Born in Barcelona in 1934, he studied drawing at the Escola d'Arts i Oficis Llotja (Art School) of Barcelona. He was also interested in other art techniques such as engraving, ceramics and fresco. In 1959 he moves to Paris where, in 1968, he completes his painting studies at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts, at Professor Roger Chastel's workshop. He also studies design at the École de la Grande Chaumière of Paris, where an alternative atmosphere could be inhale. There, he got acquainted with many other artists. Since its foundation in 1981 he became part of the group Passeig de Gràcia, of Barcelona. Painters, journalists and writers used to gather there, at the restaurant-bar La Punyalada, to speak about exhibitions and art connected projects.
His first individual exhibition was at Saint-Tropez, in 1962.
Ever since then, he has prepared many expositions in different European countries (Spain, France and Italy) as well as in the USA. He has also attended several Biennials and International Salons. Among the many prizes awarded, we may mention de Belgium Golden Medal, from the Académie Européenne des Arts, in 1986. We can find his works at the Cuenca Museum, at Bollène's, (France) and at the Francesc Galí Foundation, in Palamós.
His landscapes, still life, figures and other compositions avoid the simple naturalist colour exercise to concentrate in a constant and well structured plasticity formed by the matter substances, qualities and resources.
His paintings begin with a postimpressionism in love with the grey array and moist atmosphere of Paris. However, his style has also assimilated influences from the cubism and the abstract and new figurative arts, while running away from the conventional canons of landscape painting to emphasize a very personal language.
Joan Mas seems to have collected the essence of the isms. He finds out his synthesis by eliminating from his landscapes whatever is subsidiary. Thus, we get the impression his works are well structured, a geometrical organization prevailing in them. But, at the same time, all this research of the constructive essences of the landscape does not ward off his images from a confrontation with reality, which is always present in his works and resolved with subtle nuances, where his postimpressionist findings are essential.
Mastering the treatment of grey intonations, thanks to his proven love for cities like Paris or Amsterdam, he has started his own way towards more vivid colors where he has found his present and right intonations.
Always careful and loving the right balance between shape and colour, he is open to freer sensations. Just as the children he paints are creative within the scope of the games they play, he has also found freer and more active ways to represent what he wants to transmit with his art. And the same principle is also applied, without at all exaggerating, in the new urban landscape he presents us with.
As Mr. Josep M. Cadena says in one of his writings dedicated to Mas' works: In his paintings the serene and reasoned dialogue matures although without ever lacking ardour. He completely believes in what he is doing, and he is absolutely sincere about expressing his emotions. He never wants to enforce himself, although he conveys his feelings with total conviction. And he is always right.
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