SEBASTIAN SPRENG

Born in 1956 in Esperanza, Santa Fe () Sebastian Spreng is a selftaught artist. He grew up between the Argentinian countryside and the Atlantic Coast before moving to in 1973.

His professional painting career started at the age of 16 in Buenos Aires in the group exhibit Artists from Esperanza at the Fundacion Lowe. The next year he had his first solo exhibit at Martina Cespedes Gallery. The show was sold- out on opening night and the gallery held his work exclusively for several years. He moved to in 1987 and has been a strong presence in the art scene ever since.

Since moving to Florida he added solo and group exhibitions in , , , , Caracas, Dusseldorf, Essen, Fort Lauderdale, , Osaka, Sarasota, , Buenos Aires and Miami. In the last years he had exhibitis at The Americas Collection, Coral Gables-the gallery represents his work in Miami since 1991-; Arden Gallery in Boston, Anthony Ardavin, Timothy Tew in Atlanta, Friesen Gallery in Seattle and SunValley(Idaho), Kent Gallery in Key West, the Toronto International ArtFair, the Arteamericas Art Fair in Coconut Grove, Florida as well at the Lowe Museum in the Paradise Lost show.

His awards include the Hortt Competition at the Museum of Fort Lauderdale and the 1995 Personal Achievement Award from the Muscular Dystrophy Association for the State of Florida. In 1994, he was commissioned by Metro- Dade Art In Public Places for a permanent exhibition at the Dade Government Center. The series Nonet for the Long Journey, is a memorial tribute to the American with Disabilities Trailblazers. In 1998 and 2006, he was included in Christie’s New York auctions among other Latin American Masters and his name was included in the book"Leonard’s Price Index Latin American Art at Auction" by Susan Theran.

Music is present in his work and whole shows have been based on musical structures comprising of series titled: Schumann’s Liederkreis, Wagner’s Ring, Sinfonietta, Impromptus, Chamber and Reverberations. As a result, many of his pieces have been chosen as cover illustrations for the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra Playbills, along with the New World Symphony 1995-96 Season Program Book and the Florida Grand 1998-99 Season Program and Poster, the first local artist to receive such an honor.

214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com

Spreng also writes about music as a correspondent for music magazines and newspapers. As the US correspondent for Argentina’s foremost magazine, Clasica, he interviewed Luciano Berio, conductors Donald Runnicles, Nicholas McGegan, James Judd and ; singers Montserrat Caballe, Renata Scotto, , Barbara Hendricks, Evelyn Lear, Thomas Stewart, Anne Sofie von Otter and Deborah Voigt; pianist ; violinists Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham and Pinchas Zukerman as well the members of the Emerson Quartet. Since January 2002, he also writes for El Nuevo Herald/Miami Herald and Opera News.

Solo Exhibitions 2009 Handmade Horizons & Songs, The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida 2008 Liederkreis Op.II, Friesen Gallery, Seattle Washington amd Sun Valley, Idaho 2007 Liederkreis, The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida 2006 Arden Gallery, Boston, Massachussets 2005 Ring Landscapes, Friesen Gallery, Seattle, Washington Kent Gallery, Key West, Florida 2004 Chamber Music Opus 3 - Friesen Gallery, Sun Valley, Idaho 2003 The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia Arden Gallery, Boston, Massachussets 2002 Seeking Light - Friesen Gallery, Seattle, Washington Paths – Galeria Arteconsult, Panama, Panama 2001 Witness – Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia 2000 Inner Island – Friesen Gallery, Seattle, Washington 1999 Reverberations – The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia 1997 Oasis - The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia 1996 Galeria Arteconsult, Panama City, Panama 1995 Chamber Music - Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia Chamber Music - The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida 1994 Centro de Arte Euroamericano, Caracas, Venezuela 1993 Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia Galeria Arteconsult, Panama City, Panama 1992 Sinfonietta/Impromptus - The Americas Collection,Coral Gables, Florida 1991 Metro-Dade Cultural Resource Center, Government Center, Miami, Florida Water:inspiration & image -West Kendall Library, Miami, Florida 1990 Park Gallery, Fort Lauderdale / Boca Raton, Florida Known/Unknown - Interamerican Art Gallery - MDCC, Miami, Florida 1989 Silent Voyages - Galerie Helene Grubair, Miami, Florida Galeria Atica, Buenos Aires, Argentina

