Fermín de Bedoya

FERMIN DE BEDOYA, right at the very beginning of his childhoodbecame known for his bright ideas. He had a solution for practically everything which gave rise to him being described as “THE GREAT FERMÍN”.

He broke with everything conventional, got lost in his own world and he continually surprised us with his strokes of genius. His wide ranging abilities were such that he quickly reached his conclusions as to the way in which he would do something. In this insatiable search he forgot about himself; neither considering the risk nor the danger. The important thing for him was to find the solution. All this going to and fro made him into a complete artist with experience of all forms of the Fine Arts.

There is no room for doubt that all of his works are imbued with his personality and have a force which attracts us like a magnate.

His art, based on life and his creative thoughts, enriched by experience and by the common ideas of humanity, introduces us to a magic, mysterious world full of conjecture. The work of FERMIN DE BEDOYA, with the purest empirical style, so complete, so meaningful, and industriously undertaken searches for his real expressive world: his liberation.

The clear concept of “The true artist” which continually harasses him, gives him the strength to continue his personal quest.

His extraordinary receptive artistic feeling hasn’t been contaminated in any decisive way by the different cultural environments through which he has passed in his extensive life. He has been true to himself, taking his art in a very personal, inimitable, and expressive direction.

His sculptures are an expression of the soul with a human impact that expresses itself in the nude. With great subtlety he takes in the greatness and the misery of human beings passing over the most deep seated feelings. One gains the impression that all these apparently inanimate sculptures retain in the interior the soul of those they represent or shelter their spirit.

We are before an artist consumed by love for reality, abstraction, and his own fantasies. His great craft and imagination permits him to use greatly diverse materials in a perfect amalgam. All this one sees enriched by his genius and stupendous investigative work.
Julián González de Bedoya
Historiador y crítico de arte
Biography

Born in Valencia, by chance, in 1944, the only brother of fourteen who is Valencian, which in itself was sufficient reason to dedicate his life to art and music (Tenor).

Son of a father from Extremadura (Tornavacas – Cáceres) and of a mother from Cantabria (San Vicente de la Barquera – Santander).
Portrait of F. de Bedoya (1971).
By María Calvet (Graduate in History of Art and Fine Arts. Madrid)
From being very young he knew what he wanted: restless, imaginative and able, with a strong streak of the rebel and with a temperament forged by what would later be his destiny: “ART”.

He started his primary schooling in Plasencia – Cáceres, (College of The Immaculate Conception). In 1952 he moved to Madrid where he began his secondary education (Institute San Isidro y Ramiro de Maeztu) changing to The Seminary of The Augustine Fathers. There, Bedoya began his first works of art, short of tools and with few materials. They were the first signs of his true vocation.

He left the Seminary and volunteered to join the Spanish Navy in 1961. San Fernando – Cádiz, El Ferrol de Caudillo (Training ship Galathea), moving on to the submarine school in Sóller, Mallorca. The documents and magazines of the fleet are illustrated with his war-like inventions, designs and drawings which shows Bedoya’s creativity, love of art, and are samples of his expression.

In 1963, he gave up the Navy but not his love of the sea which still exists today.

He returned to Madrid where medicine was to be his new activity, always taking into account his art which was now a part of his life.

In 1966, medicine was temporarily put on one side and he launched himself on a great new adventure: PARIS. With no money and no means of supporting himself he settled in the French capital. Painting, love affairs and a bohemian life made life pleasant for Bedoya in the French capital, where he also studied French at the “Alliance Française”.

In 1968, in search of light and colour he moved to the French Côte d´Azur, living in Nice, St.Tropez and Cannes. Bedoya earned his living painting marinas, ships, and different corners of the coastal ports.
In 1969, tired of so much sun and so many tourists, he moved to the Austria Tyrol. The beautiful mountains, the high peaks, and the beauty of the cities served to relax Bedoya. The same year, he returned to Madrid and medicine was again to be his principal interest, without giving up his art.

In 1971 he again went in search of colour and light. He gave up medicine for good and moved to Marbella. There, he got to know the artist Vicente de Espona (dc’d), who had a heritage of art in Marbella, unique of its kind.

It was at Vicente de Espona’s side where Bedoya consolidated his vocation and changed it to his profession, completing one of his great works, The Church of Calvario (1976 – Holy Art) as well as a numerous murals.

In 1978, Bedoya felt obliged to abandon Marbella; his divorce caused havoc in the artist’s life. He returned to Madrid where he met great difficulties in remaking his life. He fought against the stream for years but Bedoya didn’t give up his tenacious and constant fight and his art was always there to back him up.

In Madrid he met the painter Fernando Jiménez, and formed the society “GIMBERDART”. It was great and good experience. Years later the artist looked for a final place to find the peace he so needed.

In 1989, he discovered the Aragones Pyrenees. Ainsa was to be his destination. Nature and peace were within his grasp.

At the present time, Fermín de Bedoya resides between Ainsa, Madrid and Marbella, and his hands continue to create his art for which he was born in Valencia.
Photograph of F. de Bedoya (2004).
Work by the artist Jean Rouzaud.
Tarbes (France)