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J.Fín | Back to list of artists

J.Fín

J.Fín

José Vilató Ruiz (J.Fín) was born in Barcelona in 1916, where he will study at the Sant Jordi Fine Arts School. His artistic name comes from a diminutive used in his family: José, Josefín, J.Fín.
 
In Barcelona he will present his first show, but the destruction of his studio due to a bomb and his call up to join the republican army in the Spanish Civil War will stop his artistic trajectory.
 
In 1939, J.Fín crosses the border with France and becomes an inmate at a concentration camp in Argelés. His uncle Pablo Picasso manages to take him out and he settles in Paris until the beginning of the II World War, when he heads back to Barcelona and soon has to join the Spanish army for his military service.
 
After graduating in the army J.Fín returns to Barcelona and with his brother Javier Vilató, Albert Fabra and Ramon Rogent he presents a series of group and solo shows.
 
In 1946 he is granted a scholarship by the French government and moves to Paris where he will settle at La Ruche, the emblematic building that, at the beginning of the 20th century housed artists such as Chagall, Léger, Kisling or Modigliani among many others. La Ruche that J.Fin will find is a decrepit place where he will live with many difficulties. His work from those years will be characterized by a naked abstraction almost monochromatic, painted on any surface that he could find.
 
By the end of the 40s and the beginning of the 50s, the exhibiting activity of J.Fín gets increasing. The French government would acquire some of his works, but his precarious health due to his difficult years at La Ruche and an emergency operation, will affect him for the rest of his life.
 
As well as exhibiting in France, in the 50s and 60s J.Fín will exhibit again in Barcelona, and will also take part in group shows dedicated to the School of Paris all over Europe. Since 1965, his illness forces him to rest so he splits his time between his studio and the bed until his death in Paris in 1969.
 
The remains of J.Fín would be sent to Barcelona to be buried at the family’s pantheon.
 

J.Fín (José Vilató Ruiz) CV

José Vilató Ruiz (J.Fín) - Selected solo shows

 2017
J.Fín, el sendero solitario, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
2008
J.Fín, els anys de La Ruche, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
Fín a les col.leccions de Barcelona,  Vila Casas Foundation, Barcelona.
 
2002
J.Fín. (Període 1939-1965). Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
Gothsland Gallery, Barcelona.
 
2000
Retrospective exhibition and presentation of the catalogue raisonée of J.Fín’s work  written by Pilar Vélez. Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona.
 
1999
Retrospective exhibition, Cervantes Institute, Paris.
 
1998
Retrospective of graphic art, Biblioteca de Catalunya, Barcelona.
 
1996
J.Fín,Une vie de Peinture,  La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
J.Fín,Une vie de gravure, Centre d’Etudes Catalans, Paris.
La natura morta a l’obra de FIN. Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona. One of his works is donated to the MACBA Museum.
 
1992
St. Martin Gallery, Cognac.
 
1991
J.Fín, Gravures SAGA’91.  La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
 
1989
Fín graveur SAGA’89. La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
Fín graveur,  La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
 
1988
Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1981
Suillerot Gallery, Paris.
 
1978
Caixa de Granollers. Presentation by Rafael Santos-Torroella
Torre Nueva Gallery, Zaragoza.
 
1977
Ponce Gallery, Madrid Ana Vázquez de Parga curator.
Sala Navarro Gallery, Barcelona. Francesc Draper curator.
 
1975
Hommage à J.Fin. Christiane Colin Gallery, Paris
 
1971
Retrospective exhibition, La Virreina palace, Barcelona, organized by the City Council.
 
1969
Madoura Gallery, Vallauris.
 
1965
Grifé & Escoda Gallery , itinerant Barcelona, Madrid and Palma de Mallorca.
 
1961
Lucie Weil Gallery, Paris.
 
1959
Saint-Placide Gallery, Paris.
 
1958
Sala Gaspar Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1957
Saint-Placide Gallery, Paris.
 
1956
Tauromaquia (engravings). Sala Gaspar Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1955
Dina Vierny Gallery, Paris.
Sala Gaspar Gallery, Barcelona.
Tauromaquia (engravings) Verneuil Gallery. Preface by Jean Cocteau.
 
1952
Beaune Gallery, Paris.
Syndicat d’Initiatives, Saint Raphaël.
L’Art Pictural Gallery, Paris.
 
1945
Pictoria Galleries, Barcelona.
 
1935
" José Vilató Ruiz (J.Fín) ", Les Arts Reunides Galleries, Barcelona.

 

 
 
José Vilató Ruiz (J.Fín) - Selected group exhibitions
2020

De Miró a Barceló. Un siglo de arte español (From Miró to Barceló. A century of Spanish Art). Pompidou Center, Malaga.

1939, exilio republicano español (1939, Spanish repubican exodus), Arquerías de Nuevos Ministerios, Madrid.

2019

Picasso and the Exodus. A Spanish history of art  in  resistance.  Les Abbatoirs, Toulouse.

2018

Escola Espanyola de París, Sala Dalmau gallery, Barcelona.

2017

The shared studio. Picasso Fin, Vilató, Xavier. Picasso Museum, Barcelona.

2015
“La línea ininterrumpida. Picasso, Fín, Vilató, Xavier”, Picasso Foundation -Casa natal Museum, Malaga.
 
2011
Art Madrid 2011, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Madrid.
Escola de París, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
 
2009
Art Madrid, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Madrid.
 
2007
Escuela de París, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
 
2006
Vanguardias, Sala Dalmau gallery, Barcelona.
 
2004
25 anys de Galeria, Sala Dalmau, Barcelona.
 
