Pedro Friedeberg
I was born in Italy during the era of Mussolini, who made all trains run on time. Immediately thereafter, I moved to México where the trains are never on time, but where once they start moving they pass pyramids.
My education was first entrusted to a Zapotec governess and later to brilliant mentors such as Mathias Goeritz, who taught me morals, José González, who taught me carpentry, and Gerry Morris, who taught me to play bridge.
I have invented several styles of architecture, as well as one new religion and two salads. I am particularly fond of social problems and cloud formations. My work is profoundly profound.
Artist Statement
I admire everything that is useless, frivolous and whimsical. I hate functionalism, post modernism and almost everything else. I do not agree with the dictum that houses are supposed to be ‘machines to live in’. For me, the house and it’s objects is supposed to be some crazy place that make you laugh.
Americans do not understand Mexicans and viceversa. Americans find Mexicans unpunctual, they eat funny things and act like old-fashioned Chinese. When André Breton came to Mexico he said it was the chosen Country of surrealism. Breton saw all kinds of surrealist things happen here every day. The surrealists are more into dreaming, into the absurd and into the ridiculous uselesness of things. My work is always criticizing the absurdity of things. I am an idealist. I am certain that very soon now humanity will arrive at a marvelous epoch totally devoid of Knoll chairs, jogging pants, tennis shoes and baseball caps sideway use, and the obscenity of Japanese rock gardens five thousand miles from Kyoto.
I get up at the crack of noon and, after watering my pirañas, I breakfast off things Corinthian. Later in the day I partake in an Ionic lunch followed by a Doric nap. On Tuesdays I sketch a volute or two, and perhaps a pediment, if the mood overtakes me. Wednesday I have set aside for anti-meditation. On Thursdays I usually relax whereas on Friday I write autobiographies.”
SOLO SHOWS
1959 Diana Gallery, México, D.F.
1960 Protec Gallery, México, D.F.
1962 Antonio Souza Gallery, México, D.F.
Villa Andre Bloc Gallery, Paris, France.
Carstairs Gallery, New York, USA
1963 Pan American Union, Washington, DC, USA
The Foz Palace, Lisboa, Portugal.
Gallerie Carroll, Munich, Germany.
1964 Byron Gallery New York, USA.
1965 Gallerie Brusberg Hanover, Germany
Gallerie Hella Nebelung Dusseldorf.
Container Corporation of America Chicago, Ill, USA
International Gallery, Baltimore. USA
1966 Antonio Souza Gallery, México DF.
Feingarten Gallery Los Ángeles, Cal, USA
1967 Kiko Galleries Houston, Texas, USA
1968 Glade Gallery, New Orleans, USA
Antonio Souza Gallery , México DF
1970 Maurice Sternberg Gallery, Chicago, USA
1971 Misrachi Gallery, México D.F.
Exconvento del Carmen, Guadalajara Jalisco, México.
Gloria Luria Gallery, Miami, USA
Gallery of Modern Art. Phoenix, Arizona, USA
1974 Pecanis Gallery, Barcelona, Spain.
Misrachi Gallery, México DF
Grace Hokin Gallery Palm Beach, California, USA
1975 Casa de la Cultura Puebla, Puebla, México.
Casa de la Campana Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Galerie Iris Clert, Paris France.
1976 Covo de Iongh Gallery Miami Florida, USA
Gloria Luria Gallery Miami, Florida USA
Grace Hokin Gallery Chicago, Ill USA
1978 The Art Center Museum Waco Texas, USA
Goldman Gallery Haifa, Israel.
1979 Harcourt’s Gallery San Francisco, California, USA
Kopeliovitch Gallery Montreal, Canadá
Mixografia Gallery Los Ángeles, California, USA
1981 Phyllis Needleman Gallery Chicago, Ill, USA
1983 Galería del Círculo México, DF
Speranza Gallery Montreal, Canadá.
Mixografia Gallery Los Ángeles, California, USA
1984 Ravel Gallery Austin Texas, USA
Galería Manolo Rivero Mérida Yucatán, México.
1985 Galería Mer-kup México, DF
Centro Cultural El Nigromante San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México.
