Claudio Bravo (1936 – 2011) was a hyperrealist and surrealist painter from Chile. He attributed his inspiration to the Italian and Spanish masters of Baroque and Renaissance, but was also influenced by Dalí ’s surrealist works.
He considered himself a citizen of the world, not bound by his identity to Chile. In the late 1960s, while spending 6 months in the Philippines, he was drawn to the rich and vibrant colors of the Orient. After having lived in Madrid and New York, he took on that interest farther when he moved in 1972 to Tangier (Morocco) and spent the second half of his life there. His art dramatically changed, becoming more colorful and personal, infused with cultural references.
Before his life-changing move, Bravo had established himself in the early 1970s in New York mainly as a painter of still life and packages. It was in New York where he painted Return from the Supermarket (1971) a work typical of his style between 1969 – 1972. The overwhelming lack of color, the metallic cans, the cheap mass produced packaging reveal a more accurate portrayal of the modern way of life, in stark contrast with the colorful advertisements and the warm domestic lifestyle displayed in the 60s on TV. The background, supposedly a modern kitchen counter and a wall, are just as uninviting, cold and impersonal as the items themselves.
Discover more about his life here.
