Herejes y Herederas: Alex Becerra, Julio Galindo, Abraham Lacalle, Cristina Lama, La Ruman, Matías Sánchez, Santiago Ydáñez

Some from homage, others from transgression, the artists present in this exhibition reread classics such as Velázquez, Goya, Picasso, or Gutiérrez-Solana. The exhibition takes as its starting point the gallery’s own program, which is based on the defense of the tradition of figurative painting. 

Alex Becerra (Los Angeles, 1989) explores, through painting, drawing, and sculpture, his vision of the modern world. Influenced by the history of modern European painting, Becerra incorporates into his work all the classics of painting, such as the female nude or the self-portrait, to which he often adds certain touches of everyday life. 

Julio Galindo (Llerena, Badajoz, 1988) proposes a new mythology that explores terms such as the sacred, the spiritual, and the religious. His pieces question concepts such as religiosity or sanctity, seeking to update these notions from a contemporary point of view. His intention is to show that there is a possibility of finding deeply existential aspects in our immediate surroundings, which undoubtedly involves elevating to the level of sacred things that are not, but probably should be. 

The raw landscapes of Abraham Lacalle (Almería, 1962) are unconventional. His works do not focus on beauty, although it exists, nor on an idealized vision. Mud in rivers and paths, dry and broken trees, weeds, and abandoned waste elements play a predominant role in his works. 

Cristina Lama (Seville, 1977) possesses a very particular artistic imaginary that oscillates between a form of figuration with a strongly scenographic character and an absolute abstraction based on the use of color. Her works are characterized by the freshness of gesture. Cristina applies paint through energetic brushstrokes heavily loaded with material that bring expressiveness to the pictorial process. In her compositions, canons and perspectives disappear, causing characters and objects to unfold on the same plane or simply appear abstracted from any context. In this way, the represented object becomes just another element, subordinated to the ultimate intention of her production, which is purely pictorial.

La Ruman draws inspiration from Andalusian culture, popular traditions, and the strong women around her. In her paintings, female figures appear with a baroque and dramatic aesthetic, mixing religious, costumbrista, and symbolic elements. Her style seeks to represent the strength, personality, and history of women, creating scenes full of emotion that reflect her own world and experiences. 

The work of Matías Sánchez (Tübingen, Germany) is full of contemporary iconography, texts, shapes, and colors, creating complex compositions that leave no viewer indifferent. His search is not that of a storyteller, but that of an architect of forms, who dissolves the boundaries between the figurative and the abstract. Narrative is not what he seeks; it is simply the excuse. Sánchez is an artist connected to contemporaneity from many different perspectives. His style has metabolized the language of popular culture. For this reason, his work can be understood as a loudspeaker for our society. 

The pictorial work of Santiago Ydáñez (Puente de Génave, Jaén, 1969) addresses monographic themes related to the expression of the body and, fundamentally, of the gaze. In his works there is always a dialogue between the fetishistic nature of the voyeur and the credulous innocence of the devotee. Behind his paintings there is always meticulous research with frequent references to great masters in the history of art.