A 4x24 meter mural entitled The First Goal of the Chilean People stands as a testament to Roberto Matta’s engagement with his homeland’s political volatility. Painted in support of the socialist government of Salvador Allende, the work was obscured by sixteen coats of paint following the 1973 military coup, only to be rediscovered and restored decades later.
Architectural Beginnings
Born in Santiago in 1911, Roberto Matta pursued formal education at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Santiago and the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. He graduated in 1935 with training in architecture and interior design. Shortly after, he began traveling through Peru and Panama, where he documented geographical features through surrealist drawings. His initial exposure to the broader European art community occurred during his service in the Merchant Marine.
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Upon arriving in Europe, Matta engaged with leading figures including André Breton, Salvador Dalí, and René Magritte. In 1938, he transitioned from drawing to oil painting, moving to the United States shortly thereafter. During this decade, he developed his "inscape" series, which aimed to render the human psyche as a three-dimensional, psychological space. His canvases from the 1940s and 1950s increasingly incorporated imagery of electrical machinery and distorted figures, reflecting the instability of the post-war era.
Political Engagement and Later Career
Matta’s relationship with the Paris Surrealist movement fractured after a disagreement concerning Arshile Gorky, leading to his eventual departure from the group. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he split his time between Europe and South America, maintaining a dual citizenship in Chile and France. He became a committed supporter of socialist causes, an involvement that heavily influenced his artistic output. By the end of his life, he had expanded his practice to include sculpture, printmaking, and video production.
Fast facts
- Born: 1911, Santiago, Chile
- Died: 2002, Civitavecchia, Italy
- Movement: Surrealism
- Citizenship: France and Chile
- Award: Praemium Imperiale, 1995
- Award: National Prize of Art of Chile, 1990
- Religion: Atheism
- Membership: Royal Academy of Arts
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Matta explore in his art?
His work focused on representing the human psyche through "inscapes," blending organic and cosmic lifeforms with mechanical imagery.
Did Matta work in mediums other than painting?
Yes, he was an architect, sculptor, graphic artist, designer, and printmaker who also utilized photography and video.
Achievements
- Praemium Imperiale — 1995
- National Prize of Art of Chile — 1990
- Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts — 1985
- Movement: surrealism
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