Eduardo Arroyo, Ramoneur (Chimney Sweep), (1980)

 Eduardo Arroyo was a notable Spanish painter, graphic artist, author, and set designer, recognized as a key figure in politically engaged realism and the Narrative Figuration movement across Europe. Motivated by his strong disdain for General Francisco Franco’s dictatorship, he left Spain at 21. In Paris, he transitioned from writing to self-taught figurative painting. After Franco’s death and the reestablishment of democracy, Arroyo reclaimed his Spanish citizenship and returned to his homeland. His artwork soon achieved widespread recognition across the country, establishing him as a key figure in modern Spanish art.

Arroyo often used sandpaper as his signature medium in striking collages, such as Ramoneur (Chimney Sweep), which features a variety of sandpaper colors and surfaces to create the distinctive top-hatted figure, and in his mixed-media works. He used the abrasive texture of sandpaper both as a stylistic element and a conceptual device to produce bold, politically charged art. This choice went beyond simple texture—it supported his anti-establishment stance and frequently conveyed sharp social critiques. By employing a material typically associated with stripping, scraping, and smoothing surfaces, he visually underscored his criticism of dictators, traditional Spanish gentlemen, and renowned artists.