IN COLLABORATION with Antonio Saura’s estate, Opera Gallery London opens the doors to the Spanish artist’s first solo London exhibition in 58 years, from 29th February to 26th March 2024.
Presenting a carefully curated selection of 27 paintings and works on paper, and canvas, created between 1959 – 1997, Painting at Will is a tender homage to Saura’s artistic legacy, and an appreciative showcase of his significant contributions to the art historical canon in Spain and beyond.
Antonio Saura, Painting at Will. Photograph: Eva Herzog
Twenty-six years after his death, Saura’s oeuvre – often centred around the human condition and the processing of pain – remains just as prominent today as it did in their time of creation. The influence felt as a post-war artist strikes new chords in the hearts of modern society under a time of continued conflict around the world.
Through a sober palette of black and white, vigorous brushstrokes and distorted figures, he often created motifs of crucifixions, crowds, women, and nudes as a framework for expressing emotional turmoil.
Antonio Saura, Painting at Will. Photograph: Eva Herzog
Antonio Saura, Painting at Will. Photograph: Eva Herzog
In 1957, Saura founded El Paso, a group who took inspiration from American abstract expressionism and served as a bridge between Spanish tradition and the emergence of surrealism. The group conceptualised and laid the groundwork for the post-war avant-garde movement in Spain.
While El Paso broke apart in 1960, Saura’s work continued to exhibit across Europe and America as his talent paved the way for post-war artists.
Opera Gallery London offers the rare opportunity to immerse in Saura’s profound exploration of existentialism.
by Madeleine Ringer
The travelling exhibition is available to view at New Bond Street – for more information please visit here.