This piece, dated 1995, represents a mature stage in the career of Gerard Sala (Tona, 1942), a fundamental artist of the Catalan avant-garde with a solid presence in institutions such as Sala Parés and Galería Joan Prats. "Paisatge amb fulles al vol" is an example of how Sala manages to make abstraction and nature converge through the use of textures, volume, and a vibrant chromatic palette.
History and Analysis of the Work
Materiality as a Language
The differential value of this work lies in its complex material execution, which transcends traditional painting. Sala used handmade paper from the emblematic Molí paperer de Ca l'Oliver (Sant Quintí de Mediona) as a support. This artisanal base, rich in textures, serves as a canvas for a mixed technique that integrates two-screen serigraphy (pink and blue), manual intervention with pastel in a range of intense colors (blues, yellows, reds, and greens), and a collage of ten handmade papers individually dyed by the artist.
The composition stands out for its ethereal dynamism. The artist creates a background that suggests an atmospheric landscape, over which organic forms levitate. This combination of layers — serigraphic, pictorial, and the relief of the collage — gives the piece a tactile quality and a depth that standard graphic reproductions do not possess.
Collector's Value
Guaranteed Exclusivity: This is a numbered print (5/33), belonging to a very limited edition, making it a rare piece in the market.
Notarized Certification: The authenticity and detailed technical description are validated documentarily on the reverse with the signature and seal of Notary D. Joaquín Viola Tarragona. This type of documentary support is a valuable asset for any private or professional collection.
Spatial Presence: With a large-scale format (114.5 cm wide), the work has the necessary grandeur to preside over large rooms, providing a chromatic and textural richness difficult to achieve with smaller pieces.
Technical Specifications
Artist: Gerard Sala (b. 1942).
Title: "Paisatge amb fulles al vol" (1995).
Technique: Original mixed media: handmade paper, serigraphy, hand-applied pastel, and collage of ten irregular handmade papers.
Dimensions: Work: 61 x 102 cm | Frame: 72 x 114.5 cm.
Signature: Signed in pencil "Gerard Sala" in the lower right corner.
Documentation: Edition justification (5/33) and handwritten technical description on the reverse, validated with signature and notary seal.
Condition: Excellent. Color, volume, and textures remain intact.
The Workshop's Note
What makes this work fascinating is that, upon closer inspection, one can perceive the laboriousness of the process: we are not looking at a print, but at an object built layer by layer. The Ca l'Oliver paper has a character of its own that breathes through the applied color. Being professionally framed, the work maintains the integrity of the superimposed papers, which is vital for its proper conservation. It is, without a doubt, a designer piece that defines a space on its own.
