Clorindo Manuel José Testa (Naples, 1923 – Buenos Aires, 2013) studied Architecture at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, graduating in 1947. The following year, he joined the Oficina del Plan Regulador de Buenos Aires, a municipal body inspired by the ideas of Le Corbusier. In 1951, he became part of the Dirección de Urbanismo of the Municipalidad de Buenos Aires and, together with Boris Dabinovic, Augusto Gaido, and Francisco Rossi, won the competition to construct the headquarters of the Cámara Argentina de la Construcción.
In 1952, Testa held his first solo exhibition at Galería van Riel, marking the beginning of his artistic career. At the same time, he designed both public and private buildings, incorporating the distinctive features of his architectural style: the use of concrete, primary colors, and pure forms. Among his most notable works are the Banco de Londres y América del Sud (today Banco Hipotecario) and the Biblioteca Nacional, both considered paradigmatic examples of brutalist architecture in the region.
In 1957, he joined the Grupo de los Siete Pintores Abstractos, later associated with the journal Boa, and from 1958 was active in the so-called Grupo de los Cinco. Between 1975 and 1994, he participated as a full member of the Grupo de los 13, within the framework of the Centro de Arte y Comunicación (CAyC). Subsequently, he exhibited in various galleries and museums in Argentina and abroad, presenting works such as Composiciones en blanco y negro, La peste en Ceppaloni, Mediciones, gritos, manzanas de Buenos Aires, and Cuadrículas. In 2022, his body of work was recognized by Fundación Konex with the distinction of “Inolvidable” (Unforgettable).
