Oil on canvas

73 × 92 cm. 28 3/4 × 36 1/4 in.

Signed, titled with the location in Spanish and dated on the reverse
PROVENANCE
Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen, Germany
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

Note: A label of Germany Waldkirchen Galerie Zink is affixed on the reverse

Whimsical Encoding of Signs, Fantastic Journey of Vigor
Matías Sánchez's Partisanos El Amuerzo

In May 2021, Zink Gallery, the first agent of Yoshitomo Nara and Javier Calleja, managed the entire booth to present a unique solo exhibition of Matías Sánchez at the Hong Kong Art Central Fair. The German-born, Spanish-based artist has attracted so many collectors as a wind of Southern Europe sweeping through Asia. His works have also been exhibited in the Malaga Museum of Modern Art, the University of Southern California Museum of Art, the Huelva Museum, the Coca-Cola Foundation in Madrid, Spain, and other significant art institutions.

Compared to the theme and subject of the work, Sánchez attaches more importance to the enjoyment of the image. Specifically, his works are filled with vibrant brushstrokes and dynamic colours, with layers of clay-like pigments accumulating on the canvas, evoking a primitive yet playful fantasy of nature. In Partisanos El Amuerzo, he applies the liberated strokes of Expressionism and Abstractionism to conceal the characters' body gestures while exaggerating the facial expressions. Both characters in the painting feature the iconic a “big nose”, huge eyes and wide mouths, which suggest a whimsical and funny cartoon style. The figure on the left, who rests on the grass, is smoking a pipe, whilst the right one with a red comma-shaped cartoon bubble seems to talk something. The figures are surrounded by bones, pistols, and mice. The most remarkable mouse in the top right corner has an exaggerated elongated mouth, and shows a row of serrated teeth highlighting its greedy expression. All these figures derive from the symbolic icons Sánchez collects from tabloids and television shows, representing “chaos” and “universal mediocrity” and producing the qualities of mystery, grotesqueness, and criticalness in his paintings. The qualities usually inspire boundless imagination and remind the audience of Hieronymus Bosch, a Dutch Renaissance artist who created his masterpiece Paradise on Earth by juxtaposing various signs and surreal elements to warn humans of the excessive pleasure and indulgence.

Apart from the whimsical signing, Sánchez's work is full of a strong sense of movement. Behind the picnicking people, in the centre, there is a large lump of dark clouds looming, which seems to herald a storm and the dramatic chaos it will create. The image is vivid and narrative, like a captured shot of a movie sequence. In the background, the wild white and grey strokes create a collision of light and dark, delivering a flowing sense in the picture where time, space and everything are fleeting. The effect also channels the viewers to actively follow the visual tour and explore the correlation between different signs and elements, participating in the labyrinthy riddle game and embarking on a journey towards the original purity.

Price estimate:
HKD: 90,000 – 120,000
USD: 11,500 – 15,300

Auction Result:
HKD: 108,000