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CASAMATTA AT MILAN TRIENNALE DESIGN MUSEUM 2012
EXHIBITION CASAMATTA
TRIENNALE DESIGN MUSEUM
MILAN
JUNE 21th OF SEPTEMBER
2012
The Milan Triennale Design Museum hosted the Casamatta exhibition, curated by Johnny Dell'Orto, from June 21st to September 2nd, 2012. This exhibition recognised the timeless value of Roberto Sebatiàn Matta's multifaceted work. Matta was born in Chile in 1911 and is known as the countryman who designed his entire home, from furniture to decorative objects, noticed as a designer of the disciplines of art, craft, and design.
This exhibition idyllically reproduced the interiors of the Matta house, showing its complexity, ingenuity, and the artist's own genius. The sculptures and furniture were distributed together in harmony with his paintings, to reveal his strong relationship between the two areas. It is remarkable to see his ability to conceive in a physical format his production not only two-dimensional but also three-dimensional. The space was surrounded by wooden benches, resin armchairs, and terracotta vases in a ludic and attractive environment, able to receive his visitors in an unbelievable setting. All the unique pieces, strongly influenced by his culture and background, represent his versatility and his ability to experiment with different materials. Despite different design styles and techniques, Matta’s production is uniform and sophisticated revealing an unknown aspect of his eclectic work.
Thus, Johnny Dell'Orto decided to build an exhibition on his legacy by sharing his incredible universe, which he promotes “this fabulous world, the product of the joyful, ironic and profound work on one of the greatest artists in the realm of international surrealism” with the public.
Roberto Sebastián Matta (Santiago, Chile, 1911 - Civitavecchia, Italy, November 23, 2002) studied architecture and interior design at the city's Catholic University. In 1933, Matta went to work for Le Corbusier in Paris, where his interest turned to painting. He made a series of surreal landscape drawings of particular interest whilst traveling Peru and Panama.
After serving as a Merchant Marine, Matta traveled through Europe and the USA to meet artists such as Salvador Dalí, André Breton, and Arshile Gorky. Breton, in particular, was a significant influence on Matta and introduced Matta to the work of many of the prominent European artists of the time. Matta's "inscape" series was conceived as a visual representation of his inner psyche. His early paintings are associated with bio-morphism, using shapes and patterns reminiscent of organic form. He became strongly associated with the Surrealists, contributing to the Surrealist journal Minotaure with illustrations and essays.
In the 1940s and '50s, the political situation in Europe influenced the introduction of mechanical forms and distressed figures in Matta's paintings. Although he began gaining recognition, Matta was expelled from the Surrealist group when he was accused of indirectly causing Gorky's suicide by having an affair with the artist's wife. After this break, Matta spent time between South America and Europe, painting semi-abstract canvases in a surreal style.
During the sixties, Roberto Matta ventured into furniture design after meeting the Italian designer Dino Gavina. In 1966, Matta designed the "Malitte Lounge Furniture" seats for the firm Gavina and the "Magritte" chair, a series of bronze chairs. The Malitte seats are part of the permanent collection of the MoMA in New York.
Matta dedicated his later years to political activism. He was an active supporter of Chile's Socialist government and the president Salvador Allende. He died in Civitavecchia, Italy on November 23, 2002.
