PINTURAS
The Galeria Miguel Marcos presents Pinturas, a solo show on one of the gallery’s most emblematic painters.
The painting of Grau (Barcelona 1951 – 2020) is closely linked to the manifestations of the New York School, and in particular, to Willem de Kooning or Philip Guston. He offers a pictorial language that, at first glance, brings us closer to direct work and spontaneous, without obstacles, articulating all the spaces and volumes through gestures and a free and untethered chromaticism.
Grau became the promoter of “El Grupo Trama” formed by himself, José Manuel Broto (Zaragoza, 1949), Javier Rubio (Zaragoza, 1952), Gonzalo Tena (Teruel, 1950) and the writer Federico Jiménez Losantos (Teruel, 1951). One of the principal Spanish representatives of abstract expressionism. Technically, the desire to deepen the succession and amalgamation of layers that characterize his works is perceived in this exhibition. Superimpositions made of transparencies, shades and blurred glazes grant the singular mystery of supposed chaos and excess, ending with divergent tensions.
In 1983, the relationship with the Miguel Marcos Gallery began until he died in 2020 and through solo exhibitions in its spaces in Zaragoza, Madrid and Barcelona.
In his last years, his art converged in more lyrical abstraction, vibrant colours, dynamism and effervescent luminosity. Lines more contained by the measured rhythm of geometric shapes, creating true cumulative labyrinths with intimate and personal dialogue, offer the viewer a visual translation through the interior of the work, from the mere surface to the extreme depth.
There were numerous solo shows in the gallery centers in Zaragoza, Madrid and Barcelona; the last two in 2007: Imago and in 2009, under the title Spout & Coffin, as well as institutional exhibitions related to it: Xavier Grau, Pintures 1981-1996, Center Arts Santa Mònica de Barcelona, 1997 curated by Enrique Juncosa and Celebración de la pintura, held in 2008 in the Monastery of Veruela in Zaragoza, and whose curatorship was in charge of Juan Manuel Bonet.
His work is part of museums and public collections such as the “La Caixa” Contemporary Art Collection (Barcelona), MACBA, Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Barcelona) or MNCARS, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Madrid) or the Banco Sabadell Art Collection, among many others.
