Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Obituary: Jess Soto

Hugh O'Shaughnessy
Thursday 03 February 2005 01:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

ONE OF the remarkable things about the kinetic art of Jess Soto [obituary by Hugh O'Shaughnessy, 31 January] was its ability to disorient you physically, writes Colin Cooper. Standing in front of one of his immense filament structures in the Museum of Modern Art in Caracas, you felt yourself in a new and exciting world. It is a great pity that his major retrospective bypassed London when it came to Europe.

Soto played his guitar at the private view before his show at the Signals Gallery in 1965, and very well by all accounts. Some years ago I found myself in the Madrid workshop of the man who made his guitar, the late Manuel Contreras. On the wall was a construction by Soto: he had given it in exchange for the guitar. It was, Contreras maintained, the highest price ever paid for a guitar.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in