About the artist:

Romulo Macció was an Argentine painter who was associated with the avant-garde art movement named Nueva Figuracion, which favored a new form of figurative art. Apart from Nueva Figuracion he participated in another group called Phases. Helping pioneer the Nueva Figuración movement in the 1960s, these artists used figurative art forms to break taboos that constrained artists and their art-making, addressing important issues in Argentina and Latin America. After branching off from the group, Nueva Figuracion, Maccio would continue to develop his unique sense of art-making with an aesthetic of rebellion that would revolve mainly around social problems. He won the prestigious Konex Award from Argentina in 1982, 1992, and 2002.

Argentina's social issues heavily influenced Maccio's work, both his paintings and advertisements. In one instance, he directed an ad he made in 1959 in response to the economic crisis the country was experiencing because of increasing inflation. His advertisement represented applying, “rational thinking to complex solutions” in response to the financial crisis in Argentina. Maccio indicated using simple solutions at our reach under challenging situations. This solution was inspired by his own mother, who was a homemaker that made use of all the items around their household. Maccio shared this solution as he'd seen his mother, a homemaker, make use of all the items around their household and urged others to do the same.

Continuing to be depicted in his artwork was a noticeable central head figure seen in ads such as for the Monde department store and another titled Cabeza, translating to Head in English. Maccio would illustrate his pieces using fierce, bold colors and graphic devices he's familiar with to paint heads or human figures in abstract settings. He also painted figures in fragments but would transition to painting them as if they were in the early stages of development in 1977.

Maccio was also heavily influenced by reading art magazines in the French Library with a studio companion. These art magazines informed him of Abstract Expressionism and Art Informel. In addition, attending open exhibitions allowed Maccio to broaden his views by observing international contemporary art from DeKooning and Vedova, Pierre Soulages, Antoni Tapies, and more. In his exhibition titled, “Ficitons” Maccio acknowledged Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borgis sharing the effect Borgis had on him. During these years, he'd proceed to paint in a spontaneous Neo-Expressionist style.

In recognition of his art, he was awarded the prestigious De Ridder Prize in 1959 and the Torcuato di Tella Institute International Prize in 1962, his fame brought him close to other Argentine avant-garde artists, such as Luis Felipe Noé. He and Noé soon helped pioneer the Nueva Figuración movement that swept Latin American art during the 1960s. Later in 1964 he was also awarded the Guggenheim International Prize in New York. Later, Maccio would continue to do advertisement work with firms like Grant, Relator, and J. Walter Thompson.