Monreal, Andrés – Chile

The life of Andrés Monreal

Andrés Benjamín Gómez Monreal, known in the art world as Andrés Monreal, was born on 7 March 1937 in Santiago de Chile.

Having studied theatre and with other artistic interests, he worked as a draftsman in Pablo Burchard Aguayo’s textile print workshop.

He travelled to Europe in 1953, and after touring Spain and France, he moved to the United States, where he worked as an actor in theatre, film and television. During this period he also worked on stage decorations and other disciplines that he combined with painting. Monreal returned to Spain and settled in Madrid for many years, later moving to the island of Ibiza in the late seventies. He later lived in Paris but came back to Ibiza, where he died in 2012.

Having spent over sixty years living in Europe, his work was better known in this continent than in his own country; however he did hold exhibitions in Santiago de Chile from 1959 onwards, just one year after his first exhibition in New York.

The work of Andrés Monreal

Along with his prolific career as an actor, Andrés Monreal was always to dedicate himself to painting, focusing on it exclusively from 1972 onwards.

In his work we see the influence of artists such as Giorgio de Chirico, as well as ancient painting techniques and theatrical costumes, thanks to his career as a set designer.

With abstract beginnings, Monreal develops his own language with neofigurative and surrealist characteristics. In his compositions, the human figure is the main element, which he represents in timeless scenographic situations.

Monreal uses oils and mixed techniques of oils and pastels, demonstrating great technical skill. In his works he applies glazes that he blends with the relief and textures of fabrics to great effect.

Silvia Sánchez
Curator