AgustÃn Lazo Adalid (1896 â€" January 28, 1971) was a Mexican artist
and playwright who is credited with introducing surrealism to Mexico.
Although he grew up during the era of the Mexican Revolution, his time
in Europe in the 1920s and early 1930s, set his aesthetics towards the
avant-garde movements of that continent, rather than towards Mexican
muralism, making him a part of the Los Contemporáneos or “Grupo sin
grupo.†His work in art and theater influenced each other, with his
art having theatrical themes and his theater having emphasis on sets
and visual cues. Lazo retired from art in 1950, after the death of his
long-time partner poet Xavier Villaurrutia, supposedly never painting
or writing again.AgustÃn Lazo was born in Mexico City in 1896[1] to a
wealthy and well-known family.[2] He did not have economic concerns
like many other artists so he could choose what he wanted to study,
write, design and paint.[2]After studying architecture for a year, he
dedicated himself to painting.[3] He began his art studies at the
Escuela al Aire Libre de Pintura in Santa Anita, founded by Alfredo
Ramos MartÃnez in 1913[1][4] In 1917, he briefly attended the Escuela
Nacional de Bellas Artes, along with Rufino Tamayo, Julio Castellanos
and Gabriel Fernández Ledesma, studying under Saturnino Herrán
.[4][5]He began his art career after the Mexican Revolution with
Adolfo Best Maugard but then left for Europe living for a while in
Paris in 1922.[2][6] He visited Europe again in 1925 then lived there
from 1927 to 1931.[7] He spent his time in Europe traveling in France,
Italy, Belgium and Germany, visiting museums and the studios of
various avant-garde artists meeting artists such as Max Ernst and
Giorgio de Chirico .[4][8] He spent most of his time in Paris, which
then was a magnet for international artists of various types, which
introduced him to surrealism. He lived and worked as an artist in the
city, sharing a studio with Alfonso Michel in Montparnasse .[7] At
this time, he also became interested in theater, learning set design
and stage machinery with Charles Dullin of Théâtre de l'Atelier. He
also began living with his longtime partner poet Xavier Villaurrutia
.[2]
and playwright who is credited with introducing surrealism to Mexico.
Although he grew up during the era of the Mexican Revolution, his time
in Europe in the 1920s and early 1930s, set his aesthetics towards the
avant-garde movements of that continent, rather than towards Mexican
muralism, making him a part of the Los Contemporáneos or “Grupo sin
grupo.†His work in art and theater influenced each other, with his
art having theatrical themes and his theater having emphasis on sets
and visual cues. Lazo retired from art in 1950, after the death of his
long-time partner poet Xavier Villaurrutia, supposedly never painting
or writing again.AgustÃn Lazo was born in Mexico City in 1896[1] to a
wealthy and well-known family.[2] He did not have economic concerns
like many other artists so he could choose what he wanted to study,
write, design and paint.[2]After studying architecture for a year, he
dedicated himself to painting.[3] He began his art studies at the
Escuela al Aire Libre de Pintura in Santa Anita, founded by Alfredo
Ramos MartÃnez in 1913[1][4] In 1917, he briefly attended the Escuela
Nacional de Bellas Artes, along with Rufino Tamayo, Julio Castellanos
and Gabriel Fernández Ledesma, studying under Saturnino Herrán
.[4][5]He began his art career after the Mexican Revolution with
Adolfo Best Maugard but then left for Europe living for a while in
Paris in 1922.[2][6] He visited Europe again in 1925 then lived there
from 1927 to 1931.[7] He spent his time in Europe traveling in France,
Italy, Belgium and Germany, visiting museums and the studios of
various avant-garde artists meeting artists such as Max Ernst and
Giorgio de Chirico .[4][8] He spent most of his time in Paris, which
then was a magnet for international artists of various types, which
introduced him to surrealism. He lived and worked as an artist in the
city, sharing a studio with Alfonso Michel in Montparnasse .[7] At
this time, he also became interested in theater, learning set design
and stage machinery with Charles Dullin of Théâtre de l'Atelier. He
also began living with his longtime partner poet Xavier Villaurrutia
.[2]
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