214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com 1988 Spanisches Kulturinstitut in Residenz, Munich, Germany Galerie in Burgermeisterhaus, Essen-Werden, Germany 1987 Galeria Atica, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1986 Veranos - Galeria Martina Cespedes, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1982 Galeria Financiera San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1981 Casa de la Cultura, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina 1980 Interiores - Galeria Martina Cespedes, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1979 Casa de la Cultura, Necochea, Argentina 1977 Variaciones sobre un tema - Galeria Martina Cespedes, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1976 Pueblos blancos - Galeria Martina Cespedes, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1975 Galeria Martina Cespedes, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Selected Group Exhibitions 2008 ARTEAMERICAS, The Americas Collection, Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida Extended Boundary: Latin American Artists in Miami, IDB Cultural Center, Washington DC What does Compassion Look Like?, Friesen Gallery, Seattle, Washington Notions of Landscape, Timothy Tew Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia 2007 ART MIAMI, The Americas Collection, Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida Notions of Landscape - Timothy Tew Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia Corners.Contour, Friesen Gallery, Seattle, WA 2006 ARTEAMERICAS, The Americas Collection, Coconut Grove Convention Center, C.Grove, Florida ART MIAMI, The Americas Collection, Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida New Artists - Timothy Tew Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia Alignment, Friesen Gallery, Seattle, WA 2005 Toronto International Art Fair, Toronto, Canada ARTEAMERICAS Art Fair, The Americas Collection, Coconut Grove Convention Center, Miami, Florida The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida Arden Gallery, Boston, Mass. 2004 ARTEAMERICAS Art Fair, Coconut Grove Convention Center, Miami, Florida Kent Gallery, Key West, Florida Panamerican Gallery, Dallas, Texas Paradise Lost - , , Florida 2003 ARTEAMERICAS Art Fair, Coconut Grove Convention Center, Miami, Florida Toronto International Art Fair, Toronto, Canada Surface – Friesen Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2002 Florida International University, North Campus, Florida Toronto International Art Fair, Toronto, Canada

214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com

2002 Florida Latin American Artists – Palazzo Mediceo, Seravezza/Pietrasanta, Poetry Show - Anthony Ardavin Gallery - Atlanta, Georgia 2001 Contemporary Masters - The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida Spirit of the Americas - The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida 2000 Galeria Codice, Managua, Nicaragua Vilanova Fine Arts, San Salvador, El Salvador 1999 Latin American Artists, Louisiana Tech Ruston Louisiana Latin American Artists, Center of Fine Arts, Hollywood, Florida Latin American Artists, Sarah Moody Gallery, Univ.of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama Latin American Artists, Turman Art Gallery,Indiana State University, Terre Haute Indiana 1998 Numinous - Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta Georgia WIZO 98, Miami Beach, Florida MDA Art Collection, Jacksonville International Airport, Florida MDA Art Collection, Duluth Art Institut, Duluth, Minnesota Latin American Artists, McDonough Museum of Art, Youngstown Ohio Mesneros Gallery, University of West Virginia, Morgantown The Art Gallery - Walters State Community College, Morristown, Tennessee 1997 The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida Contemporary Latin American Artists, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida Noel Fine Arts, Charlotte, North Carolina Latin American Artists, Slocumb Galleries, East Tennessee University, Latin American Artists, Johnston City, Tennessee & University of Alabama Yellow - Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia San Salvador Biennal, Galeria 1-2-3, San Salvador, El Salvador 1996 ART MIAMI 96, The Americas Collection, Miami Beach, Florida Pentimento Fine Arts, Toronto, Canada Red - Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia Galeria 1-2-3, San Salvador, El Salvador 1995 MDA Art Collection, University of California, Berkeley, California MDA Art Collection, Blackhawck Satate Capitol, Arizona Corbino Galleries, Sarasota, Florida 1994 Limited Graphics Edition, The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida La Raza Council, Miami Beach Convention Center, Florida Art Against AIDS 94, Coral Gables, Florida 1993 ART MIAMI 93, The Americas Collection, Miami Beach, Florida In the Eye of the Beholder - Main Library, Miami, Florida Bijutsu Sekai Galleries, Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, Kyoto; Japan Changing Images - Cork Gallery/Lincoln Center, New York Spotlight on Southeastern Artists XII, Atlanta, Georgia

