Antoni Clavé

ANTONI CLAVÉ (Barcelona, 1913 – Saint-Tropez, France, 2005).
“Relleus i signes,” 1972.
Carborundum engraving and embossing on paper, P.A.
Signed and dated in pencil.
The numbered edition consists of 75 copies.
It shows slight oxidation stains on the margins of the paper.
Measurements: 39.5 x 49 cm (print); 57 x 77.5 cm (paper).

The work belongs to a period of intense graphic experimentation by Clavé. After incorporating carborundum in the late 1960s, the artist explored its material possibilities by combining it with embossing, which physically transforms the surface of the paper. In this composition, masses of black and gray, along with raised circular marks and signs, construct a deliberately ambiguous space where the image approaches the status of an object. The contrast between the printed areas and the white embossed motifs makes texture, depth, and light essential elements of the print.

MACBA holds a copy of this work, dated 1972, created using carborundum engraving and embossing and belonging to an edition of 75 copies.

Antoni Clavé was one of the most internationally renowned Spanish artists of the second half of the 20th century, with a career that spanned painting, sculpture, collage, set design, and a significant body of graphic work. In 1978, the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris dedicated a major retrospective to him, while the Centre Pompidou presented *En marge de la peinture*. In 1984, the Spanish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale was entirely dedicated to his work, bringing together 125 pieces. His work is represented, among other institutions, in the MACBA collection.