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Citius Altius Fortius

Miguel Berrocal Ortiz1991 - 1992

The Olympic Museum

The Olympic Museum
Lausanne, Switzerland

Torso composed of six upright elements of irregular shape. A kevlar and carbon fibre-reinforced composite, this light material allows to the giant sculpture to move thanks to a mechanism hidden in its base. The elements split up and revolve in a double translating and rotating movement, in a slow and regular rhythm. The torso shows then abstract curves whose harmony remains whatever the movements of the sculpture. In order to escape the problems inherent in the weight of traditional materials such as bronze and marble, the sculptor used a revolutionary synthetic fibre, kevlar, which is normally used in the aviation and aerospace industry. This was the first time that kevlar was used in an art work.

This torso in motion is the monumental culmination of a theme that marked all of Berrocal’s work. It is his most characteristic and well-known theme. Between 1959 and 1962 already, his wrought iron abstract works (“Grand Torse” or “Bijou”) evoked forms that were later found in various transpositions of the male anatomy: from free interpretation of classical torsos (“David” or “Alexandre”) that are complex to combine and dismantle, to the firm “Almogávares” in iron or wood. Berrocal's works grew away from figuration, their morphological structure becoming refined to underline the importance of the fragment. Berrocal chose to give his sculpture the title “Citius Altius Fortius” because the torso perfectly illustrates the effort of the athlete and his physical and mental concentration. Once “back together”, the athlete will be faster, higher and stronger.

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  • Title: Citius Altius Fortius
  • Creator Lifespan: 28 September 1933 - 31 May 2006
  • Creator Nationality: Spanish
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Antequera, Spain
  • Creator Birth Place: Villanueva de Algaidas, Spain
  • Date Created: 1991 - 1992
  • Location Created: Spain
  • Sculptor: Miguel Berrocal Ortiz
  • Physical Dimensions: w2850 x h3000 x d1820 cm (Complete)
  • Description: Signed: Berrocal 1992 on the plaque.
  • Collection information: This large-scale kinetic work, “Citius Altius Fortius” was made for and commissioned by the International Olympic Committee for the opening of The Olympic Museum on 23 June 1993. Previously, it was exhibited in Seville for the IOC pavilion at the Universal Exposition ’92 from 20 April to 12 October 1992. This monumental sculpture is now on display in front of the Olympic Museum esplanade.
  • Artistic school or movement: As a child, Berrocal instinctively felt drawn to art and research when he already produced his own colours and toys for his amusement. This interest in the relationship between art and science naturally made him choose to study at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and the Escuela de Artes Graficas – he met his future friend and teacher Angel Ferrant during his art lessons – and to enrol the Faculty of Exact Sciences in order to qualify for the entrance examination in Architecture. His first exhibition took place in 1952 in Madrid. After these first exhibition experiences, he was awarded a grant to study in Italy. While exploring the notions of space and shape, Miguel Berrocal discovered in 1956 that sculpture can be “disassembled”, and took part in the creation of the Spanish pavilion at Venice Biennale when still only 23 years old. It was especially contact with the sculptors Cárdenas and Alberto Giacometti that inspired Miguel Ortiz Berrocal to devote himself to sculpture. This turning point marked his transition from the analysis of the problem of filled and empty space and the multiplicity of positions of a single sculpture to the problem of the combinatorial possibility of different volumes. His sculptural exploration led him to experiment constantly with new techniques and materials. Thanks to his scientific training, he succeeded in applying to art technologies previously used only in the most advanced sectors of industry. During the late 1960s, he managed to make 2,000 copies of a sculpture using the technique of injection casting. The sculptor explored the possibilities of shape and interiority of material and developed the notion of “sculpture in the sculpture”. Between 1970 and 1980, he continued his research on monumental sculpture. Miguel Berrocal was closely associated with the Olympic Movement. During the 1990s he created several works for the IOC pavilion at the Universal Exposition in Seville. The Olympic Museum organised a retrospective on the sculptor’s work. The Fundaciòn Escultor Berrocal para las Artes was founded in 2007 in Madrid.
  • Type: Sculpture
  • Rights: International Olympic Committee, 2004, ©IOC/G.Peter
  • External Link: IOC/The Olympic Museum
  • Medium: Sculpture made out of steel, kevlar and carbon fibre
The Olympic Museum

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