214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com

1992 ART MIAMI 92, The Americas Collection, Miami Beach, Florida Landscapes Real & Imagined - The Americas Collection, Coral Gables, Florida Argentinian Artists - Novus Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia Bijutsu Sekai Galleries, Tokyo , Japan Arte BA 92, Buenos Aires, Argentina Aqui - Museum of Art, Orlando, Florida 1991 33 Hortt Memorial, Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Spirit of Place - Bijutsu Sekai Galleries ,Tokyo, Japan Art Against AIDS, Frances Wolfson Gallery, Miami, Florida The Americas Collection - Coral Gables, Florida 1990 32 Hortt Memorial, Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Contemporary Landscape - North Miami Museum, Florida Weiterbildungszentrum, Dusseldorf, Germany Miami Artists: 50 years of Collecting - Main Library, Miami, Florida

Public Works and Awards 1995 - George Armitage Memorial / Miami - Dade Government Center, Florida 1995 - Personal Achievement Award, MDA State of Florida 1990 - Award of Merit - Hortt Memorial, Museum of Art - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Selected Collections • American Airlines, Admiral Club, Miami International Airport • Art in Public Places, Government Center, Miami, Florida • BAC International, Miami, Florida • Banco del Itsmo, Panama City, Panama • Banco Santander, Miami, Florida • Barclays Bank, Miami, Florida • Burgermeisterhaus, Essen-Werden, Germany • Delta Airlines, Crown Room Club, Logan International Airport, Boston • Essen Sparkasse Sammlung, Essen, Germany • Federal Reserve Board, Washington DC • Federal Reserve Bank, Atlanta, Georgia • , Miami, Florida • Four Seasons Hotel, Miami Florida • Fundacion Ortiz-Gurdian, Nicaragua • Gibraltar Bank, Coral Gables, Florida • GBM Corporation, Miami, Florida • Miami-Dade Public Library System, Key Biscayne, Florida • MDA Art Collection, Tucson, Arizona • Merrill Lynch, Panama City, Panama • Museo Rosa Galisteo de Rodriguez, Santa Fe, Argentina

214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com

• Nationsbank, Miami, Florida • Pan Am Sat Collection, Miami, Florida • Sunbank, Miami, Florida • Swiss Bank, Miami, Florida • Tropicana Collection, Bradenton, Florida • and Private Collections in USA, Japan, Europe , Canada, Central and South America

Additional Works • Work on cover Pizzetti’s Requiem –CD HMundi 807518 - 2009 • Works on cover for the Thomas Hampson Edition (Mahler, Schumann Lieder) on iTunes, 2008 • The Spreng Liederkreis Limited Edition Project – The Americas Collection 2009-10 • Work on cover Arvo Pärt’s Da Pacem, 2006 - CD HMundi 907401/ Grammy Winner 2007 • Limited Graphic Edition – The Americas Collection - 2007 • Florida Grand Opera 1998-99, Season Program and Poster, Miami, Florida • Featured Artist 1996-97 Season, Florida Philharmonic Orchestra Playbills • Featured Artist 1994-95 Season, Florida Philharmonic Orchestra Playbills • Limited Graphic Edition - The Americas Collection/Arteconsult - 1995/96/97/2000 • Stage design for Jean Cocteau's L'Aigle a deux tetes, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1978 • Works on cover for the New World Symphony 1995-96 Season, Miami Beach, Florida • Work on cover for George Skaroulis' Numinous. 1998, Atlanta, Georgia • Work on cover for Henryk Gorecki’s Kleines Requiem- CD Telarc 80147 - 1996 • Work on cover for J.Rodrigo CD CLASICA Magazine, Argentina - January 1998 • Work on cover for pianistic duettos, CD CLASICA Magazine, Argentina – CDC0033 – July 1999 • Work on cover for Florida Youth Symphony CD – Miami, Florida – April 2000 • Work on cover for the Missouri Review, IX 1991, University of Missouri