Carmen Llewellyn Gallery New Orleans, USA
1986 Museum of Modern Art, México, DF
Biblioteca Pape Museum, Monclova, Coahuila, México
1987 Vorpal Gallery New York, USA
1988 Carmen Llewellyn Gallery New Orleans, USA
1990 Galería de Arte Mexicano, México , DF
Galería Latane Temple San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México.
1991 El Nigromante Cultural Center, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México.
1992 Cultural Institute of Veracruz, Veracruz, México.
Cultural Institute of Veracruz, Córdoba, Veracruz, México.
REF Studios Houston Texas, USA
1993 Gallery of Fine Art . San Antonio Texas, USA
1994 Gallerie Simonne Stern New. Orleans, USA
1995 Galería de Arte Mexicano Bellas Artes San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México
1996 Galería de Arte Mexicano México D.F.
Museo Casa de Diego Rivera Guanajuato, México.
1997 Tribute to Pedro Friedeberg.
Omar Rayo Museum, Roldanillo Colombia
144 cartas, Galería Salón San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México
Tarot y Zodiaco Multimedia Cultural Center San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México
Galerie Simmone Sterne New Orleans, USA.
1998 Terán Cultural Institute. Aguascalientes, Ags. México
Museum of Contemporary Art. Phoenix Arizona, USA
Pedro Friedeberg Museum, San Miguel de Allende, Gto. México
“Archivo General del Estado de Pachuca”, Hidalgo, México
Museum of The Palace of Fine Arts, México DF
2000 Cultural Institute Isidro Fabela, México D.F.
Drexel Galery, Monterrey, NL. México.
Galerie im Gassla. Nuremberg, Germany
2001 “Festival del Desierto” La Paz, SLP , Mexico.
2002 Museum of Mexican History, Monterrey, NL, México
Antiguo Palacio del Arzobizpado México DF
2003 Studio DVO, Bruxels, Bélgium
2004 Pecannins Gallery, México D.F.
Cultural Institute, Aguascalientes, México
2007 Galeria Ramis Barquet, New York, USA
2008 Galeria Enrique Guerrero, Mexico City, Mexico.
2009. Museum of the National Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
2009 Reyna Henaine, New York, USA.
GROUP SHOWS
1960 “Los Hartos” de Mathias Goeritz, México, DF
4000 years of Mexican Art, National University of México.
1964 Paris Biennale, France.
1965 “Box Show” Byron Gallery, New York, USA.
1966 “Fantastic Furniture” Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York, USA.
Surrealismo y Arte Fantástico Aristos Gallery, México, DF
“Confrontación 66” México D.F.
“Cordoba Biennale”, Cordoba, Argentina.
“Labyrinthe Kunstakademie Berlín, Germany
1967 “Expo 67” Toronto, Canadá
1968 “Hemisfair”, San Antonio, USA
“Solar Exhibition”, México D.F.
1969 Contemporary Latin American Artists, Wilmington Museum, USA
Art of Ancient and Modern Latin America, New Orleans, USA
International Exhibition of Drawings, Rijeka, Yugoslavia.
XX Sao Paolo Biennale, Brasil.
1970 Montevideo Biennale, Uruguay
1971 Plástica Mexicana Annual Salon, México DF
1972 Mexican Fantasy Art. Beaumont Museum Texas, USA
1973 Mexican Watercolors and Graphic works.Tampa and Orlando Museums, USA
Surrealist Artists of the New World. Abele Gallery. Madrid, Spain
Biennale Coltejer, Medellín, Colombia .
1974 3 Mexican Artists Halifax, Ottawa, Quebec and Calgary, Museums. Canada.
Mexican Contemporary Art. Tokio and Kyoto Museums, Japón.
The Art of our Time. San Carlos Academy, México, DF
First International Biennale of Graphic Work. Segovia Spain.
Panamerican Graphic Art Biennale, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1975 V World Psiquiatric Congress. Museum of Modern Art, México, D.F.
1977 “Pastelart and Games”. Pecanins Gallery México D.F.
1978 “The Post Vanguard” Naples, Italy.
“International Mail Art” Brescia, Italy
“Mantua Mail” 78 Mantua, Italy.
First Microbiennale of Postal Miniatures, Italy.
Mer-Kup Gallery, México D.F.
1979 11th International Biennale of Prints. Tokyo, Japan.
