MATTA | Conduite intérieure

Matthew Carone, Florida (acquired from the artist in 1969 and sold: Sotheby's, New York, November 20, 2006, lot 38) 
Acquired at the above sale 

Fort Lauderdale, Museum of Art, Matta: Paintings from South Florida Collections, 1983, n.n. 
Boa Raton, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Matta: Re-Generation, 1997, n.n.

This work is in very good condition overall. The canvas is unlined and slightly loosely stretched. The colors are vibrant, and the media layer is stable. A faint two-inch dark diagonal scuff is present at the upper right corner. A few very faint brown spot accretions are present in the upper right and center left quadrants. Two 3-inch diagonal surface scratches are present in the upper left quadrant. Under ultraviolet light inspection, a concentrated area of spot accretions becomes apparent in the lower right quadrant.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Conduite interieure and other paintings from this series were inspired by the 1960s dining room of Matta's Parisian home. The walls and ceiling of which were painted throughout creating a box-like effect that transported the viewer into Matta's universe.  A hallmark of Matta's oeuvre has been the challenge of creating the illusion of three-dimensionality within the flat pictorial surface. Matta first explored the concept of images on a cube in several prints, including: I want to see it to believe it (1947) and Cessation d'état et at it (1949). The artist further explored this theme in the exhibition The Open Box at the Kunstmuseum, Lucerne in 1965. The central feature of these works is the unfolded parts of a box which have been flattened. 

Conduite interieure is closely related to Abrir el cubo y encontrar la vida (1969), a work in the collection of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile. 



This work is included the Archives de l'Oeuvre de Matta under archive number 69/148.