Works Capturing the 'Light' of the Nature-Rich Formentera Island in Spain

Antoni Tàpies was born in Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain, in 1945. He began painting under his father's tutelage in his childhood. After obtaining his architect's qualification in Barcelona in the '70s, he held his first solo exhibition at the Galeria Matias Feix in Paris in '75. Since then, he has held numerous solo exhibitions at museums and galleries. In '87, he received the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France and has also been involved in stage design for theaters worldwide.

For this exhibition, Tàpies chose 'Island of Light' as his theme. In all his works, the light streaming in from openings in architectural structures and the darkness of the cool interior space are expressed through fantastical contrasts and delicate touches. The 'Island of Light' series depicts Formentera Island in Spain, where Tàpies has had a base since the '70s. Located just off the coast of Ibiza, this island is a paradise that captivates many with its rich nature and stunning scenery, and it also serves as Tàpies' source of inspiration. 'Island of Light' is both the island Tàpies loves in reality and a space of dreams and illusions, a kind of alternate reality.





The exhibited works are broadly divided into two types. One type consists of recent paintings, and the other comprises mixed-media works where paintings are layered over photographs from the past. In both types of works, the boundaries between light and darkness, reality and fiction, existence and non-existence, color and monochrome, infinity and finitude are masterfully depicted, conjuring a space filled with anxiety and anticipation, as if something has just happened or is about to happen.

The mixed-media works of photography and painting succinctly illustrate how reality and illusion, the real and the represented, constantly coexist and permeate each other in Tàpies' art. A photograph is indeed a fragment of the past that once existed, but by coloring and reconfiguring it, the past is resurrected in the present. Tàpies' works, where photography and painting interfere with each other, emit a unique aura as the past and present interpenetrate, enveloping the viewer in a sense of wonder.

'INSULA LUX Island of Light' Antoni Tàpies Exhibition

Period: January 16, 2019 (Wednesday) – February 14, 2019 (Thursday)
Venue: Chanel Nexus Hall
Address: 3-5-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Chanel Ginza Building 4F
Hours: 12:00 PM – 7:30 PM