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Biography

XUL SOLAR
[1887 – 1963, Argentina]

Alejandro Xul Solar was born Óscar Alejandro Agustín Schulz Solari in 1887, in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  His father was of German origins born in Latvia and his mother was of Italian extraction. He studied music and architecture, which he did not complete. His art is Expressionist, surrealist, symbolist and modernist and is a unique representative of the vanguard in Latin America. In 1912 he travelled to Europe where he remained till 1924 having lived in Italy, France, England, and Germany. Back in Argentina he took an active part in renovating the design of the publication Martin Fierro for the publishers. He was a friend of Jorge Luis Borges for whom he illustrated several of his works and with whom he shared an interest in authors such as Emanuel Swedenborg, William Blake, Gustav Mayrink and Arthur Schopenhauer.  Xul Solar also cooperated with various editorial undertakings, in publications such as Revista Multicolor de los Sábados y Destiempo.

Xul Solar had a broad range of interests such as Astrology, Cabbala, I Ching, philosophy, Oriental ancient religions and beliefs, India, the Americas before colonization, theosophy, and anthroposophy among other branches of learning. Furthermore, he undertook the creation of two artificial languages: neocriollo (a new Creole/native language) and a pan-language. He modified the game of chess to make an improved version which he called pan-chess; he proposed changes to musical sheet and to the keyboard of a piano, he created a puppet show for adults and a Tarot game different to the original version. Xul Solar’s paintings in distinctive colours are full of symbols and reflect he unique vision of the world.

The Foundation Pan Klub Museo Xul Solar is an institution created to conserve and spread the work of the Argentine artist Alejandro Xul Solar. Its purpose is to develop and promote diverse cultural activities.

In 1986, when Micaela (Lita) Cadenas, widow of the artist, and Natalio J. Povarché, Xul Solar’s art dealer, set up the foundation in accordance with the artist’s original plans from the late 1930s for a Pan Klub, they created a space where intellectuals and artists could come together for cultural discussion.

The museum opened its doors for the first time on 13th May 1993. The works on display were chosen personally by Xul Solar for the Pan Klub. These works constitute the permanent collection of the museum, together with other objects, sculptures, and documents from his personal archive. The Foundation is also responsible for maintaining the artist’s home where there is a library with close to 3,500 tomes.

The architecture of the museum building was devised using Xul Solar’s thoughts, ideas and images taken from his artistic work. In the 1998 awards the building was semi-finalist in the Premio Mies van der Rohe for Latin America. The purpose of this award is to bestow a prize on Latin American contemporary architecture and in 2003 the Década prize awarded to the best building, built during 1993 in the city of Buenos Aires.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2022    
The Wondrous Realities of Xul Solar, Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino, Houston, TX, USA

2017    
Xul Solar, Panactivista, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil (MACG), Mexico City, Mexico
Xul-Borges: grafías, Biblioteca Nacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina 

2015    
Xul Solar, Museo Municipal Dámaso Arce, Olavarría, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Xul Solar: un imaginero en el Delta, Museo de Arte Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2013    
Xul Solar and Jorge Luis Borges: The Art of Friendship, Americas Society Art Gallery, New York, NY; Phoenix Art Museum, AZ, USA
Xul Solar, pintura sobre vidrio, Museo Xul Solar / Fundación Pan Klub, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Galería Rubbers Internacional within the framework of Buenos Aires Lírica, Gala Anual, Buenos Aires, Argentina 
Homenaje Xul Solar: 1887-1963: 50 años, Museo Xul Solar / Fundación Pan Klub, Buenos Aires, Argentina 
Xul Solar: 1993-2013: 20 años, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2010    
Xul Solar - Borges, Museo Xul Solar / Fundación Pan Klub, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Xul Solar, explorador del universo, organized by Galería Rubbers, Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires, Argentina 

2006    
Xul Solar: Visiones y revelaciones, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), TX, USA; Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico
Xul Solar: tintas 1955, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2005    
Xul Solar: Visiones y revelaciones, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) - Colección Costantini, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil

2004    
Xul Solar, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2003    
Alejandro Xul Solar y sus amigos, Museo Xul Solar / Fundación Pan Klub, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2002    
Xul Solar, arquitectura y diseño: 1918-1922, Museo Xul Solar / Fundación Pan Klub, Buenos Aires, Argentina 
Xul Solar, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Xul Solar, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain

