Luis Lugan

Mano térmica de artista, 1975

Madrid, 1929

Pioneer of Spanish electronic art in the 1960s and 1970s. He began his artistic production with works of constructivist figuration and later geometric abstraction. Even at this time he signed with the name García Núñez, but later changed his name to Lugan. He worked as an electronic technician at the company Telefónica, a fact that helped him greatly to apply this knowledge to his artistic creations. From 1967 onwards, he developed his first audiovisual and tactile works. It is worth highlighting his participation in artistic collectives such as ‘Castilla 63’ and ‘Nueva Generación’.

Lugan is characterised by his interactive pieces, with light and sound, true kinetic-musical shows. With his works he manages to involve the spectator in several senses at the same time: hearing and sight, sight and touch, and sometimes even smell. This was a great novelty and revolution in the context of Spanish art in the second half of the 20th century. Lugan manages to unify and combine art and technology to perfection, a plastic-electronic research work mixed with the integration of light in his works and his interest in synaesthetic artefacts. In the 70s he focused on electrostatic and high-frequency fields, researching for example the tactile perception of temperatures and air currents. In the 80s he applied the possibilities of lasers to his work, for example, with his installation of laser projection of telephone communications.

The Fundació Suñol houses 4 of his works. Grifos sonoros (1973), which by opening and closing the tap itself, varies the sound it emits. Mano termámica de artista (1975), which stands out for giving off heat on contact. Silla/ bolas (1975) and Silla/ luz/ sonido (1976), both belonging to his series called ‘Sillas’. His works have been exhibited in the foundation’s collective exhibitions such as ‘Res no s’atura’ (2014, in collaboration with the La Panera Art Centre), ‘Continuum’ (2013-14) and ‘5è Aniversari. 27 obres, 18 autors’ (2011-2012).

List of artworks

Mano térmica de artista , 1975

Grifo sonoro , 1973

Silla (Luz y sonido) , 1976

Silla (Luz y sonido) , 1976

Mano térmica de artista , 1975

Grifo sonoro , 1973

Silla (Luz y sonido) , 1976

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