Arts & Entertainment

Elias Crespin, one of two living artists displayed at the Louvre

Paris, Feb 8 (EFE).- Venezuelan artist Elías Crespín is one of just two living artists being showcased at Paris’ Louvre museum.

His work was first exhibited in the museum two years ago, and he is about to present a new work at the Paris Philharmonic dedicated to composer Iannis Xenakis.

Unlike many who find their passion and talent at a young age, Crespín’s revelation as an artist came later in life.

“My first work was when I was 37 years old, so there is hope,” he tells Efe during an interview from his workshop in the suburbs of Paris.

Crespín, the son of mathematicians, started his career as a computer programmer for banks and companies.

But thanks to his artistic grandparents, he grew up going to exhibitions and dance performances.

“One day I saw a cube by Jesús Rafael Soto and I said to myself: ‘This could be a three-dimensional coordinate axis where we can plot functions. And well, the idea stuck with me,” Crespín says.

Four years later, the idea transformed into a series of electrokinetic mobiles; repeated geometric elements like squares, circles, dots and lines, that spread in space in rhythmic sequences that respond to mathematical algorithms.

“Everything had a computer background but I saw it as something interesting, something different. I didn’t think I was going to become an artist,” he says.

The computer engineer suddenly found himself exhibiting in Miami, New York and Switzerland before landing in Paris in 2008 for his wife’s job.

“Miguel Chevalier, my studio neighbor, invited me to showcase my work in an exhibition of Artists and Robots at the Grand Palais. It was there that the Louvre saw my work and changed my career.”

‘L’Onde du midi’, hundreds of metal bars that, with 256 engines, wave on one of the staircases of the Louvre Palace, is one of the contemporary pieces of art displayed at the historic Parisian landmark. EFE

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