Xavier Carbonell

Xavier Carbonell was born in 1942 in Olot, in the foothills of the Pyrenees. He continues to do most of his painting at his studio there, inspired by a wide variety of subjects seen and sketched during travel - women, the landscapes of central Europe, still life and cityscapes, with special attention to New York. As a child, Xavier was given a globe and memorised the names of distant, exotic places as he dreamed of becoming a well-respected painter like his father Lluis Carbonell. His attentiveness to new environments and cultures are summarized in his detailed sketches made on his journeys. His studio reiterates the perfectionism and order found in his work - it is full of objects, medals and awards, including a huge collection of hats and helmets from various conflicts, such as the Spanish Civil War. Xavier’s paintings reflect his personality and inner life. They are full of mysticism and maintainan intimate relationship with nature, objects and human beings. “Xavier Carbonell always manages to reserve a place of privilege where a secret marriage of imagination and poetry is celebrated. True life is there, captured in all its potential, from the manifestation of matter to the transcendence of soul.” Georges-Henry Gourrier. Xavier’s paintings can be found in museums and private collections worldwide and he has been awarded many honours, including first prize at Le Salon des Nations - 1984, Paris. Private Collections and Museums: Olympic Museum, Lausanne; UNESCO, Paris; European Parliament, Strasbourg; Cathay Pacific, Amsterdam; Jackson Collection, California; Samling Corporation, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Xavier Carbonell Images:
Empire State
Glassy
Twilight