The Engrave Triennale. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Biennale of de San Juan de Puerto Rico.
“Chinchismo” La Chinche Gallery México D.F.
1980 Third World Biennale of Graphic Art. London, Great Britain.
Contemporary Mexican Masters. Houston, Texas USA.
Urban Friction. Contemporary Art Forum, México D.F.
1981 Banamex Painting Exhibition. 1981 México D.F.
1982 Tribute to Pablo Picasso. Metropolitan Gallery México D.F.
1985 Biennale of Oslo, Norway
19 Mexican Peintres, L’Espace Latinoamericain, Paris France.
25 Anniversary. Casa de las Americas. Habana Cuba.
Contemporary Art Forum and Casa de las Americas, Habana, Cuba
1986 Confrontation 86. Palace of Fine Arts, México
Surrealism Exhibition, Nacional Museum of Art, México
1991 Parallel Proyect. Mary Anne Martin New York , USA
Tribute to Fernando Gamboa. Palace of Fine Arts. México D.F.
“Jesusa Workshop”. La Estampa Museum México D.F.
1992 “Tribute to Antonio Souza” Del Lago Gallery. México D.F.
VIII Domecq Iberoamerican Biennale of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, México 1993 Jesusa Workshop. Centre Culturel du Mexique, Paris, France.
Past and Present. Banamex. Centro Histórico.
Palacio Iturbide México D.F.
“Letter Perfect” New Orleáns Museum, USA
Arte Objeto Cervantino Festival, Guanajuato, México
Museum of Contemporay Art MARCO, Monterrey, NL. México
“100 Mexican Painters” MARCO Museum, Monterrey, NL, México
1996 Museum of Contemporay Art MARCO, Monterrey, NL. México
1997 “Selfportraits”. Museum of Modern Art. México D.F.
“Dialogos Insolitos” Museum of Modern Art. México D.F.
“Designed for Delight” Museum of Decorative Arts, Montreal , Canada.
Museums of Cracovia, Berlín Londres and Paris.
1999 “Hommage to the drawing on pencil. Jose Luis Cuevas Museum, México D.F.
“Projekt Nürenberg” Galerie im Gässla Nürenberg, Germany.
Diverses Disciplines. Arte Mexicano Gallery, México D.F.
“Tribute to J. A. Manrique “, Cultural Institute of Aguascalientes, Guanajuato,
“Portraits” Simone Stern Gallery. New Orleans, USA
“V Arte Bancomer Salon”México DF
“World Festival on Art on Paper” Kranj Yugoslavia
“Contemporary Mexican Graphic Work” Minister of Foreign Affairs. México.
2000 “Mexican School from The Rupture to Geometrism”
Palace of Fine Arts, México D.F.
“From my Colection” CONACULTA, Itinerant exhibition.
2001 “Boxes” House of the first Press, México D.F,
“Estampa 2001” Cultural Center El Nigromante, S.M.A. Guanajuato, Mexico.
“Latin American Artists” Jose Luis Cuevas Colection. Mexico
2003 “Aparentemente Sublime” Museum of Modern Art, México D.F.
“Nopal Urbano”, México D.F.
2005 “Mexico, Yesterday and Today. Gallery at the Greenwich Arts Center. Curated by Reyna Henaine, Benjamin Ortiz and Nan Lvoff
2008 Group show. Henaine Fine Art, New York
AWARDS
1966 Córdoba Argentina, Biennale. 2nd. Prize
1967 Solar Exhibition México, D.F. 1st. Prize
1979 Buenos Aires, Argentina Engraving Triennale. 2nd. Prize
San Juan de Puerto Rico Biennale. 1st Prize
1984 XI Bienaale of Graphic Works. Tokio, Japan. Special Award.
1993 “Artistic Creator” Dsignation by the Nacional System of Mexican and Foreign Creators.
MUSEUMS AND PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Museum of Arts and Design, New York, 2010
José Luis Cuevas Museum. México D.F., Mexico, 2010.
Museum of Modern Art. México D.F., Mexico, 2009.
Televisa Cultural Center. México D.F., Mexico.
Museum of Contemporary Art. Toluca, México.
Museum of Contemporary Art. Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico.
Museum of Contemporary Art. Patzcuaro Michoacán, Mexico.
