Rivera before Rivera. Pictorial Works of Manuel Rivera for the National Colonization Institute

Manuel Rivera (Granada, 1927 - Madrid, 1995), was one of the founders and members of the Group El Paso in 1957, and he is a genuine representative of the Spanish artistic Avant-Garde. He has been internationally acclaimed for his original abstract works with metal wire. Prior to this, between 1952 and 1957, he built his career in the field of mural painting. He concentrated his work in the National Colonization Institute (INC), performing up to 16 jobs (murals and large-size paintings). In addition to INC main building, he painted several works for local churches in small villages around Spain. This paper is focused on these pieces, much less known than the others despite their interest. This study represents a significant contribution to the knowledge on the artist's career, and on the modernization of religious art in the Franco era.