2001    
Xul Solar, Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno de Mendoza (MMAMM), Argentina
La Biblioteca de Xul Solar, Museo Xul Solar / Fundación Pan Klub, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1999    
Paul Klee invita a Xul Solar en El Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina

1998    
Xul Solar. El sol herido, Palacio Episcopal, Málaga, Spain; Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo (CAAC), Sevilla, Spain 
Xul Solar: Works 1916-1963, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden
Xul Solar, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Xul Solar - J.L. Borges: Língua e Imagem, Fundacão Memorial da América Latina, São Paulo, Brazil

1997    
Xul Solar (1887-1963), La Bienal de Artes Visuales del Mercosur, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Fundación Banco Patricios, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Xul Solar - J.L. Borges: Língua e Imagem, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

1994    
Xul Solar: the Architectures, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, UK

1993    
Oscar Alejandro Agustín Schulz Solari: Xul Solar 1887-1963, Guillermo de Osma Galería, Madrid, Spain
Xul Solar: A Collector’s Vision, Rachel Adler Gallery, New York, NY, USA

1991    
Alejandro Xul Solar (1887-1963), Rachel Adler Gallery, New York, NY, USA

1990    
Alejandro Xul Solar (1887-1963), Museo de Arte Americano de Maldonado (MAAM), Uruguay
Xul Solar (1887-1963): obras inéditas, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1989    
Xul Solar, 1887-1963: grafías, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1988    
Alejandro Xul Solar (1887-1963), Galería Kramer, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1987    
Xul Solar (1887-1963), Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1986    
Xul Solar, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Exhibition organized within the framework of the XIV General Conference of ICOM, Argentine Association of Art Critics, and Centro de Arte y Comunicación (CAyC), Buenos Aires, Argentina

1985    
Xul Solar: témperas/acuarelas, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1984    
Xul Solar 1887-1963, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1982    
Xul Solar, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1980    
Xul Solar, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1979    
Xul Solar: obras 1920-1962, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1978    
Xul Solar (1887-1963) Œuvres de 1915 à 1962, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina; FIAC 78, Art Contemporain, Grand Palais, Paris, France
Xul Solar: obras 1919/1962, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1977    
Xul Solar 1887-1963, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France

1976    
Xul Solar: 1884/1963, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1975    
Xul Solar: acuarelas y témperas, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1970    
Xul Solar, retrospectiva: obras 1915-1962, Galería Rubbers Internacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1969    
Xul Solar/Pinturas, Javier Galería de Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina 

1968    
Homenaje a Xul Solar, Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Emilio Pettoruti, La Plata, Argentina

1967    
Xul Solar: obras 1915/1962, Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Rosa Galisteo de Rodríguez, Santa Fe, Argentina

1966    
III Bienal Americana de Arte, Exhibition tribute to Xul Solar, Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Emilio Caraffa (MEC), Córdoba, Argentina

1965    
Exhibition of works by Xul Solar, private home of Dr. Kuperman, Buenos Aires, Argentina, organized by Delia Bucich, presented by Ricardo Mosquera [Eastman]
Homenaje a Xul Solar: acuarelas, témperas, óleos, Galería Candilejas, Buenos Aires, Argentina 
Exhibition Tribute to Xul Solar presented by Jorge L. Borges, Galería Diálogos, Olivos, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina 
Xul Solar, Proar, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1963    
Xul Solar: óleos, Riobóo Galería de Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina 
Homenaje a Xul Solar, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina 

1953    
Pinties y dibujos: A. Xul Solar, Galería Van Riel, Sala V, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1951    
Exhibition of paintings by A. Xul Solar, Galería Guión, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1949    
A. Xul Solar, Galería Samos, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1940    
Exposición Xul Solar, Amigos del Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1929    
Exposición Xul Solar, Amigos del Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1920    
Seventh exhibition, personal exhibition of the sculptor Arturo Martini and the painter Alejandro Xul Solari, Galleria Arte, Milán, Italy

Selected Public Collections

Cancillería Argentina - Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores Comercio Internacional y Culto, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Colección de Arte del Banco de la República, Bogotá, Colombia

Fundació Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), Spain

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA

Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA), Argentina

Museo de Arte Moderno, Buenos Aires (MAMBA), Argentina

Museo de Arte Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes Neuquén (MNBA), Argentina

Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro (MAMRio), Brazil

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), TX, USA

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, NY, USA

Pérez Art Museum (PAMM), Miami, FL, USA

Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands