Antoni Tàpies

The paintings in the exhibition are of varying scale and reveal Tàpies’ use of media including marble dust, sand, pigment, and varnish. In some, the most normal of objects and materials are incorporated into the surface of the paintings such as a key, old clothes and straw. Cryptic letters, numbers and symbols are scored and marked upon the surfaces giving the commonplace elements renewed significance. Tàpies work has clear roots in Dada and Surrealism. The artist has for the most part lived and worked in his native Catalonia, a region of Spain with distinct historical and cultural identities that have deeply influenced his practice. Tàpies’ interest in Oriental philosophies also provides contexts for considering his work.