Delia Cancela (born 1940, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine pop artist and fashion designer.[2] She has lived in Argentina, New York, London and Paris, and exhibited internationally. Retrospective exhibitions of her work and her collaborations with Pablo Mesejean include Delia Cancela 2000-Retrospectiva (2000), Pablo & Delia, The London Years 1970-1975 (2001), and Delia Cancela: una artista en la moda (2013).
Early life and education
Delia Cancela was born in 1940 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.[2] She studied at the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires.[2]
Cancela began to exhibit widely in the early 1960s. Her work, which incorporated images such as Elvis Presley, made her part of Buenos Aires' pop art scene.[2]
She was one of 6 artistas en Lirolay. Sexteto ('Six Artists in Lirolay: Sextet') at the Galería Lirolay, representing the best of Buenos Aires "new art" in January 1964.[3]
Cancela exhibited at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and won the Premio de Honor Ver y Estimar[2] in 1963 and 1964. The arts review journal Ver y Estimar ('Look and Consider') was formed by Jorge Romero Brest and published from 1948 to 1955. An association was founded in 1954 which awarded the Premio de Honor Ver y Estimar from 1960-1968.[4] One of Cancela's well-known pieces from this time is Broken Heart (1964).[1]
Her work was included in the exhibition Arte Nuevo de la Argentina ('New Art of Argentina', 1964) which was co-organized by the Instituto Torcuato Di Tella (ITDT) and the Walker Art Center, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[5] The exhibition traveled to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Minneapolis.[2]
From the 1960s until his death in 1991, Cancela collaborated with Pablo Mesejean.[2] They married in 1965.[6] Their work is non-traditional and cross-disciplinary, incorporating theater and costume design, fine art and fashion.[2]
In 1965, Cancela and Mesejean held their first full exhibition Love and Life at Galería Lirolay. Combining painting, set design, music and performance,[6] this exhibit has been identified by critic Nelly Perazzo as one of a series of "true landmarks" in forward-looking Argentinian art.[7][8]
In 1966 Cancela and Mesejean exhibited Nosotros Amamos ('We Love') at the Instituto Torcuato Di Tella, supporting acceptance of gender identity and popular culture.[2] They also signed a "manifesto":
"Nosotros amamos los días de sol, las plantas, los Rolling Stones, las medias blancas, rosas y plateadas, a Sonny and Cher, a Rita Tushingham y a Bob Dylan (...) las gorras de color, las caras blancas y los finales felices, el mar, bailar, las revistas, el cine (...) los baby girls, las girl-girls, las boy girls, los girl-boys y los boy-boys".[9]
Receipt of the Premio Braque from the French government in 1966 enabled Cancela and Mesejean to travel to Paris in 1967.[10][11][12] On their return to Argentina they participated in Experiencias 68 (Experiencias Visuales).[11][13]
There was considerable political tension around the exhibit. One of the pieces, Roberto Plate's El Baño ('The Bathroom'), was removed by police because visitors had "decorated" it with anti-governmental graffiti. Delia Cancela was one of several artists who removed their works and destroyed them, as an act of sympathy and in protest of the creation of a police state.[14]: 288–294
While in Argentina in 1968, Cancela and Mesejean also held a fashion show Ropa con Riesgo ('Clothing with Risk') at ITDT.[11] They worked with Alfredo Rodríguez Arias to create costumes for an adaptation of Dracula.[15][14]: 139 They lived briefly in New York during 1969 to 1970.[11]
From 1970 to 1975 they lived in London where they started the Pablo & Delia clothing brand.[11]
The fashions they designed were worn by celebrities such as Bianca Jagger,[16] and were featured on the cover of Vogue[16][17] and appeared in Harper's Bazaar,[18] and Queen.[19][11]
Their pieces are in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.[16] Aside from these exhibition, Delia & Pablo worked with architect Osvaldo Giesso. They displayed some of their art works and pieces at Giesso's boutique, La flor de San Telmo.[20]
In 1975 Cancela and Mesejean returned to Paris, working with Yves Saint Laurent, Kenzo and the group Créateurs.[21] Their shows incorporated elements of parades and performances.[22]
French critic Pierre Restany described their style as Pop Lunfardo ('Vernacular Pop').[23]
Pablo Mesejean died in 1991. In 1999 Delia Cancela returned to Argentina.[13] She lives in Buenos Aires and in Paris, France.[2] She continues to design and exhibit.[24]
^"6 artistas en Lirolay : Sexteto". Documents of 20th-century Latin American and Latino Art. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
