Born in 1923 in Ciudad Bolivar (Venezuela).
Early contact with surrealists. Studied Arts in Carracas (1942-1947). 1950 the artist moved to Paris and met many avant-gardists there. Soto is famous for serial paintings but he has also always been a musician. The sculpture in the »Giardino«which is meant to stride through seems to be a symbiosis of both these inclinations. Soto did several “penetrables”; the first one was realized for the Biennale in Venice. Soto died on 14th January 2005 in Paris
Penetrable sonore
1997
350 x 400 x 300 cm
iron frame, aluminium claves, ø 2-10 cm
In addition to the installations »Othello and Desdemona« (39) and Dieter Roth’s »Fax Bell« (46), this is one of the sound sculptures in the Giardino. Walk-in sounds may delight the visitor, but the chimes that are instigated by those who enter disturb the peace and quiet of the neighbours; for this reason, iin 2006 the large cube was transposed from the hill to its current location. Even in the 1950s Soto’s kinetic objects were intended to set static observation in motion and irritate the gaze. These walk-in sound sculptures are not simply objects to view. They can only be realised in full through the (careful) use of the recipient.
Penetrable sonore
1997
350 x 400 x 300 cm
iron frame, aluminium claves, ø 2-10 cm