Selected Bibliography • Alvarez Bravo, Armando. “Los viajes del sueño”, El Nuevo Herald, Miami, 5/25/03 • Alvarez Bravo, Armando. "Las reverberaciones de Sebastian Spreng", EL Nuevo Herald, Miami, 12/19/99

214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com

• Alvarez Bravo, Armando. "Los necesarios oasis", El Nuevo Herald, Miami, 16/11/97 • Alvarez Bravo, Armando. Figura del momento/Nuevo Herald, Miami, 24/9/98 • Alvarez Bravo, Armando."Spreng y los paisajes de la imaginacion", El Nuevo Herald, 28/10/92 • Alzola, Concha. "Nueva idea del paisaje", Vanidades USA Magazine, Miami, March 1993 • Arcidiacono, Carlos."Plastica: Sebastian Spreng", Revista Mercado, B. Aires, September 1975 • Arocemena, Farfan. "Sebastian Spreng", Revista Creer, Buenos Aires, 1978 • Aubele, Luis."Los Pueblos Blancos del joven Spreng", La Opinion, Buenos Aires, 22/9/76 • Baliari, Eduardo. "Sebastian Spreng", El Economista, Buenos Aires, November 1978 • Baron Supervielle, Odile."La Pintura Luminosa de Spreng", La Nacion, Buenos Aires, 30/1/94 • Bazzano-Nelson, Florencia. “Sebastian Spreng at Anthony Ardavin, Atlanta”.ARTNEXUS, 2001 • Bean, Shawn. “”36 Artists to buy now: Sebastian Spreng”, Florida International Magazine, Miami, October 2004 • Behar, Thelia."Artist turns Nature into musical studies", Buenos Aires Herald, 16/11/86 • Behar, Thelia. "The Supernatural", Buenos Aires Herald, 25/10/77 • Behar, Thelia. "Reaping a plentiful harvest", Buenos Aires Herald, 11/5/82 • Brasco, Miguel. "Algo sobre Sebastian Spreng", Revista Diners, Buenos Aires, May 1975 • Briante, Miguel."En el nombre del nadador", Pagina Doce, Buenos Aires, 27/11/89 • Cantor, Judy. "Floating skies and impossibly blue seas", Buenos Aires Herald, October 1987 • Cantor, Judy. “Natural beauties”. New Times, Miami, 5/22/03 • Capalbo, Daniel. "El Paisaje Metafisico", Paula Magazine, Buenos Aires, September 1988 • Castelar, Diana. "Un joven artista que trasciende", Clarin, Buenos Aires, 6/12/87 • Cernadas Quesada, Alfredo. "Unbounded Creativity", Buenos Aires Herald, 29/10/95 • Cernadas Quesada, Alfredo. "The Silent Voyager", Buenos Aires Herald, 3/12/89 • Damian, Carol.”Sebastian Spreng at The Americas Collection”, ARTNEXUS Nº50, 2003

