Antoni Tàpies

With a wide-ranging visual language that combines materials, gestures and symbols, Antoni Tàpies was known for his abstract, textured compositions. The Catalan painter, sculptor and art theorist was born in 1923 in Barcelona, Spain.

Tàpies began his artistic career in the 1940s, initially influenced by Surrealism and Dadaism and later informed by early modernists such as Paul Klee and Joan Miró as well as Art Informel artists like Jean Dubuffet. The artist was entranced by raw media and notion of human trace, creating works that attempted to access unknown dimensions of being through their rarefied physicality. Over time, he developed a unique style through his use of unconventional materials such as sand, marble dust and even household objects, which he incorporated into his canvases. This approach gave his works a distinctive tactile quality and a sense of depth and complexity.

His early works often reflected the turbulent political climate of post-war Spain, subtly critiquing the oppression of the Franco regime. The 1960s were an important time for the artist, with growing international recognition evidenced by his first solo museum exhibitions in Europe and America. During this period, he worked on a series of ‘matter paintings’ that represent one of the most fundamental strands of Tàpies’ practice. Materially grounded yet metaphysically conceived, these works constitute a deep enquiry into the relationship between the tactile substance of earthbound matter and its inherent mystical properties.

In addition to his painting, Tàpies was a prolific sculptor. His sculptures, like his paintings, often utilised everyday materials and objects, challenging traditional notions of what art could be. His work frequently blurred the boundaries between painting and sculpture, creating a dialogue between the two mediums that was both innovative and thought-provoking.

In 1984, Tàpies established the Fundació Antoni Tàpies in Barcelona. The foundation serves as a museum and a centre for the study of modern and contemporary art, housing an extensive collection of his works. Antoni Tàpies’ contributions to the art world were widely recognised during his lifetime. He participated in the Venice Biennale four times and was award the Golden Lion in 1993. His work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries worldwide and are part of the collections of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Kunstmuseum Basel, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate in London and more.