Roberto Matta
Bio
Roberto Matta (Chile, 1911–Italy, 2002) studied architecture at the Pontifical Catholic University of Santiago. He later moved to Paris (1933–1935), where he worked as a draftsman in the studio of Franco-Swiss architect Le Corbusier and developed a friendship with painter Marcel Duchamp.
In 1936, he traveled to Spain, where he met poet Federico García Lorca and painter Salvador Dalí. At the start of World War II, he relocated to the United States. From 1939 to 1948, he lived in New York City, where he connected with André Breton, Max Ernst, Yves Tanguy, and André Masson.
A pivotal figure in the evolution of Surrealism, Matta also played a decisive role in the Abstract Expressionist movement of the 1940s. His early works reflect metaphysical concerns and a deep appreciation for the significance of religious imagery.
Statement
In the late 1930s, Matta created his first large-scale oil paintings, a medium that would become characteristic of his work. Early on, he used Surrealist psychic automatism to explore the mind’s deepest visions. From the 1950s onward, as he distanced himself from Surrealism, he developed a personal poetics and grew interested in political and social themes, especially in Latin America. His work evolved, incorporating figurative elements and a heightened political consciousness. From the 1970s, anthropomorphic figures frequently appeared in his pieces.
Additional information
Exhibited in St. Petersburg, Russia, State Hermitage Museum, Matta & The Fourth Dimension, 2019.
2.5 x 4m / 98.4 x 157 in
