The painter

José Garcia TELLA – (1906 – 1983)

José Garcia TELLA was born in Madrid on May 8th 1906.After a hard youth, he worked at Eastman Kodak’s until the age of 30. At the outbreak of the war on July 18 th 1936, he intented to be a film actor and director.

Biografy

Vas a volunteer in the republican army, he fought on the Madrid front and then produced a series of short films for the republican government. In the trenches, he wrote his first play called “ TORMENTA “, which would be played at the Zarguel theatre in Madrid in 1937. He also contributed to several libertarian publications such as ” CASTILLA LIBRE “, “UMBRA”, etc…

In 1938, he joined the Aragon front like ” Miliciano de la Cultura ” (the teaching of farmers).

After the defeat in 1939, he folded back in France with the Catalogne Army. Interned during 8 months in Barcares and then in the 42th labour company in Brienne Le Château, he escaped and became a working man in a factory at Le Havre.

After the invasion of France, he was sent as a prisoner in Bremen. In 1942 he escaped in order to shelter in Paris where he worked illegally until the liberation.

Fond of art and literacy, he decided to publish a magazine about the Spanish art ” GALERIA ” which would be rapidly censured.

Because of a strong need to express himself, he painted his first work in 1948 at the age of 42. It represents a Last Supper where the Apostles devoured the body of the Christ.

In 1948, he participated in the first ” Foyer de l’Art Brut ”

Introduced to Henri-Pierre ROCHÉ, great collector and far-seeing body of critics, he would receive advice, help and encouragement from him. In 1951, his works were presented at Jeanne Bucher’s in Paris. Later, his participation in ” Salon d’Arte Sacré “, His exhibition in ” Musée d’Art Moderne ” ” EVOLUTION ” and his participation in ” L’école de Paris” were noticed.

During their meeting, ROCHÉ will have aquis not less than 165 oils of the artist.

In February 1960 he met Michel MIGRAINE, who organised for him an exhibition in le Havre, in the GIOTTO Gallery and then in Paris, in the Mady BONNARD Gallery. Regularly from 1961 until his death in 1983, he exhibited in le Havre, Cherbourg and Paris at the Atelier Albert’s Gallery and the 2 + 3 Gallery.

In 1969 Maitre Claude ROBERT dispersed 110 paintings, aquarelles and collages to Drouot.

Then TELLA exhibited in the DREVET Gallery, in the ” SPAIN HOUSE ” and in the Jean Claude RIEDEL Gallery. Michel LOUIS did often homage to the artist’s work in his show  ” THE PRETEXT “.

The painter was also the guest of different exhibitions such as: The free art’s exhibition, the Populist exhibition, the Superindependants’ exhibition and the exhibition of May.

His work takes part in a lot of collections in EUROPE, in AMERICA and JAPAN. The museums in MEXICO, GENEVA, ALCAZAR OF SAN JUAN (Spain), REINA SOFIA (Madrid-Spain)  have some artist’s oil paintings.

This biography ha been written by Charles TELLA (godchild and nephew of the painter)

Bibliografy José Garcia TELLA

– Figure in the book “Spanish artists in Paris.Identities and commitments in the face of the civil war” by Amanda Herold-Marme, book of 379 pages with color reproductions (CTHS editions. Paris December 2024)

– « Catalogue raisonné by José García Tella » by Inmaculada Real López, 234 pages book + digital works (éditions Trea S.L- Gijón. Asturias. España 2022)

– Exhibition : Like a sewing machine in a wheat field. Francesc Tosquel’s psychiatry (edition of 700 pages-Madrid 2022)

– Is listed in the book “ Goya. Valor y símbolo del exilio republicano español ” by Inmaculada Real López, 192 pages book with color (éditions Trea S.L- Gijón. Asturias. España 2022)

– Is listed in the book “La crítica de arte Española en exilio Francés” ” LA REVISTA GALERÍA ” by Inmaculada Real López, 240 pages book with color (éditions tirant humanidades-Valencia 2020)

– Is listed in the book of the exhibition ” 1939 Exilio Republicano Español ” -Ministry of justice Spain (edition of  700 pages-Madrid 2019)

– Is listed in the book of the exhibition ” Paris pese a todo. Artista extranjeros, 1944-1968 ”                                                  (Museo Reina Sofia from 22 novembre 2018 to 22 Avril 2019 – edition of 268 pages in English and Spanish

– Is listed in “Almanach de l’Art Brut ” (collection de l’Art Brut/SIK-ISEA/5 continents éditions 2016)

– Is listed in ” Esprit singulier. Fonds de l’abbaye d’Auberive ” by Jean-Claude and Alexia Volot (éditions Flammarion, Paris, 2016 and Abbaye d’Auberive, 2016)

– “Hommage à José Garcia TELLA” by Christian NOORBERGEN (éditions Miroir de L’Art, n°69 december 2015

– Is listed in “Henri-Pierre Roché” (éditions de l’Herne, Paris october 2015)

– ” TELLA un témoin à l’oeil aigu ” by Charles TELLA – 143 rep dont 124 coul (Paris, autoédition december 2013)

– Is listed in “Le dictionnaire des arts plastiques modernes et contemporains” (éditions Gründ, Paris, March 2001)

– Is listed in “Henri-Pierre Roché l’enchanteur collectionneur” by Scarlett and Philippe RELIQUET (éditions Ramsay, Paris, 1999)

– Is listed in “Ecris sur l’Art” by H.P Roché (éditions André DIMANCHE 1998)

– Is listed in “LA COTE DES PEINTRES” by JA AKOUN (Paris éd, de l’Amateur 1985)

– “GARCIA TELLA” by Mondher BEN MILAD (les Cahiers de la Peinture n°168, 1984)

– Is listed in the first “Guidargus” by Gérald SCHURR (Paris éd, de l’amateur 1980), and in éd. 1981, 82, 83, 84 …

– The Association of Spanish Artists and Intellectuals in France published its report (Boletin de cansados artes n°6, 1980) an art label about the artist

– “TELLA” published by Guy MALOUVIER – 40 rep en coul, 6 ill, (Paris, Arcam, 1976)

– Is listed in the dictionary “BENEZIT” (Paris , Gründ 1976)

– “TELLA” by Jean BEDEL (Catalogue published by Maître Claude ROBERT, on the occasion of the sales ok works at the Drouot Hotel in 1969)

– “TELLA VISIONNAIRE ET MYSTIQUE” by Gérald SCHURR (l’Amateur d’Art n°432, Mai 1969)

– “L’UNIVERS FANTASTIQUE DE TELLA” by Françoise de PERTHUIS (Gazette de l’hotel Drouot) n°18, 1969)

– “TELLA” by M. de la HEVE (L’Oeil n° 70, 1960)

– Is listed in “Adieu, brave petite collection” Henri-Pierre Roché, pages 34 à 41 (l’Oeil n°51 march 1959)

– “TELLA” by René MASSAT (information artistique n° 42, 1957)

– “GARCIA TELLA” by Luis Del BARCO (exhibition “Evolution”, Modern Art Museum, article published by SOLIDARIDAD OBRERA, suplémento litérario 01/1955)

– “GARCIA TELLA” by Mario MARIANO (CRITICA, révista espagnola 07/1961)