07/05 — 11/04/25
Gallery 5. Level 2
In the centennial year of his birth, the purpose of the exhibition is to highlight Kosice's pioneering role and to reposition him in the historiography of Latin American art. The exhibition brings together around 75 works produced between 1950 and 1980 that comprise his key contributions to post-war modernism.
Curated by Mari Carmen Ramírez and María Amalia García, this exhibition includes his emblematic installation The Hydrospatial City (1946-72), from the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. This floating city consists of 18 independent modules that house dwellings arranged to satisfy different human needs and desires. The ensemble is complemented by 8 light boxes that illustrate the position of some of these modules with reference to a galactic scale.
The project also contemplates the development of an in-depth research on the artist's use of plastic conducted by a specialized team and the publication of a reference catalog edited in collaboration with the ICAA-MFAH (International Center for the Arts of the Americas), in a double edition in Spanish and English.
The installation of The Hydrospatial City will be complemented in the exhibition by ink and watercolor sketches, photomontages and multi-media panels created by Kosice himself to convey his vision of a city suspended in the atmosphere. Today, as we face the catastrophic impact of climate change, the ability of The Hydrospatial City to question our lifestyles or claims to forms of inhabitation will inspire other responses, as it remains more relevant than ever.
An experimental artist, sculptor, poet, and theorist, Kosice is one of Argentina's best-known creators. Co-founder of the Rio de la Plata constructive art groups Arturo (1944) and Madí (1946), he was also a leading figure in the international avant-garde after 1945.
Co-produced by Malba and the MFAH, this exhibition reaffirms the close relationship developed between the two institutions over several years to promote the exceptional contributions of great Latin American artists.
Organized in collaboration with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Curators: María Amalia García and Mari Carmen Ramírez.
Dossier
See dossier of the exhibition (Issuu) →
Download dossier of the exhibition (PDF) →
Guided Tours
Wednesdays and Saturdays, 5 p.m.
Included with museum admission ticket.
Research and Catalogue
The research underpinning the exhibition sought to break down certain stagnant interpretations of Kosice's work and open up perspectives that bring his output up to date. A comprehensive survey of his archive (not just the parts he jealously edited) made it possible to adjust dates and clarify material processes, resulting in a completely renewed view of his figure.
The project involves in-depth research into the artist's use of plastic, carried out by a specialized team that includes, in addition to staff from Malba and MFAH, leading professionals from INTI (Argentina) and the Getty Conservation Institute (Los Angeles).
The exhibition will be accompanied by an extensive reference catalog published in collaboration with the ICAA-MFAH (International Center for the Arts of the Americas), in both Spanish and English editions. It will include important contributions from curators Mari Carmen Ramírez and María Amalia García, as well as specialists Charlotte Matter, Isabel Plante, Giovanna Bassi Cendra, and Héctor Olea. The volume is completed with a chronology compiled by Ayelen Pagnanelli and Max Pérez Fallik, which summarizes the results of an extensive research process initiated by the Kosice Foundation in support of the exhibition, as well as new photographs of their works and unpublished archival material.
