After two decades without exhibiting in Barcelona and sixteen years without setting foot in the Catalan capital, artist Guillermo Pérez Villalta lands in the
Parés Roomwith his first solo exhibition,
These last years,
whose doors are open to the public free of charge from September 15 to October 29, coinciding in its first days with the celebration of the
Barcelona Gallery WeekThe exhibition is a retrospective commemorating the painter's career over the last ten years. This consideration does not necessarily mean that the artist from Tarifa is preparing to put away his watercolors.
Because if something characterizes Pérez Villalta, it is the vitality he exudes at 74 years old.
These last yearspart of the author's own imaginary, closely linked to the fundamentals of architecture and design that he studied in his university years. It is for this reason that, among his artistic repertoire, perspectives pushed to the limit, combined vanishing points, fantastic geometries, reinterpretations, ideal cities, dreamlike visions, and metaphysical environments are frequently represented.
"My paintings are conceived to be contemplated for a certain time! They hide a story and the public has to reflect for a while to imagine how it unfolds. It excites me that people interact with my works," assures the artist, a true reference in the artistic current of New Spanish Figuration.
The author's work will occupy the 450 square meters of the Parés gallery with more than 70 works, among which are tempera on wood and canvas, watercolors, pencil drawings, and personal objects that Pérez Villalta himself has lent for the occasion.
Sala Parés recovers the figure of Pérez Villalta in the artistic panorama of the city of Barcelona. His absence during this time in the Catalan capital is because "simply, they stopped calling me." Despite this, he has not lacked work and his works have traveled to cities such as New York, Mexico City, Marugame (Japan), and Madrid, where he has his studio and also has his own gallery with a large part of his collection.
The Initiatory Pool, 2017. Tempera on canvas. The architectural beauty of Barcelona is impregnated in the artist's retinas and its influence is somehow reflected in his works. "It is a reference. [The city] has been more avant-garde than the rest of Spain. The houses that architects built in the 50s near the coast are wonderful. That Mediterranean design that knew how to realize the place, the site, the space, the light... But this is no longer seen. Architecture in recent years is horrible, although it has improved quite a bit," adds Pérez Villalta with a laugh.
Barcelona Gallery Weekend celebrates its eighth editionThe artist is one of many who can be seen during the Barcelona Gallery Weekend. From September 15 to 18, this event organized by the Art Barcelona association highlights the work of art galleries as spaces that generate culture and knowledge, places that allow connection and encounter between artists, collectors, public, and institutions. The Barcelona Gallery Weekend vindicates the gallery as the fundamental pillar of the artistic ecosystem, and celebrates its contribution to the development of art and culture. This edition will feature the participation of 26 galleries from Barcelona, 5 from L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, and 1 from Santa Margarida i els Monjos, a town in the l'Alt Penedés region. The exhibitions will open simultaneously in all centers on Thursday, September 15, starting at noon. The general public will have to wait until six in the afternoon to enjoy the art. Admission is free and open to all.