Joan Mirò: Materiality and Metamorphosis brings together eighty-five paintings, drawings, sculptures, collages and weavings from the Portuguese State's exceptional collection of work by the Catalan master. Spanning six decades of artistic activity the exhibition focuses on the physical nature of the artist's supports and his elaboration of materials as the basis for his virtual practice. Rivalled perhaps only by Paul Klee in his exploration of materiality. Mirò expanded the technical boundaries of artistic production in the twentieth century.
Alongside his examination of materials Mirò developed an innovative language of visual signs that altered the course of modern art. In a process of morphological transformation objects in Mirò's art achieve the status of visual signs: skeins of yarn in his weavings may function as surrogates for drips of paint; wire in his early collages often stands in for the drawn line; and paper at times recapitulates the physical characteristics of the canvas support. In the broadest terms morphology is the operating principale of Mirò's work: everything is in a state of constant flux and alteration as Mirò explores equivalencies across mediums. If morphology is defined as a change of physical form, substance or structure, however, it is not in science or biology that we must look to understand Mirò's art but in the transformation and internal logic of his working methods. In his dual status as a form-giver and outlaw of twentieth century Modernism-both a painter and an anti-painter - Mirò challenged the very notion of medium specificity.
8Sep. - 8Jan. 2018
Palacio National da Ajuda
For more information on Paul Klee click on the link below: https://www.davidzwirner.com/artists/paul-klee
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