Jose Manuel Ciria
The solo exhibition “Over/Under the Raw” will present works on the deliberate return to abstraction of the artist José Manuel Ciria. These bodies of works arise in the context of a complicated personal scenario, marked by the conclusion of a seven years-long staying in New York, followed by José’s return to Madrid and the imminent move to London. This convoluted period has inspired three new series, defining the artist’s evolved approach towards the 'pictorial spot ‘ as a 'raw ‘ element onto which the visual construction is built up.
Galerie Kornfeld is pleased to announce the solo exhibition of renowned Spanish artist José Manuel Ciria. Over/Under the Raw will be on display from 23 November 2013 until 8 February 2014 and showcases a selection of recent works highlighting a deliberate return to abstraction in Ciria’s artistic trajectory.
These bodies of work arise in the context of a complex personal period, marked by the conclusion of a seven-year stay in New York, followed by Ciria’s return to Madrid and his imminent move to London. This convoluted phase inspired three new series, defining the artist’s evolved approach toward the “pictorial spot” as a raw element upon which visual construction is built.
In Mascaras y Miradas (Glance Series), Ciria reflects on the intricate relationship between gesture and order, juxtaposing geometric structure with vibrant, splashing spots of paint.
With Psicopompos, this investigation is taken further, as paint is used to destabilize the authenticity of photography.
Extending the artist’s focus on construction layers, the Puzzles series can be read as the result of an inverted process in which fragments of color—first cut out and then pasted—are laid over the pictorial spot.
Throughout his career, Ciria’s work has revolved around the investigation of the pictorial image as a territory whose cartography can still be rewritten. The achievements and failures of the avant-garde movements that shaped modern art serve as a starting point for his practice. Ciria’s approach recalls the canons of Abstract Expressionism, unveiling this legacy as a structural foundation upon which his aesthetic principles continue to develop.
Ciria’s imagery is deeply influenced by his Spanish roots, manifested through forceful splashes of paint and expressive, vibrant colors. His subjects oscillate between representation and abstraction, geometry and energetic action. His oeuvre affirms the continuity of painting as an ever-meaningful medium, despite repeated claims of its obsolescence. His artistic effort seeks to construct a kind of painting that asserts itself against distracted perception and undermines the apathy and indifference of the gaze.
José Manuel Ciria (born 1960, Manchester) has achieved wide international recognition through solo and group exhibitions, including the Herzliya Contemporary Art Museum (Tel Aviv), the Tretyakov State Gallery (Moscow), the Polish National Museum (Warsaw), the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Buenos Aires), the Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno (IVAM), and the Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires (MAMBA), among many others. His work has also been shown at galleries such as Stefan Stux Gallery (New York), Christopher Cutts Gallery (Toronto), and Art Rouge Gallery (Miami).
Galerie Kornfeld is delighted to announce that the exhibition Over/Under the Raw will be preceded by the screening of the film “Ciria pronounced Thiria”, an artist portrait directed by Artur Balder, taking place on 22 November at the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin. The film will be shown for the first time in Germany after its world premiere at MoMA (New York) in May 2013.