Jesus Soto (1923-2005) was a Venezuelan kinetic artist and sculptor who is best known for his pioneering work in the Op Art movement. Born in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela, Soto studied at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Aplicadas in Caracas from 1940 to 1945. After graduating, he began experimenting with abstract art and kinetic sculpture, which would become his signature style.
In the 1950s, Soto began to explore the optical effects of light and movement on canvas. He created works that featured geometric shapes and lines that seemed to move when viewed from different angles. This style of art became known as Op Art, or Optical Art. His works were exhibited around the world and he was invited to participate in major international exhibitions such as Documenta IV in Kassel, Germany (1968) and the Venice Biennale (1972).
Soto's work has been featured in numerous solo exhibitions at galleries and museums around the world including The Museum of Modern Art in New York City (1971), The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (2002), The National Gallery of Canada (2003), and The Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid (2004). He also collaborated with other artists such as Carlos Cruz-Diez on several projects throughout his career.
Soto's work has been highly influential on subsequent generations of artists working with kinetic sculpture and Op Art. He died in 2005 at the age of 82 but his legacy lives on through his iconic works which can be found in major collections around the world.