In the catalogue for the Grupo Octaedro’s first exhibition the members of the group talk about where they are from and their art careers, thus providing an idea of their generational affinities in terms of art. The text makes it clear that drawing is everyone’s strong suit, as is their individual involvement in related events. Their drawing allows the group to introduce a certain intellectual dimension of a conceptual nature in some of their works, although they also work on so-called “environments.”  

The Grupo Octaedro focused on artistic experimentation, including mail art, installations, and environments. The group was founded in late 1978 and its members were Fernando Álvarez Cozzi (b. 1953), Carlos Aramburu (b. 1951), Carlos Barea (b. 1954), Juan Carlos Iglesias (b. 1956), Miguel Lussheimer (b. 1961), Abel Rezzano (b. 1936), and Carlos Rodríguez (b. 1951). Most of the members were graduates of the CEA (Centro de Expresión Artística), which was directed by Nelson Ramos (1932–2006), an important teacher who prized the art of drawing and the use of coarse, non-industrial materials in the visual arts [see in the ICAA digital archive by May Puchet “Grupo Octaedro [entrevista a Fernando Álvarez Cozzi]” (doc. no. 1259780)]. This encouraged these artists to progress from drawing to the object, and from the object to installation. The new group’s activities included group debates, readings and reflections on the nature of art, educating audiences, and art mediums, among others. Some of these ideas were communicated in invitations to exhibitions [see “Octaedro expone” (doc. no. 1260107)]. The group’s first exhibition consisted of individual works, but the idea was to present a group show. A poetic thread linked the different works and the invitation, which also presented each member’s brief CV.