ROBERTO MATTA | Anti-Réponses

Private Collection, Europe (acquired directly from the artist)
Loiseau, Schmitz, Digard, Paris, 19 June 1994, Lot 54
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Paris, Galerie de France, O Tableau Noir, April - June 1988

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is much more vibrant in the original and it fails to convey the neon quality of the paint. Condition: This work is in very good condition. Very close inspection reveals some fine and unobtrusive tension cracks running intermittently along the edges, and some light wear in places. There is some light canvas draw to the two lower corners. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultra-violet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Executed in vibrant touches of neon yellow, orange and green on a sombre grey background, Roberto Matta's Anti-Réponse from 1987-89 could be described as a rare and fruitful melange of Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism as well as a visually striking example of the artist’s exploration of the human psyche. Born in Chile in 1911, Matta studied architecture in Paris under Le Corbusier and surrounded himself with seminal Surrealist artists such as André Breton, Yves Tanguy, and René Magritte. He subsequently moved to New York City where he developed an interest in Freudian psychoanalysis, astrology and tarot. These eclectic interests led him to create pictorial “inscapes” which intended to substitute the eye’s physical perception of the world with three-dimensional representations of the mind. Throughout the years, however his work became increasingly experimental and gradually parted with Surrealist principles. Matta also played a paramount role in the evolution of Abstract Expressionism, in which he incorporated elements of figuration and three-dimensional space.

In the present work, Matta draws from both abstraction and figuration to offer an oneiric vision of the human psyche, all the while leaving room for the imagination and allowing viewers to interpret the cleverly crafted composition in numerous ways. As explained by Luisa Laureati: “Matta tries to work through the union of matter, through stimuli and revelations born from reading, digested in those long periods of insomnia which take shape in front of a canvas which is never blank but always has a background prepared before, where splashes are born as if by accident, guided by chance, then become the stimulus to the automatic progress wherein every reference to the outside world disappears” (Louis Laureati cited in: Exh. Cat., Rome, Galleria dell’Oca, Matta: Opere dal 1939 al 1975, 1976, p. 21).



This work is registered in the Archives de l'Oeuvre de Matta and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.