José Luis Sánchez

JOSÉ LUIS SÁNCHEZ FERNÁNDEZ (Almansa, Albacete, 1926).
"Torso", 1979.
Metal. Exemplary 2/3.
Signed, dated and justified on the left side.
Measurements: 67 x 41 x 20 cm.
This work shows a synthesis between form and matter, where the metal is polished to a specular shine. The work articulates a vertical structure of modulated volumes, assembled with precision, which evoke the human anatomy from a deeply abstract interpretation.
The title "Torso" suggests a latent figurative reference: the human body stripped of its extremities, concentrated in its essential core. However, Sánchez does not seek a literal representation, but a symbolic and architectural transposition of the body. The curved and angular surfaces, alternating with concave and convex planes, dialogue with each other in a visual tension that refers to both the solidity of the body and its vulnerability. This formal play is enhanced by the specular effect of the metal, which deforms and reflects the environment, integrating the viewer and the surrounding space into the work itself.
A fundamental exponent of contemporary Spanish sculpture, José Luis Sánchez was one of the forerunners of abstraction in our country, and contributed to introducing the European avant-garde into the Spanish art scene. A member of the San Fernando Academy, he has won awards such as the medal at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 1954, the First Prize at the First Industrial Design Competition in Madrid in the same year, the gold medal at the Manchegan Exhibition of Plastic Arts in Valdepeñas in 1960, the gold medal at the Third Biennial of Sacred Art in Salzburg in 1962, the First Prize Tomás Francisco Prieto of the National Mint in 1968, and the First Prize at the International Exhibition of Small Sculpture in Budapest in 1981. Currently, his work can be found in the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, the Vatican Museum (Modern Art Collection) and the Fundación Juan March. He also has numerous public works in different Spanish cities.