FAREWELL TO ARGENTINE ARTIST AND ARTISAN MARTHA LE PARC
Textile artist Martha Le Parc passed away in Paris at the age of 88, surrounded by her children and her first husband, the iconic kinetic artist Julio Le Parc. Despite having been separated for decades, they spent their final days together at the American Hospital in the French capital after battling a severe lung infection.
Born in Argentina, Martha studied at the National School of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires, where she met Julio in 1955. Nine years younger than him, they began a relationship that led to their marriage and relocation to Paris in 1959 when he received a scholarship. Their shared passion for art and creativity extended to their family and artistic legacy.
Martha found her artistic voice in textile art, where she fused tradition with modernity. Throughout her career, she collaborated with renowned fashion houses such as Dior, Givenchy, and Paco Rabanne. However, when Rabanne suggested she devote herself entirely to fashion design, she chose to prioritize her family life and artistic exploration. Her creations, characterized by the use of materials such as satin, velvet, and taffeta, reflect the influence of Indigenous cultures from America, Asia, and Africa.
Her work ranged from designing theatrical costumes to creating tapestries and murals, which were exhibited in various countries. In 2020, her exhibition Artist or Artisan? at the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Buenos Aires and L'Orangerie in Paris reaffirmed her vision of craftsmanship as a bridge between memory, history, and artistic expression. For her, craftsmanship was "culture, memory, dreams, and history," a concept she defended throughout her career.
Her legacy will be honored in an exhibition dedicated to her at London’s Tate Modern in 2026, recognizing her impact on textile art and her ability to transcend established categories. According to critic Domitille d'Orgeval-Azzi, her work challenged the boundaries between contemporary art and craftsmanship, a stance that Martha herself upheld in line with Bauhaus ideals.
Julio Le Parc, who survived the same respiratory illness that affected Martha, shared an emotional message on social media: "Farewell to the love of my life, my wife, my muse, the mother of my three sons and the great artist that you are. Always present in my life until the end, thank you for having been there in the best and most difficult moments of our lives. Your three sons Juan, Gabriel, Yamil, your five grandchildren Luna, Mateo, Salvador, Alma and Iman are with you and we are infinitely grateful that you have always been by our side.”
Martha Le Parc leaves behind a powerful legacy of art, creativity, and passion, paving the way for future generations. Her work, which blended aesthetics with tradition, remains alive in museums and collections worldwide, and her spirit will endure in the memories of those who knew and admired her talent.
Related Topics
May interest you
CELEBRATING LE PARC AT ALBARRÁN BOURDAIS
The Albarrán Bourdais gallery, at its Madrid venue, is hosting the exhibition En movimiento, by Julio Le Parc (Mendoza, Argentina, 1928). With a celebratory tone, as this is the first solo exhibition dedicated to the Argentine artist in Spain in 30 years, the show explores a fundamental part of the work of this master of kinetic and op-art and does so with a selection of several pieces that illustrate key periods. Without being a retrospective, there is something of that essence in the way the tour is presented, which proposes, through connected groups, an analysis of the connection between the past and the present.
AN EXHIBITION OF 200 PIECES OF ARGENTINE ART
The Casa Nacional del Bicentenario has inaugurated Una Casa. La Casa. Lo doméstico deviene territorios (A House. The House. The Domestic Becomes Territories). This is the first public exhibition of works from the collection of Abel Guaglianone and Joaquín Rodríguez.
PINTA LIMA 2025: A GREAT MEETING OF CONTEMPORARY LATIN AMERICAN ART
Pinta Lima is the most important contemporary art fair in Peru, presenting in its 12th edition a solid program that celebrates the diversity of the Latin American artistic and cultural scene. Located at Casa Prado in Miraflores, Lima, the fair is an essential event where a network of artists, galleries, curators, and collectors from the region connect with the international scene.
JULIO LE PARC LAUNCHES VIRTUAL MUSEUM: AN IMMERSIVE CONTEMPORARY ART EXPERIENCE
The Argentine artist has introduced the Julio Le Parc Virtual Labyrinthus Museum, an enveloping digital space that invites the public to explore more than 500 works, including previously unseen pieces created especially for this platform.
VIVIAN SUTER IN SWEDEN, “LEVITY, FORTUITOUSNESS AND OPENNESS”
The exhibition I Am Godzilla at Moderna Museet Malmö is the Argentinan artist's first in Sweden, showcasing over 350 works, both new and older, many of which are being presented for the very first time.
LUIS FELIPE “YUYO” NOÉ PASSED AWAY, FAREWELL TO A GREAT FIGURE IN ARGENTINE ART
This Wednesday, painter and artist Luis Felipe Noé, known as "Yuyo," passed away at the age of 87, leaving behind a fundamental legacy in contemporary Argentine art. His work, which encompassed painting, drawing, sculpture, and installations, reflected his ongoing quest to represent the complexity of the modern world.
