1929 - 2014

Quick facts

  • Also known as: Melesio Casas
  • Museums on this site: Museum of Fine Arts
  • Art period: Modern
  • Copyright status: Under copyright
  • Works on this site: 1
  • Died: 2014

The Life and Vision of Mel Casas

Born in El Paso, United States, Mel Casas was an American artist, activist, writer, and teacher. His early life was shaped by his upbringing in El Segundo Barrio and his service in the Korean War, during which he was wounded and awarded a Purple Heart. After serving, he pursued higher education, earning a BA from Texas Western College and an MFA from the University of the Americas in Mexico City. Casas spent much of his career in San Antonio, where he served as the Chair of the Art Department at San Antonio College for twelve years and acted as president of the Con Safo art group from 1971 to 1973.

Artistic Practice and the Humanscape Cycle

Casas is widely recognized for his Humanscape series, a cycle of complex, large-scale paintings produced between 1965 and 1989. These works often utilized a tripartite structure consisting of a rectangular screen image, foreground images, and pithy text to create verbal and visual puns. His stylistic evolution saw him transition from abstract expressionism to a representational style, eventually moving toward a method of pouring and dripping paint. His later works, produced after his retirement in 1990, often featured smaller drip paintings, including themes of semi-nude females and still lifes.

Perguntas e Respostas

A qual período histórico pertence a obra de Mel Casas?

Mel Casas atuou no período Modern. Este período situa a atividade do artista na história.

Quais cores Mel Casas utilizou com mais frequência?

O perfil de cores da obra de Mel Casas pode ser visualizado na página DNA da Paleta do artista.

Posso navegar pelas obras de Mel Casas por técnica?

A página Por Técnica agrupa as obras de Mel Casas por técnica.

Onde e quando nasceu Mel Casas?

Mel Casas nasceu em El Paso, em 1929.

Quick quiz

Cada pergunta possui apenas uma resposta correta.

Pergunta 1:
In which city was Mel Casas born?
Pergunta 2:
What was the name of the art group Casas helped found and served as president of from 1971 to 1973?
Pergunta 3:
Which series of paintings did Casas create between 1965 and 1989?
Pergunta 4:
Mel Casas served in which war?
Pergunta 5:
What was Casas's occupation at San Antonio College for 29 years?