REIAL CERCLE ARTÍSTIC 

The second venue for the exhibition, located at the Reial Cercle Artístic (Carrer Arcs, 5) and curated by José Félix Bentz, focuses on Antoni Clavé as a multifaceted artist and explores his relentless exploration of the expressive possibilities of materials as diverse as wood, cardboard, textiles and bronze. The works on display in this section are a testament to how matter, in the hands of a master, can transcend its nature to become pure emotion and meaning.

Constant experimentation was the driving force behind Clavé's career. From the outset, he showed a deep interest in the textures and intrinsic qualities of materials. He immersed himself in the world of collage from his work as a poster artist in Barcelona and never stopped exploring assemblage, a technique which, like his friend Pablo Picasso, allowed him to incorporate everyday objects into his works, giving them new life and a new language.

The exhibition is enriched by a room showcasing Clavé's work as a master engraver and his relentless experimentation with techniques and materials that revolutionised graphic art. Clavé's graphic work is inseparable from his pictorial production; both draw on the same themes and aesthetic approaches. However, it is in engraving that his innovative spirit is unleashed, pushing the technical possibilities of the medium to their limits. A fundamental milestone in this research was the discovery of Henri Goetz's invention, the carborundum technique, and its adoption in 1968.

The artist, who personally carried out all phases of the engraving process, mastered a wide variety of chalcographic procedures. This room offers a unique opportunity to appreciate Clavé's technical mastery and his ability to transform a medium of reproduction into a space for radically original creation.

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