Antoni Tàpies (1923–2012) stands as one of the most significant figures in 20th-century Catalan and European art. Deeply rooted in the historical and cultural consciousness of his homeland, his work has exerted a lasting influence on the international art scene. As a co-founder of the Dau al Set movement in the late 1940s, Tàpies contributed to the emergence of a singular visual language in Spain, shaped by Surrealism, Dada, and a metaphysical exploration of matter and sign. Today, his works are held in major public and private collections worldwide.
For Tàpies, art was never merely a formal investigation; it was an act of thought and often a gesture of resistance. During the 1970s, amid Spain’s political tensions, his practice became increasingly marked by symbols of Catalan identity. Crosses, letters, imprints, elemental signs, and fragments of the Catalan flag appear as visual affirmations of cultural memory and collective dignity.
The poster occupied a particularly important place within this trajectory. Tàpies used it as an instrument of engagement — a direct and accessible medium capable of carrying a collective message. Far from being simple promotional tools, his posters are intrinsically linked to the social, cultural, and political history of Catalonia. Even when announcing exhibitions, they possess a manifesto-like quality, where image and text merge into a powerful statement.
This dimension is especially evident in the poster created for his 1972 exhibition at Galerie Maeght in Paris. Across the four bars of the Catalan flag, the phrase “Visca Catalunya” (“Long live Catalonia”) is boldly inscribed. With this concise yet potent gesture, Tàpies transformed the exhibition space into a symbolic platform, turning art into a vehicle of identity and historical affirmation.
This very large lithograph presented here was produced on the occasion of this exhibition, and fully embodies that historical and symbolic context. It is not merely an exhibition document, but a direct extension of this statement — condensing within the lithographic medium the profound interplay between artistic creation and cultural commitment that defines Tàpies’ work of this period.
Cette dimension est particulièrement manifeste dans l’affiche réalisée pour son exposition de 1972 à la Galerie Maeght, à Paris. On y voit inscrit « Visca Catalunya » (« Vive la Catalogne ») à travers les quatre bandes du drapeau catalan, geste à la fois graphique et politique. Par ce simple énoncé, Tàpies transforme l’espace d’exposition en tribune symbolique, faisant de l’art un vecteur d’identité et de mémoire.
La lithographie présentée ici a été réalisée à cette occasion, s’inscrivant pleinement dans ce contexte historique et symbolique. Elle constitue le prolongement direct de cette affirmation identitaire, condensant dans le médium lithographique la tension entre création plastique et engagement culturel qui caractérise l’œuvre de Tàpies à cette période.
