Cartography - Antoni Tàpies

A 1979 etching and aquatint by Antoni Tàpies, featuring a cartographic grid overlaid with gestural marks and personal script.

Antoni Tàpies, a central figure in the Spanish Informel movement, produced this work in 1979. The print reflects his interest in the materiality of the surface and the use of symbolic, often cryptic, iconography. Tàpies frequently incorporated elements of cartography, geometry, and personal script to explore the relationship between the physical world and human consciousness.

The composition features a grid structure reminiscent of a map, which is disrupted by gestural, ink-like black forms. These dark, heavy borders frame the central area, creating a tension between the structured lines and the raw, expressive marks. The artist includes handwritten text, specifically the names 'Montseny', 'Teresa', and 'Antoni', which anchor the abstract imagery in personal history and geography. The use of cross symbols and textured, earthy tones suggests a weathered or archaeological quality, a hallmark of his practice.

By combining technical printmaking processes like etching and aquatint with spontaneous, calligraphic marks, Tàpies invites the viewer to engage with the work as a physical object rather than a mere representation. The surface appears tactile, with areas of staining and layered ink that mimic the decay of ancient walls or parchment. This piece avoids traditional perspective, opting instead for a flattened, graphic arrangement that prioritises the interplay of line, sign, and texture. It is a characteristic example of his later graphic output, where the economy of means allows for a direct, unmediated encounter with the artist's mark-making process.