2002
Españoles en París, Las Vanguardias, Caja de Granada, Provincial Museum of Jaen.
Picasso: amigos y maestros españoles, Episcopal Palace, Malaga.
 
2001
Escuela de París, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1997
ESTAMPA’97 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery , Madrid.
SAGA’97 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
Avantguardes històriques, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1996
ESTAMPA’96 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Madrid.
SAGA’96 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery,  Paris.
 
1995
Avantguardes històriques i Escola de París. Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
ESTAMPA’95 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Madrid.
SAGA’95 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
 
1994
Artistes del Cercle Maillol, Saló Tinell, Barcelona.
ESTAMPA’94 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Madrid.
Escola de París, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
SAGA’94 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
 
1993
ESTAMPA’93 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Madrid.
SAGA’93 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
 
1992
Saint Gilles Gallery, Paris.
SAGA’92 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
 
1991
Escuela de París y otras Vanguardias, Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
SAGA’91 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
 
1990
SAGA’90 (engravings), La Fenêtre Gallery, Paris.
 
1989
Deu anys de galeria, Sala Dalmau gallery, Barcelona.
 
1988
Callu Mérite Gallery, Paris.
 
1986
Escola de París. Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1984
Escola de París. Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1982
Art Catalan Contemporain, Pierre Bayle Cultural Center, Paris.
 
1981
12 artistes catalans amics de Picasso, René Metrás Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1980
Pintura1917-1980,  Ruiz Castillo Gallery, Madrid.
 
1979
Escola Espanyola de París. Sala Dalmau Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1977
Ponce Gallery, Madrid.
 
1976
Société Genérale, Reims.
 
1975
Les Tavelles, St. Remy de Provence.
Ianua Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1965
I Premi de Pintura La punyalada, La Virreina Palace, Barcelona.
 
1963
L’Oeil de Boeuf. 7 Gallery, Paris.
 
1961
L’Ecole de París,  Charpentier Gallery.
Pest gallery, Nassau (Bahamas).
Verena Müller Gallery, Bern (Switzerland).
 
1958
Sala Gaspar Gallery, Barcelona.
 
1957
Six Spanish Painters, The Obelisk Gallery, Washington.
Six Spanish Painters ,Hannover Gallery, London.
 
1956
Salon Jeunne Peinteure, Museum of Modern Art, Paris.
Peintures et sculptures d’artistes espagnols, Vidal Gallery, Paris.
 
1955
Salon de Mai, Paris.
Hommage des artistas espagnols a Machado Maison de la Pensée Française, Paris
 
1954
Salon de Mai, Paris.
Salon d’Automne, Paris.
 
1953
Salon de Mai, Paris.
Salon d’Automne, Paris.
1952

26 peintres français et espagnols (Manuel Angeles Ortiz, O. Domínguez, Painado, Viñes…), Galería Pictural, París.

1951

Exhibition in Italy organized by Beaune Gallery, Paris.
Salon de Mai, Paris.
Salon d’Automne, Paris
 
1950
With Alberto Fabra, Breteau Gallery, Saint-Raphaël.
Salon de Mai, Paris.
Salon d’Automne, Paris.
 
1949
La Ruched’hier et d’aujourd’hui.  Berri Gallery, Paris.
Salon des Réalites Nouvelles, Paris.
 
1948
Peintres et sculpteurs espagnols de l’Ecole de París (with Picasso, Bores, Domínguez, Clavé, Parra, Viñes, Lobo, Peinado…)
Apollo Gallery , Brussels.
Union des Arts Plastiques, Bologne-Billancourt (Paris).
 
1946
Premier Salon d’Art Catalan,  L.Reyman Gallery , Paris.
2º Centenario de Goya, Bordeaux.
 
1945
Sala Clan Gallery, Madrid.
24 grabados, Asociación de la Prensa, Barcelona. (with Pierrette Gargallo, Alberto Fabra and Javier Vilató)
24 grabados Pictoria Galleries, Barcelona(with Pierrette Gargallo, Alberto Fabra and Javier Vilató)
 
1944
Reig Galleries, Barcelona.
Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes, Museumof Modern Art, Barcelona.
 
1943
Reig Galleries (with Fabra, Rogent, Vilató), Barcelona.
 
1942
Pintores catalanes, Círculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid.
Arte Galleries, Barcelona.
 
1939
Group exhibition in France in benefit of the Spanish republicans.
 
1932
Emporium Galleries, Barcelona.

 

José Vilató Ruiz (J.Fín) - Museum and collections

Museum of Modern Art, Paris.
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.
Fond Municipal d’Art Contemporain, Paris.
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
Contemporary Art Museum(MACBA), Barcelona.
National Art Museum (MNAC), Barcelona.
Biblioteca de Catalunya, Barcelona.
Vila Casas Foundation, Barcelona.
Catalunya Caixa Foundation, Barcelona.
 

José Vilató Ruiz (J.Fín) - Bibliography (selection)

 
“ José Vilató Ruiz (J.Fín) , exposición antológica”, Barcelona city council, Virreina Palace, Barcelona.
“J.Fín graveur” published by La Fenetre, Paris.
“J.Fín, gravats”, by Pilar Vélez. Published by Biblioteca de Catalunya, Barcelona.
“J.Fín”, by Pilar Vélez, Published by Omega, Barcelona.
“J.Fín a les col·leccions de Barcelona”, Published by Vila Casas Foundation, Barcelona.
 

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