Presente, 2019

About the artwork

In Rafa Macarrón's work Presente, whimsy and imagination illuminate figures and scenes inspired by daily life, offering a hyper-realistic view of humanity. Figures and creatures interact with one another through outlandish bodies sporting hands with too many fingers and eyes that protrude from heads. Macarrón’s colorful characters, reminiscent of childhood doodles, allow the work to project a playful, limitless view of the world that has not yet been dictated by boundaries. This connects the viewer to their inner self and creates an alternate and extraordinary universe.

My characters live in a transcended daily life, clean days, sunsets, and fresh air.

Rafa Macarrón

1981

Known for his drawings, such as Presente, and paintings of idiosyncratic humanoid characters in bright colours suspended against dream-like landscapes, Rafa Macarrón is one of the most recognisable artists and rising talents of this time.

Although a self-taught artist, Macarrón’s deep knowledge of art history allows him to contextualise work within the canon. Using a wide range of mediums from acrylics, gouaches, oils, pencils, and markers, his work is influenced by such artists as Joan Miró, Jean Michel Basquiat, and Pablo Picasso.

Macarrón, born in 1981 and currently living and working in Madrid, Spain, has exhibited at Nino Mier Gallery, Los Angeles; CAC, Málaga, España; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Alicante, Spain; and Museo DA2, Salamanca, Spain.

His work is collected by institutions worldwide, including the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, New York; Fundación BMW, Spain; Caja Campo, Valladolid, Spain; and Colección Mercadona, Spain, among others.

Curated by

Nina Kim

About

Nina has worked in the art sector for over 20 years. She has worked with major galleries and auction houses such as Sotheby's and Heffel. As an art advisor, she has managed major private and corporate art collections, including that of the Chairman of Thomson Reuters.