Author Description

Antoni Tapies' contribution to the aesthetics of the 20th century can be understood through his particular treatment of texture and material, a sensibility that has lent his paintings the unmistakably rich, mottled, and ancient character of a Spanish wall. Walls block access and vision, but also provide a backdrop for graffiti and the effects of the passing of time, and Tapies' consistent use of this motif and the magical assortment of materials through which it is conveyed encompass his endeavor to depict the continuity of physical matter. The fifth volume in this definitive catalogue of his complete works presents Tapies' output between 1982 and 1985, a brief but prolific period during which, despite the predominance of Neo-Expressionism, his influence continued to spread and his work was acknowledged by younger generations.