20th-21th Century Spanish

Amat studied painting and architecture, and also stage design under Fabià Puigserver, in Barcelona. Since his first exhibition in 1970, his practice has been accumulating a variety of objects and materials with a symbolic meaning, often created by the artist himself. Throughout his practice he has assimilated the colour of Mexico and the architectural forms of the Arab world, together with Catalan matter-based art. In recent years he began to use transparent or pigmented waxes to add volume to objects.

His career has not focused solely on painting, and he has also created illustrations for books as well as stage designs for theatre and dance. His plays as a theatre director include El viaje a Simorgh, Oedipus Rex and Magdalena ai piedi di Cristo. He has also made several forays into cinema, directing the films Viaje a la luna, Foc al Càntir, El aullido, Danse noire and Deu dits.

His work has been the subject of fascinating retrospective shows, like the ones held at Museo Tamayo (Mexico), Fundación Miró (Barcelona) or Instituto de América in Santa Fe (Granada).