Alberto Garcia Alvarez, 'Collective Mind' (1980), University of Auckland, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Images: Bronwyn Holloway-Smith, Public Art Heritage Aotearoa New Zealand, 2021.

The University of Auckland

Matthew McLean

Kate McLean

Façade of Building 303 (The Science Centre), City Campus, University of Auckland, CBD, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Collective Mind

Born in Barcelona in 1928, Alberto Garcia Alvarez graduated from the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes in 1951.

During a year’s study scholarship in Florence Alberto met Marian McEntire. They married in 1958 and established themselves in Majorca where they had their first son, Jordi. 

Many of Alberto’s early commissions were installed there

In 1961 the family relocated to California where a second son, Pablo was born. Over the following decade Alberto taught at several universities and performed many installations and exhibitions.

In 1972 the family moved to New Zealand where Alberto took up the position of Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts, where he continued to teach until his retirement in 1995.

Radio New Zealand 'Alberto Garcia-Alvarez: Wellington City Gallery'