Jordi Alcaraz, masters of pictorial abstraction
Jordi Alcaraz (b. 1963 Barcelona, Spain) is a celebrated contemporary Spanish artist whose profoundly poetic works so impressed the critical audience in his recent U.S. debut that his major recent inaugural exhibition was cited as one of the ten best museum shows in Southern California. His work has been equally celebrated throughout Europe. Alcaraz’s art transcends the categories of paintings, sculptures and drawings as they blend all media, employing assemblage-like manner and installation. Conceptually, he extends notions of perspective utilizing various tools and materials like an alchemist. Through the use of bending, tearing and puncturing materials in unpredictable ways, Alcaraz creates realms as ambiguous as those of his Catalonian antecedents, such as Miró, Dali and Tàpies. The leading Spanish art critic Mariano Navarro describes Alcaraz’s works as “an extraordinary metaphor of the practice of art . . . that I dare define as philosophical . . . carriers of a singular poetry.”
Alcaraz’s discourse stems from the classical tradition of painting and sculpture, arriving to a reflection on volume, language and time through the use of materials, such as water, glass, mirrors, reflections, or books that include this idea.
In his artistic language the visual transgression predominates, a playful dynamic among many different gazes and the combination of transparencies and holes that allow a glimpse of hidden, magical spaces. Thus Jordi Alcaraz establishes, through his works, an unprecedented, surprising and metaphorical relationship with the world.
Sculptures, paintings and drawings, always through his peculiar treatment of materials, and his poetic word games and unexpected titles. Sets of pigment bags that sink into glass surfaces, poetically showing the beginning of the painting, wooden sculptures that pierce the acrylic urn in which they are in, passing from the darkness of the night to the light of day, colors that flee from their cans through imaginary holes, impossible portraits.
Due to his obsession with the craft of art, in his works he delves into the almost obsessive exploration of the artist’s work: drawing, sculpting, painting …, focusing rather in the exercise of doing, than in the works as the completion of an action. As a result, absence seems to be more relevant than evidence in the works. The absence of almost everything, and the utmost importance to the disappearance of the work, with the permanence of the action. What matters is the sensation of drawing, what is there at the precise moment before doing it, the impression at the end, but not the work itself, not the resulting drawing. There is no image or reference to any idea, the artist draws but there is no drawing left. We can see the space that has been left, the trace of the material used, but the absence of anything else is almost absolute.
Jordi Alcaraz breaks the material in different ways, everything is less evocative and more poignant. Layers of materials are superimposed as protective shields, and they build diverse and more complex layers of meaning.
His works can be found in collections such as Biedermann Museum, Donaueschingen (Germany), Colección Fontanal Cisneros, Miami; Williams Collection, Massachusetts; Olor Visual, Barcelona; or Fundación Banco Sabadell.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
1986 Espai 83, Museu de Sabadell, Barcelona
1990 Galeria Calellart, Calella, Barcelona
1991 Galeria Brita Prinz, Madrid
Galeria Mainel, Burgos
1992 Galeria Negre, Sabadell, Barcelona
1993 Galeria Joan Prats-Artgràfic, Barcelona
1994 Galeria Carl Van der Voort, Eivissa
Galeria Lluís Heras, Palafrugell, Girona
1995 Galeria Cànem, Castelló
Galeria Joan Prats-Artgràfic, Barcelona
1996 New Art, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona
1997 Galeria Joseph Gichin, Palafrugell, Girona
1998 Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona
1999 Museu de Pintura de Sant Pol de Mar, Barcelona
Galeria Carl Van der Voort, Eivissa
Galeria Fúcares, Madrid
2000 Sala Municipal d’Exposicions, Pineda de Mar, Barcelona
Galeria Trinta, Santiago de Compostela
2001 Galeria Joan Prats-Artgràfic, Barcelona
Galeria Cànem, Castelló
2002 Galeria Carl Van der Voort, Eivissa
Galeria Fúcares, Almagro, Ciudad Real
Sala Pelaires, Palma de Mallorca
2003 Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
Galeria Joan Prats-Artgràfic, Barcelona
2004 Galeria Altxerri, San Sebastián
Galeria Nieves Fernández, Madrid
Sala Pelaires, Mallorca.
“Reinventing La Boîte en Valise,” Homenaje a Marcel Duchamp.