214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com

• Damian, Carol. "Beyond the blue paintings of Sebastian Spreng", Six Continents Mag, Miami 2001 • Damian, Carol. Sebastian Spreng en Arteconsult , ArtNexus Magazine Nº22,US, October 1996 • Damian, Carol. "Studies of Nature", The Americas Collection March 1995, Exhibit Catalog. • Damian, Carol. "Reverberations". The Americas Collection November 1999, Exhibit Catalog. • Dieguez Videla, Albino. "Spreng Ganador", La Prensa, Buenos Aires, October 1995 • Dieguez Videla, Albino. "Spreng: Veranos", La Prensa, Buenos Aires, 2/11/86 • Dieguez Videla, Albino."La rapida maduracion de Spreng", La Prensa, Buenos Aires, 6/12/87 • Di Tella, Andres."Spreng imagina lugares que le complaceria vivir",Tiempo Argentino, B.A.,5/94 • Enriquez, Lucia.”Wagner’s Ring infuses artist’s Landscapes, The Seattle Times, 8/26/05 • Feinsilber, Jorge. "Spreng, sus mares y cielos", Ambito Financiero, Buenos Aires, 19/11/86 • Feinsilber, Laura. ‘Miami exhibe la diversidad del paisaje latinoamericano”,Ambito, B.Aires, 6/3/03 • Feinsilber, Laura. "La depurada tecnica de Spreng", Ambito Financiero, Buenos Aires, 16/12/87 • Feinstein, Ronnie.”Miami heats-up”, Art in America, November 1999 • Fontana, Lilia. “Spreng: La fuerza de los sueños”.Arte al dia. Julio 2003 • Galli, Aldo. "Subjetiva concepcion del paisaje", La Nacion, Buenos Aires, 8/11/86 • Galli, Aldo. "Idealismo y realidad", La Nacion, Buenos Aires, 12/12/87 • Graham Yool, Micaela. "Argentine Art comes home", Buenos Aires Herald, August 1975 • Gudiño Kieffer, Eduardo. Martina Cespedes 1977 Buenos Aires, Exhibition Catalog • Gudiño Kieffer, Eduardo."La Magia del Agua", Revista Hippopotamus, Buenos Aires, 9/90 • Heer de Beauge, V. - Sebastian Spreng, Esperanza y su gente - Esperanza, Santa Fe, 1980. • Hernandez, Jesus. “Dialogo inminente”. Diario de las Americas, Miami, 5/16/03 • Herrera, Adriana. “Ring Landscapes: la consagracion de Sebastian Spreng. Nuevo Herald Miami 7/8/5 • Hurlburt, Roger."Bigger bolder Hortt", The Sun Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 16/9/90 • Jemanok, Steve. “Boston:Yankee ambition”.Art & Antiques Magazine. June 2004 214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com

• Juncadella, Soledad “Sebastian Spreng: Liederkreis”.Complot Magazine, Issue 61, Miami, May/07 • Kohen, Helen."Landscape:healthy genre, handsome show", Miami Herald, 10/11/90 • Kowalski, Maria. "Sebastian Spreng", ShowBiz Magazine, Miami, December 1995 • Locke, Donald. "Dreamscapes". Atlanta Magazine. Atlanta. Georgia , 23/9/95 • Luis, Carlos M. “Representaciones de una experiencia espiritual”.Nuevo Herald Miami 5/13/07 • Magrini, Cesar. "Juventud tesoro multiple", El Cronista Comercial, Buenos Aires, 21/9/76 • Magrini, Cesar." Largo y continuado viaje", El Cronista Comercial, Buenos Aires, 18/9/80 • Magrini, Cesar."Pintura que es ejercicio de gran amor", El Cronista Comercial, B.Aires , 3/12/87 • Manzano, Manuel. "El paraiso acuatico", El Nacional, Caracas, Venezuela, 11/11/94 • McQuaid, Kate. “Tree-lined formula”, The Boston Globe, Boston, 8/22/03 • Meadows, Gail. “Artist exhibit takes on a golden tint”. Miami Herald, 5/24/03 • Montane, Diana. "Spreng: feliz en sus lienzos", Exito, Miami , 21/10/92 • Morsella, Astur. "Spreng: los colores de la paz", Selecta Magazine, Miami, November 1992 • Mosella, Astur."Buscador del absoluto", Diario de las Americas, Miami, 25/10/92 • Morsella, Astur. "Spreng: arte que libera", Miami Mensual Magazine, November1989 • Novo, Mireya. "Sueños de un mar azul turquesa", Exito, Miami, Florida, 22/3/95 • Pau Llosa, Ricardo. "Bien merecido el exito del arte hispano", Exito, Miami, December 1991 • Pau Llosa, Ricardo. "Sebastian Spreng", ArtPapers, Atlanta, Georgia, December 1991 • Pau Llosa, Ricardo. "Sebastian Spreng", Revista Imagen, Caracas, Venezuela, March 1992 • Pau Llosa, Ricardo. Centro Euroamericano Caracas 1994, Exhibition Catalog • Ponsowy, Mori. "El Silencio de Spreng", El Nacional, Caracas, Venezuela. 29/11/94 • Santiago, Fabiola.”DC exhibit celebrates Miami”. Miami Herald, February 24, 2008 • Scott, Mercedes. "Spreng; Imagenes del alma", Revista MarieClaire USA, November 1992

214 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134/ 305-446-5578/ Fax: 305-446-1148 www.americascollection.com

