is acutely adept at combining various symbols, icons and images into a cohesive work of art, with a distinct and easily recognizable style. This melding of seemingly unrelated mythologies and histories would be disastrous in the hands of someone less sure, confidant and accomplished as Friedeberg.

Initially trained as an architect, Friedeberg never completed the course, finding the professors boring and the emphasis on structural symmetry limiting and tedious. Aspects of this early training, however, would be referenced in his work throughout his career. At the encouragement of one of his instructors and friends, Mathias Goeritz, he decided to concentrate on creating art. A fortuitous meeting with the Surrealist artist Remedios Varo led to his first exhibit at her Galeria Diana in 1960 when he was only 22. From there, as they say, the rest is history. He soon joined with Varo, Goeritz, Leonora Carrington, Gunther Gerzso and Alice Rahon, among others, to form "Los Hartos", an artistic movement that stressed art for art's sake and eschewed any political or social commentary in their work.

As Friedeberg once stated, "Too much is not enough," and his drawings, paintings and prints reveal a nearly obsessive attention to detail and have virtually no empty space. With whimsy and humor he fills his sheets and canvases with architectural motifs, hybrid animals and repetitive geometric shapes that have widespread appeal and appreciation.

In overall good condition with a few scattered areas of paint loss.