Antoni Tàpies

ANTONI TÀPIES (Barcelona, 1923–2012).
“Esgrafiats Damunt Negre.” “Negre i Roig” Suite, 1976.
Etching with flocking and relief on paper. H.C. edition.
Work reproduced in Galfetti 612.
Measurements: 57 x 76 cm; 78 x 97 cm (frame).
“Esgrafiats Damunt Negre” is an etching with relief and flocking that exemplifies the artist’s exploration of the expressive possibilities of the material and the surface. The piece is part of the renowned print suite *Negre i Roig*, published by Ediciones Polígrafa, a seminal series within the Catalan artist’s print oeuvre. The work incorporates techniques such as sgraffito, relief, and flocking—techniques that create a rich tactile dimension and give the image a striking physical presence. Beyond its visual appearance, the surface becomes a realm of experimentation where marks, incisions, and textures take on a central role.
The composition brings together some of the most characteristic elements of Tàpies’ artistic universe: gestural strokes, spontaneous graphic forms, seemingly improvised marks, and eroded surfaces that evoke the wear and tear of time. These elements, characteristic of the Informalist aesthetic, transcend their formal dimension to take on a profound symbolic value, inviting the viewer to reflect on memory, matter, and the human experience. In this work, Tàpies transforms the engraving into a space of intense poetic power, where every incision and every texture contributes to a visual language that is as austere as it is deeply evocative.
Antoni Tàpies is one of the leading figures in European art of the second half of the 20th century and the foremost exponent of Informalism in Spain. A co-founder of the Dau al Set group, he developed his own unique language based on material and gestural experimentation, integrating signs, graphic elements, and symbolic motifs imbued with strong spiritual and existential significance. His work is held in institutions such as the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Madrid), the MACBA (Barcelona), and the Fondation Maeght (Saint-Paul-de-Vence), among many others. A recipient of the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale and the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts, his graphic work constitutes a fundamental chapter in his career and remains in high demand on the international market.