• Segal, Horacio. "En Busca Del Paraiso Perdido", El Nuevo Herald, Miami, 1/10/92 • Silva, Patricia. "Swimming in Landscapes", Latin Finance Magazine, Florida, September 1993 • Theran, Susan. "Leonard’s Price Index Latin American Art at Auction", Page 105/443, 1999, Newton Mass. • Tomb, Geoffrey. "Art celebrates passage to independence", Miami Herald, 14/7/95 • Turner, Elisa. “CRITIC'S PICK | Sebastian Spreng: Recent Works”, Miami Herald, May 4, 2007 • Turner, Elisa. “Sebastian Spreng: Recent Works”, Arte al dia internacional, June 2007 • Turner, Elisa. "Spreng Celebrates the Richness of Ocean", Miami Herald, 15/10/89 • Turner, Elisa. "Writing and Painting about Chamber Music", Miami Herald, 27/3/95 • Turner, Elisa. "Striking Miniatures in Spreng Exhibition", Miami Herald, 14/10/92 • Turner, Elisa. "Landscapes evokes places of the mind", Miami Herald, 3/6/92 • Ycaza, Cindy. "Paintings Reflect Fascination with Sea", Miami Herald, 18/8/91 • ----PEOPLE Magazine – Triunfadores:El color de la genialidad -page 66- April 2000 • --- CHRISTIE’S Catalog , The Latin American Sale, page 148, New York, November 1998 • ---"Mirada transparente", Revista Life & Fitness, Buenos Aires, 12/31/89 • ---"Reencuentro en plena libertad", Revista La Nacion, Buenos Aires, 11/28/89 • ---"Cuando la pintura es libertad", La Razon, Buenos Aires, 12/6/87 • ---"Un llamado inequivoco, fuerte e inconfundible", Revista Cronista Comercial, Buenos Aires, 12/87 • ---"De Miami sin escalas", Revista Noticias, Buenos Aires, 12/3/89 • ---“Pintura de soledades, lirismo de la luz”, Revista Caras, Buenos Aires, 5/9/2006 • Sebastian Spreng

….Sebastian Spreng is a man of many paradoxes. He is a minimalist at heart, but he combines the feeling of isolation from an Edward Hopper painting with the

Color Field technique of a Mark Rothko. The result is a mixture of components creating an original Spreng. He has formed a bridge between the psychological and the physical. The work is a continuous exploration of the evolution and survival of humankind by finding strength in dreams, hopes, and aspirations. He creates elaborately rich compositions. His work is personal, expressing the inner core of human emotions, perhaps expressing his triumphs from the many obstacles he has overcome. In his previous work he partnered a solitary figure within a vast seascape. A single swimmer floating alone in the water, created a sense of isolation, whereas the autonomous swimmer had no boundaries, possibly a romanticized longing by the artist to set his own body free. This figure, though small in its surroundings, seemed to have had domain of its environment

– able to float away on a whim devoid of any imparities. Within his newer work, the swimmer is transferred into an arbor, and it is juxtaposed within a panoramic landscape somewhat agoraphobic. Much of the landscapes are inspired from Las

Pampas in Argentina, but its aesthetics is exclusively American with European roots. The work references the Romantic landscape. Each piece has a painted line around the composition, creating a self-contained frame within a frame.

Spreng creates for the viewer the illusion of looking through a window and witnessing his phantasmic world. They are simple arrangements, where trees become biomorphic forms enclosed in a Rothkoesque background. Layer upon layer of textured passages richly create his surface. His compositions generate stillness and a delicate balance of forms accentuating a harmonious interaction.

Spreng’s personal aesthetic and individual style is unmistakable. He has recontextualized Las Pampas into an oniric American formation. The sturdy ruggedness of these firmly planted compositions is perhaps an evolution within the artist. The arbors are the survivors from all of the uncertainties life can offer, not even swayed from the heavy turmoil would they loose their roots. They are firmly planted and will survive. The work is a personal decree from the artist and the oeuvre say,“ I, Sebastian Spreng, am a master of my life and a master of my world….”

Lilia Fontana is an art critic, writer and interim director of the Kendall Campus Art Gallery, Miami Dade College, Florida