Untitled Document

CHRONOLOGY
1940	Francisco Benjamin Lopez Toledo is born on July 17 in Juchitan, Oaxaca. Studies primary at the Jose Ma. Morelos School in Minatitlan, Veracruz.
1952	Enters secondary school in the city of Oaxaca. Begins learning engraving techniques at Arturo Garcia Bustos workshop in Bellas Artes school of Oaxaca.
1957	Studies in the free engraving workshop at Escuela de Artesania y Diseno of Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
1959	Has his first solo exhibition in Mexico City at Galeria Antonio Souza and at Fort Worth Center in Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A. Travels to Italy.
1960	Travels to Paris, France and begins work at Cite Universitaire.
1963	Sets up his first exhibition in France with Galerie Karl Flinker of Paris. Travels to Juchitan and then returns to Paris where he shows at Daniel Gervis Gallery. Also exhibits in Switzerland, Germany, England, Norway and the U.S.A.
1965	Leaves Cite Universitaire, Paris, and returns to Mexico to settle in Ixtepec, Oaxaca Promotes the recording of a record with flute and drum music in Juchitan.
1966	From this date until 1975, does designs woven by artisans of Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca.
1967	Birth of Natalia, his first born. Settles temporarily in the city of Oaxaca. Has his first exhibition at Galeria Juan Martin in Mexico City. During the Cultural Olympics of Mexico, cancels an exhibition programmed for Santo Domingo exconvent, Oaxaca. Returns to Paris where he prints his first lithographs at the renowned studio of Clot-Bramsen et George.
1969	Returns to Mexico to reside in Oaxaca.
1970	Birth of his second daughter, Laureana. Resides in Lachi'xhoopa, near Ixtepec. Has first exhibition with Galeria Arvil in Mexico City.
1971	Travels to Paris.
1972	Birth of his son, Jeronimo. Inauguration of the Casa de la Cultura in Juchitan.
1974	Resides in San Felipe, Oaxaca. Shows his work at Martha Jackson Gallery in New York, U.S.A.
1976	Moves to a colonial house in Oaxaca City at number 507 Macedonio Alcala, today's seat to the Instituto de Artes Graficas of Oaxaca (IAGO) Has his first cultural undertaking by establishing the Casa de Cultura del Istmo in Juchitan Inaugurates the Biblioteca Pablo Picasso in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca.
1977	Travels to New York to live for a short time.
1978	Returns to Mexico City.
1980	Among the exhibitions of this year stands out an important retrospective of his work at the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City and his first exhibition in the Galeria de Arte Mexicano.
1981	Resides in Oaxaca.
1982	Resides in New York.
1985	Resides in Barcelona.
1986	Resides in Paris.
1988	Returns to Mexico.
1989	Birth of his daughter, Sara. Inauguration of the Instituto de Artes Graficas de Oaxaca (IAGO) whose collection is based on the painter's donation of an important art library and a community collection of international graphic art.
1990	Resides in New York.
1992	Collaborates in the creation of the Museo de Arte Contremporaneo de Oaxaca (MACO) which is inaugurated in February. Backs the restoration and adaptation project for the cultural center at the exconvent of Santo Domingo in Oaxaca.
1993	Birth of his son Benjamin. Obtains First Prize on the Fifth Triennial of Small Format Sculpture in Fellbach, Germany. Makes ephemeral sculptures in his garden in Oaxaca City, documented in the video El jardin de las delicias. Participates in the founding of the Patronato pro Defensa y Conservacion del Patrimonio Cultural y Natural de Oaxaca (PROOAX).
1996	Inaugurates Centro de la Imagen Manuel Alvarez Bravo and the Biblioteca Jorge Luis Borges for the blind in Oaxaca.
1997	Inaugurates Fonoteca Eduardo Mata in the Centro Fotografico Manuel Alvarez Bravo.
1998	Cineteca El Pochote opens its doors to the public in what was once his house next to Garcia Vigil aqueduct in Oaxaca City. Receives National Science and Art Award from President Ernesto Zedillo.
1999	The Fabrica de Papel de San Agustin Etla is inaugurated in the old central electricity building on the outskirts of Oaxaca City, dedicated to making paper, objects and limited editions from natural fibers, as well as investigating materials and natural dyes. Participates with a group of artists in acquiring an old textile factory adjacent to the central electricity building to house the archives and art studios. Initiates the investigation for the detailed catalogue of his work.
2000	Exhibits in the galleries Whitechapel of London, England, and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia of Madrid, Spain.
2001	Resides in Santa Monica, California, U.S.A.
2002	Returns to Oaxaca City.
Main galleries he has worked with: Galleria Juan Martin Galeria Arvil Galeria de Arte Mexicano Galeria Lopez Quiroga in Mexico City Galeria Quetzalli in Oaxaca City. Printshops that have made his graphic work: Mourlot, Paris, France (Just one drawing was done at Stanley W. Hayter Studio) Clot-Bramsen et George, Paris, France Khalil, New York, U.S.A. Proligrafa, Barcelona, Spain Mario Reyes and Andrew Vlady, Mexico City, Mexico Juan Alcazar, Fernando Sandoval and Mark Silverberg, Oaxaca, Mexico. Ceramists he has worked with: Hugo X. Velazquez, Mexico Baldwin Pottery, New York, U.S.A. Editorial work: Ediciones del Patronato de la Cultura del lstmo Ediciones del H. Ayuntamiento Popular de Juchitan Jose F.Gomez A.C. Ediciones Toledo Papeles de San Agustin.