Museum of Modern Art New York, NY USA
Museum of Contemporary Art . Chicago Ill, USA
Museum of contemporary Art New Orleans, LA USA
Pan American Union, Washington D.C. USA
Library of The Congress, Washington DC
Worcester Art. Museum Worcester, Mass
Rose Art Museum Brandies University, Boston Mass.
Washington and Lee University, Virginia, USA
Arizona State University, College, Arizona, USA.
Milwaukee Art Center Milwaukee, Minneapolis, USA.
California Palace of the Legion of Honor San Francisco, Cal. USA.
The Swann Collection of Caricature, New York, USA
J. Patrick Lannan Foundation Palm Beach Florida, USA.
Fort Lauderdale Art. Museum, Florida, USA.
The Ringling Museum Sarasota, Florida, USA.
National Research Library, Ottawa, Canada
The Science Museum Toronto, Canada
Vaughan Collection, Beaverbrook Art. Gal Canada
Musee du Louvre, Pavillon Arts Decoratifs, Paris, France
Musee Dárt Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France
Cavalino Museum, Brescia, Italy
Museum of Modern Art, Telaviv, Israel
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
National Museum of Modern Art, Baghdad Iraq
Casa de las Americas Habana, Cuba
Cultural Institut of Puerto Rico, San Juan Puerto Rico
Ponce Museum of Art, Puerto Rico
Franklin Rawson Museum, Argentina
Omar Rayo Museum Roldanillo, Colombia
East Texas Art Museum Beaumont, Texas, USA.
Marco Museum, Monterrey N.L. Mexico.
Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C. USA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pedro Friedeberg, Ida Rodríguez Pampolini, Universidad de México, 1972
Pedro Friedeberg, catalogo de la XIX Olimpiada Cultural, 1968
Surrealismo y arte Fantástico en México, Ida Rodríguez
Pintura Actual 1966, Alfonso Neuvillate.
El Arte Contemporáneo, Ida Rodríguez
Eroteik, J.J. Beljon, Amsterdam 1967
Bilder des Verschollenen Stils, Ernst Fuchs Vienna.
Art in Latin American Architecture, Paul F. Damaz.
Fantasy Furniture, Thomas Simpson.
Art Today, Faulkner and Ziegfeld.
Nuevos Ritos nuevos mitos, Guillon Dorfles
A guide to Mexican Art, Justino Fernández
Cuarenta Siglos de Plástica Mexicana, Ida Rodríguez
Crafts of the world, Rose Slivka
Architecture Forms and Functions, 1962-1963
Contemporary Art with wood, Donna Z. Meilach
Dibujo Mexicano, Raquel Tibol
200 Jahre Phantastische Kunst, Wieland Schmied
Advanced Wood Working, Time-Life Books.
Chair, Bradford and Prete.
Mexican Homes, O´Gorman y Schalkwijk
México Arte Moderno II, A. de Neuvillate, Ediciones Misrachi.
Doce recetas celebres, American Express de México.
Labirynthe, Heinz Ladendorf, Bérlin, 1964
Who’s Who in the world, 1971, 1972 y 1979
Diez entrevistas, Manuel Ávila Camacho
Dictionary of International Biography, Londres, 1980, 1982
Who’s Who in American Art, 1973 y 1976
Men of Achievement, 1975.
Who’s Notable in México, 1972
México, Pórtico de América.
Enciclopedia de México
Dictionary of Contemporary European Artists, Parma, Italia, 1980, 1982
The international Who’s Who of Intellectuals, Cambridge, 1976.
Ornamentalism, Conway y Adams
Mathias Goeritz, Olivia Zuñiga
Mathias Goeritz, Federico Morais
El grabado mexicano en el siglo XX, 1922-1981, Hugo Covantes.
Retrato de una época, Xavier Esqueda .
Designed for Delight, Montreal Museum
Gramática del arte J.J Beljon, Holanda
Historia del Arte Mexicano, Bancomer.
Furniture of the 60´s Cara Greenberg, New York
Pedro Friedeberg. Trilce Ediciones. Publishers: Deborah Holtz and Juan Carlos Mena, October 2009.
MURALS
Pedro Friedeberg also painted murals in public and private institutions in Mexico and another countries.
