Lluís Cots

LLUÍS COTS (Barcelona, 1946).
No. 19. “Centaure II” series, 1988.
Mixed media on canvas.
Provenance: This work was included in the inaugural solo exhibition at the Sala Caja Madrid, on Plaça de Catalunya in Barcelona, in 1988. Subsequently, works from this same series were exhibited at the Galería Greca in Barcelona; at the Sala Libros in Zaragoza; and in the exhibition “Barcelona besucht Berlin” in Berlin in 1992.
Certificate of authenticity included.
Measurements: 55 x 46 cm.

The title of the series, “Centaure II,” refers to the mythological figure of the centaur, a symbol of duality and the conflict between instinct and reason, nature and culture, body and spirit. Without resorting to a literal figurative representation, Cots translates this tension into abstract language through the juxtaposition of chromatic masses, organic forms, and vertical structures. The work thus suggests a hybrid, ever-changing presence, built upon the energy of the gesture and the density of the material.

The composition stands out for its balance between gestural force and internal organization. The curved forms interact with the vertical axes, while the splashes and black strokes introduce a dynamic rhythm to the surface. The palette, limited yet forceful, reinforces the intensity of the whole and places the work in a vein close to gestural abstraction and material informism.

Lluís Cots is an abstract-figurative artist whose work navigates a tension-filled territory between material, gesture, and symbolic evocation. His painting constantly interrogates the world: within its dense surfaces and suggested figures lies a profound concern for the human condition, time, and the invisible conflicts that permeate contemporary reality. This concern is expressed in a restrained manner, without explicit thematic emphasis, leaving the viewer an open space for interpretation.

Active since the early 1970s, Cots has developed a solid and coherent body of work, marked by experimentation with mixed media, painting on canvas, paper, and wood, and a constant exploration of materials. He held solo exhibitions early in his career at galleries such as Crecelius (Tarragona, 1971), Da Barra (Barcelona, 1972), and Subex (Barcelona, 1973–1974), establishing himself in the Catalan art scene. In the 1980s and 1990s, his work gained wider recognition through exhibitions at the Maeght Gallery (Barcelona, 1984), the Sala Cajamadrid (Barcelona, 1988), and international exhibitions in Berlin and Paris, such as his solo show at the Lina Davidov Gallery (Paris, 1999).

His work has also been featured in numerous significant group exhibitions, including charitable projects linked to UNICEF and the fight against AIDS, as well as international exhibitions in Basel, Düsseldorf, Montpellier, and Lorraine, engaging in dialogue with other languages of contemporary European painting.