Cabeza de cubo
Artist
José Carlos Balanza
Exhibition
Cabezotas
Main features
- Title: Cabeza de cubo
- Technical: Acrylic and oil on canvas
- Year: 2024
Description of the work
The artwork Cabeza de cubo by the artist José Carlos Balanza
Measures: 125 x 95 cm
Technique: Mixed media on lacquered iron sheet
Cabezotas are portraits and self-portraits (paintings, drawings or sculptures) that, apparently, only have a head, but with with the capacity of transformation that is necessary for them to express what is really happening to them; otherwise, contained in the oval that draws them, they remain silent.
At a given moment, this oval, in its upper part, becomes entangled in a knot, in a scribble: the outline of an eye; the only anatomical feature that prevails in all the cabezotas as an identifying sign of their presence. From this point on, the need of each cabezota to transmit what he has lived makes other strokes, brushstrokes or masses that describe mouths, tongues, teeth, brains, hands, feet, sex... emerge.
The cabezotas, in their oldest version, appeared many years ago to express moments, situations, experiences, thoughts, feelings, reflections, worries... that I saw in different people that in one way or another affected my life or that I experienced in my own skin.
It has always been like this, the cabezotas have been by my side throughout my life fulfilling their function of painting and painting me, of showing and showing me, but their presence, except on rare occasions, has been restricted to the private sphere of the workshop, or the computer, or papers, notebooks and sketchbooks.
Now, they cry out to me to be outside and emptying myself of that urgency, I paint them and let them out.
More information about the artwork Cabeza de cubo by the artist José Carlos Balanza at our Instagram @galeriaespaicavallers
Artist biography
José Carlos Balanza
The artist José Carlos Balanza
Balanza has participated in different art fairs: “Interarte” (Valencia) 1985, 1986, 1990; ‘Arco’ (Madrid) 1986; ‘Art Jonctión Internacional’ (Nice) 1987, 1990; ‘Lineart’ (Ghent) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994; ‘Art London’ (London) 1989; ‘KunterRay’ (Amsterdam) 1996; “Cologne International Art Fair” (Germany) 2001; ‘Arte Santander’ (Santander) 2007, 2016; ‘Art Madrid’ (Madrid) 2016, 2020; ‘SCULTO’ (Logroño) 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021; FIG (Bilbao) 2022,2023; Art3f (Paris) 2023.
He has been invited to various exhibitions representing La Rioja or Spain: Transmanierismo, Palazzo dei Diamanti, Ferrara (Italy) 1987; Pabellón Creación al sur, within the fair “Art Jonctión Internacional” (Nice) 1987; BIO, Óbidos (Portugal) 1991; Ocho referencias de las artes plásticas riojanas, Expo’92, (Sevilla) 1992; Pintura española en el final de siglo, Spanish Presidency in Europe, Palacio Municipal de Congresos (Madrid) 1995.
He has participated in video-art and multimedia festivals, among others LOOP (Barcelona) 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2013, 2014, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022; BAC at the CCCB (Barcelona) 2008; or DiscoDuro.QNK , Fundación Antonio Saura (Cuenca) 2009.
He has also participated in other national and international calls: Terzo Millennio Pianeta Azurro, VII Muestra de Escultura Contemporanea, Museo Di Scultura A Fregene, Rome (Italy) 1995; Omagio a la terra Scolpita, Centro Culturale Cá La Ghironda, Bologna (Italy) 1995; Galicia Terra Única, Xunta de Galicia (Ourense) 1997; “Okuparte”, Festival de Arte (Huesca) 2005; De Miró a Clavé paraula y forma a l’art contemporani, Museo de Sant Cugat, Sant Cugat (Barcelona) 2005. 11111, Santa Gulia Museum, Brescia (Italy) 2007; QQEWZ, Justus Liebig Haus Wissenschaftsstadt, Darmstadt (Germany) 2006; OXIGENARTE -Segovia 2016- (Segovia) 2009. Figuration/Abstraction, Works from the Würth Spain Collection, Würth España S.A. Palau Solità i Plegamans (Barcelona) 2011; Somos, sois, eres, soy, Museo Würth La Rioja 2014; “SIANOJA 2016” International Art Symposium, Noja (Cantabria); Visites inesperades, Museo Can Framis Vila Casas, 2023 (Barcelona); “Wolhin das Auge reicht” Neue Einblicke in die Sammlung Würth. Kunsthalle Würth, Schwäbisch Hall (Germany) 2018.
Recurring themes in his work are:
Time: 246,429 minutes, Museo Würth La Rioja, 2009.
Space, language, the limit: Inside, in different galleries.
Logic: It is logical, Sala Amós Salvador, Logroño 2009 and different galleries.
Drawing: Drawing at Cacis, Center for Contemporary Art and sustainability Calders (Barcelona) 2010.
(Barcelona) 2010; Drawing at Würth, Würth Museum La Rioja, 2011.
The distance: The distance, Ediciones del 4 de agosto (publication).
The answer: Time of Light, Fundació Marguerida de Montferrato and different galleries.
His work is represented in various collections and museums.
He has several public sculptures.
He has been artistic director of the Fundació Marguerida de Montferrato -Balaguer- from 2015 to March 2024.
More information about the artist José Carlos Balanza at our Instagram @galeriaespaicavallers