2006 Centre Cultural Pelaires, Palma de Mallorca
Galeria Joan Prats-Artgràfic, Barcelona
2007 Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
Sala Pelaires, Palma de Mallorca
2008 Galerie Stefan Ropke, Cologne, Germany
Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin, Germany
Sala Tecla, Barcelona, Spain
Michael Haas, Berlin, Germany
2009 Galeria Miquel Alzueta, Casavells, Girona
Galeria Joan Prats-ArtGraphic, Barcelona, Spain
“Cherchez la femme Galeria,” Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
2010 Galerie Stefan Ropke, Cologne, Germany
Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Los Angeles, United States
Galeria Torbandena, Trieste, Italy
2011 Galerie Haas, Zurich, Switzerland
Nicolas Metivier Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Galeria Pelaires, Palma De Mallorca, Spain
“Framing Abstraction,” Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles
2012 Tomlinson Kong Contemporary, New York City, United States
Galeria Nieves Fernandez, Madrid, Spain
Joan Prats, Barcelona, Spain
Zona Maco, Mexico, Galerie Stefan Röpke
Volta8 Basel, Galerie Stefan Röpke
2013 Galerie Stefan Röpke, Cologne, Germany
Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelone
“jordi alcaraz ALTERED STATES,” Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Los Angeles, CA
2014 “Jordi Alcaraz: one-man-show,” Galleria Torbandena, Trieste, Italy
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
1985 Galeria La Main, Brusselles
1986-88 Drukgrafic H. Kätelhöm, Wamel, Alemanya
1987 Instituto Centrale di Grafica, Latina, Itàlia
1989 Galeria Brita Prinz, Madrid
Galeria Mainel, Burgos
1990 Malaespina Printmakers Society, Canadà
1991 Seleccionat a la Triennal de Grenchen, Suïssa
1992 Galeria Negre. Sabadell, Barcelona
1993 Bibliofília Transformista, Barcelona
1994 ARCO, Polígrafa
1994-01 Galeria Carl Van der Voort, Eivissa
1995 Galeria Astarté, Madrid
1996 55 Minuts, Museu Comarcal del Maresme, Mataró.
Homenatge A Federico García Lorca, Palafrugell.
Múltiples, Galeria Joan Prats-Artgràfic, Barcelona
1997 ARCO, Galeries Joan Prats, Polígrafa i Carl Van der Voort
Art Frankfurt, Galeria Carl Van der Voort
1998 ARCO, Galeries Joan Prats i Carl Van der Voort
Galeria Astarté, Madrid
Palacio de Velázquez, Madrid
1999 ARCO, Galeries Joan Prats, Fúcares i Carl Van der Voort
Tránsito. Toledo
Galeria Trinta, Santiago de Compostela
2000 ARCO, Galeries Joan Prats, Fúcares i Carl Van der Voort
Cabinete de Dibujos, Galeria Fúcares, Almagro.
Art Chicago, Galeria Fúcares
Homenatge A Joan Brossa, Fundació Llorenç Artigas.
Museu de la Joguina, Figueres. Girona
Art Cologne, Alemanya, Galeria Joan Prats
De Blanco, Vacios y Silencios, Fundacion Telefonica, Madrid
2001 ARCO, Galeries Joan Prats, Fúcares i Carl Van der Voort
Galeria Esther Montoriol, Barcelona
De Blancos, Vacíos Y Silencios, Fundación Telefónica.
Global Art Surce, Zurich, Suïssa
Art Chicago, Galeria Carl Van der Voort i Galeria Trinta
Biblioteca, Galeria Calellart, Calella, Barcelona
Feria de Arte Cáceres, Galeria Joan Prats
Art Cologne, Alemanya, Galeria Joan Prats
2002 Art Chicago, Galeria Carl Van der Voort
ARCO, Galeries Joan Prats i Carl Van der Voort
Fira d’Art de Miami, Galeria Carl Van der Voort
Espacio Líquido, Gijón
Artesantander, Galeria Fúcares, Madrid
Art Lisboa, Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
Edición Madrid, Galeria Astarté, Madrid
2003 Galeria Vertice. Oviedo
Chicago Art Gallery, Carl Van der Voort
Lisbon Art Gallery, Vertex
Son Gallery Space Pals. Girona
ARCO, Galeria Joan Prats and Carl Van der Voort
Art and nature, Madrid
Painting Museum of San Pol de Mar, Barcelona
2004 ARCO, Galeria Joan Prats i Carl Van der Voort
La Sombra. Arte y Naturaleza, Madrid
Espais, Centre d’Art Contemporani, Girona
Art Basel, Polígrafa, Suïssa
Sala Pelaires, Mallorca
Art Lisboa, Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
Art Cologne, Galeria Nieves Fernández, Madrid
2005 ARCO, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona
Art Lisboa, Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
Artesantander, Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
La Bote en Valise, Homenatge a Duchamp, Galeria Nieves Fernández. Madrid
2006 ARCO, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona
Art París, Galeria Nieves Fernández, Madrid
Toronto International Art Fair, Caroline Dimnik Contemporary Paris, Canadà
Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
Fundación Eugenio Granell, Santiago de Compostela
2007 ARCO, Galeria Joan Prats
Art Cologne, Alemanya, Galeria Nieves Fernández
Madrid i Sala Pelaires. Palma de Mallorca
Feria de Corea, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona
Visualkultur.Cat, Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt
Artesantander, Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
Art Lisboa, Galeria Vértice, Oviedo
