Waldo Balart: 0,0,0
waldo balart: 0,0,0
serigraph on paper, hand signed in memoriam by editor in pencil
published in 2025
by comptoir des arts franches montagnes (cafm)
saint-brais, switzerland
printed by SYMETRIA, saint-louis
edition of 250, 30 x 30 cm in a frame of 32 x 32 x 3.5 cm
including wooden shadow gap frame
0,0,0: a global snapshot of non-objective art in the digital age
commemorating the 110th anniversary of kazimir malevich’s groundbreaking 0,10 exhibition (petrograd, 1915), the 0,0,0 portfolio is a seminal contemporary project that explores the enduring legacy of geometric and non-representational art worldwide.
the title “0,0,0” references the pure state of the color black in programming code, symbolizing the core principle of maximum reduction and universal applicability—a direct conceptual bridge to malevich's revolutionary "zero form."
this limited-edition portfolio gathers 30 original works by international artists, showcasing the vibrant, transcultural evolution of constructivist principles across different generations and continents. it is a visual dialogue between the historical avant-garde and the logic of our networked, digital world.
waldo balart, who passed away in february of this year, was one of the most important representatives of Latin America's concrete-constructive art scene. born in cuba and long-standing in madrid, his life and work were dedicated to the systematic investigation of color and its rhythmic organization within a geometric structure. for balart, art was not a representation of the visible world, but a search for an underlying logical order that becomes visible through the interplay of primary and secondary colors.
his outstanding importance in the history of abstraction is documented by his remarkable biography and long-standing presence in the international art world. balart, who was the brother-in-law of fidel castro, left cuba and became a key figure in the new york art scene of the 1960s. there, he was not only a contemporary but also an early supporter and mentor to andy warhol, whom he helped in his formative years. his work has been shown in numerous museums and institutions worldwide, such as the museo nacional centro de arte reina sofía in madrid, the museum of modern art (moma) in new york, and the museum hünfeld in germany.
balart’s contribution to the 0,0,0 portfolio represents a bridge between the historical avant-garde and the 21st century. his approach to "reduction to color and plane" follows the tradition of suprematism and constructivism, yet expands it through his own color-light theory. in the context of our portfolio, his work serves as a vibrant reminder that the "zero point" is not a void, but a field of infinite systematic possibilities. his geometric compositions continue the trajectory of modernism by translating the liberation of 1915 into a precise, contemporary language of light and structure.