Josep Grau-Garriga, Spanish (1929 - )

Josep Grau-Garriga was born in Sant Cugat, Cataluña, Spain in 1929.
Trained at the Barcelona Faculty of Fine Arts, Grau is an accomplished artist with works held at several major museums and public collections.

The end of World War II marked the beginning of a new era for the arts in Europe and the United States. The Spanish artist Josep Grau-Garriga was inspired by traditional tapestries, especially medieval tapestries seen in his native Catalonian churches and those of the French master Jean Lurçat (1892–1966). He became dissatisfied with the limited creativity that existed in the traditional interplay of warp and weft, and began to explore the possibilities of three-dimensional tapestry form, achieving a strong sculptural effect in his wall hangings.

Grau-Garriga also introduced other materials into his work, such as jute, aluminum, copper, and synthetic fibers, as well as wool, cotton, and silk. These materials gave texture to his works, which became totally abstract. At times, Grau-Garriga abandoned the wall in favor of tapestries designed to be viewed from all sides, such as in the Museum's Doña Catalana.

His works often express his inner world through formal and stylistic themes. He takes us into surrealist informalism with a vision that is highly personal in its interpretation. Like many other twentieth century artists, he is committed to his times, valuing art as a forum for the expression of political or social protest against the injustices that still plague humanity.