Preview 2008 Galerie Stefan Röpke, Cologne
2008 Fiera Bologna, Italy, Pelaires Gallery, Palma de Mallorca
ARCO, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona
Pulse New York, Galerie Stefan Röpke. Cologne
Art Cologne, Gallery Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
Pelaires, Palma de Mallorca
Galerie Stefan Röpke, Cologne
Art Chicago Gallery Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
2009 Cherchez la femme, Galeria Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
Modern and Contemporary Works, Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Los Angeles
Noi cari amici, Galleria Torbandena, Trieste
Fiera Bologna, Italy, Pelaires Gallery, Palma de Mallorca
Gallery Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
ARCO, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona
Gallery Moths and Röpke, Madrid
Pulse New York, Galerie Stefan Röpke. Cologne
Art Chicago Gallery Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
Art Basel, Suisse, Editions polygraph, Barcelona
Pelaires. Palma de Mallorca
Vertex Gallery, Oviedo
Pulse Miami, Galerie Stefan Röpke, Cologne
Miami Basel, polygraph graphic work, Barcelona
2010 Orchestra Unleashed, El Portal Theatre, North Hollywood
Espacio Atlantico, Vigo Gallery, Vertice, Oviedo
Fiera Bologna, Italy, Pelaires Gallery, Palma de Mallorca and
Gallery Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
Open, Zoya Museum, Modra, Slovak Republic
Pulse New York, Galerie Stefan Röpke, Cologne
Chicago Art Gallery, Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
Art Basel. Polygraph graphic work, Barcelona
Santander Art Gallery, Vertice, Oviedo
Pelaires, Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon Art Gallery, Vertice, Oviedo
Liaisons, Arts Santa Monica, Barcelona
Galerie Anais Bergamont Station, Santa Monica, California
2011 Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles
Torbandena Gellry, Trieste, Italy
ARCO, John Prats, Barcelona, Nieves Fernandez, Madrid
Gallery Pelaires Palma de Mallorca
LA Art Show, Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, LA
Some Assembly Required, Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, LA
Pulse New York, Galerie Stefan Röpke, Cologne
Boxes Gallery, BAT, Madrid
Torbandena Gallery, Trieste, Italy
2012 “Spain”, Galerie Stefan Röpke, Cologne
Houston Fine Art Fair, Texas
“LINE SPACE COLOR GESTURE,” Site/109, New York, NY
“Out of the Racks: Not-Recent Acquisitions,” Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Los Angeles
“The Art of Summer: Contemporary & Modern Works, Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Los
Angeles
2013 Nuage, Musee Reattu de Arles, Arles, France.
“ABSTRAKT,” Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin, Germany
“ABSTRAKT,” Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin, Germany
2014 “A Book Between Two Stools,” Villa Empain – Boghossian Foundation, Brussels,
Belguim
2015 “Collectible: Contemporary and Modern Works,” Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Los
Angeles
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1984 De tres a set. Poesies de Federico García-Durán
1985 Articulació del goig. Poesies de David Serra i pròleg de Carles Miralles
1986 Papers secants. Poesia de Perejaume
1987 Bestiari mòbil. Text de Joaquim Sala-Sanahuja
1989 Diorames. Amb Joan Brossa, Alfons Borrell, Perejaume i Jordi Rosés
1992 El Viatge a Tokushima. Text de Joaquim Sala-Sanahuja
1993 Trasllat. Joan Brossa i Alfons Borrell
2010 Jordi Alcaraz Dibuixos, Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Los Angeles
Art Review: Jordi Alcaraz at Jack Rutberg, by Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times
Culture Monster, September 14, 2010.
“Jordi Alcaraz: Traslucido at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts,” Art Ltd., by Eve Wood,
November – December 2010
“Ritts Shot Celebrities’ Spirit, Surrealism Beneath Surface,” Larchmont Chronicle, by
Joe Ward, November 2010
“Jordi Alcaraz: Traslucido,”
2011 “Some Assembly Required: Assemblage and Collage at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Los
Angeles,” It’s Liquid, March 29, 2011
“Some Assemby Required – Assemblage & Collage Show Extended,” Artfix Daily,
April 2011
“Framing Abstraction: Mark, Symbol, Signifier,” Fabrik, by Peter Frank, April 2011
2012 “Jordi Alcaraz,” Art News, by Anette M. Rose-Shapiro, October 2012
2013 “In Strapped Spain, Buyers are the Hot Item,” The Wall Street Journal, by Ellen
Gamerman, January 2013
“Jordi Alcaraz at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts,” Artweek.LA, by Shana Nys Dambrot,
October 21, 2013
“Moira Cue Reviews Forrest Bess, Jordi Alcaraz, Salvador Dali,” The Hollywood
Sentinel, November 2013
“Jordi Alcaraz: Altered States,” Artscene, by Shirle Gottlieb, November 2013
Source:
https://jackrutbergfinearts.com/artists/alcaraz.html
Jordi Alcaraz
