Almir Mavignier (b. 1925) was born in Rio de Janeiro. After traveling extensively in Europe he settled in Ulm, Germany, where he became a student of Max Bill and worked as a graphic designer. Mavignier created his first dot paintings in 1954, and joined the ZERO group in 1958. The following decade saw his work presented at the Venice Biennale and at Documenta 3 and 4 (1964 and 1968) and his appointment as professor of painting at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg, where he lives and works today.