(Santiago, Chile, 1911 - Civitavecchia, Italia, 2002)
Roberto Matta was a leading figure of Surrealism and a key influence on the development of Abstract Expressionism. Born in Santiago, Chile, and trained as an architect, he brought a unique spatial and conceptual approach to painting. In the 1930s, he joined the Surrealist circle in Paris at the invitation of André Breton, developing an innovative visual language focused on space, time, and consciousness.
During World War II, Matta relocated to New York, where his work and ideas had a strong impact on a younger generation of artists, including Jackson Pollock and Robert Motherwell. In this period, he developed his “inscapes” and “psychological morphologies,” biomorphic compositions that sought to visualize mental states and invisible realities, while gradually expanding his use of scale and color.
From the 1950s onward, Matta’s practice became increasingly engaged with social and political issues. Integrating historical, mythological, and humanist references, his work was widely exhibited internationally and entered major public collections. He is remembered as a visionary artist who believed deeply in the transformative power of art and poetry.