Rafael Amorós

I was born into the world of contemporary art through my friend and artist Francesc Messa around '81 of the last century, and since then, the universe of creativity has been an open and rich space for me, a place that allows me to experiment (with the urge to see what happens with materials, forms, and concepts) and express freely everything I feel (doubts, fears, joys, concerns, feelings, ...). My training was rather free, almost self-taught. Submitting to schedules and shifts has always been quite complicated for me, and since I was clear that I didn't want to be a teacher, I wasn't concerned about getting any degree stating I was prepared to be a painter. From Messa's lessons, I went through various academies in Valencia and also studied Fine Arts at San Carlos, attending classes that interested me. I have participated in photography courses with Josep Vicent Monzó and attended graphic arts schools in both Barcelona (Escola Internacional de Gravat in Calella) and Madrid (in the studio of Romanian engraver Pavel Radoulovsqui, at the La Cuarta Pared space), and participated in summer graphic arts workshops in Pastrana, Guadalajara. I lived at Mas Sopalmo with the Alcoy artist Antoni Miró, where I helped him edit several series of prints. I learned a lot, and meanwhile, I continued my artistic work. Almost unintentionally, my work was influenced by Antoni's artistic world, and now, looking back, I find it curious what art critic Rafael Prats Rivelles wrote for an exhibition I had in Almussafes in February 2001: It is not a mere anecdote, for example, that Francesc Messa from Albaida was the one who introduced him to the universe of creation. Nor is the relationship with Antoni Miró from Alcoy a mere anecdote. Those who know the personality of both artists will know the great difference between their respective attitudes towards artistic creation. Schematically, we could refer to the somewhat chaotic world of the former and the cosmos of the latter, which is powerfully ordered. This dual starting point is fundamental to understanding our artist's work. A work that falls within the coordinates with which, after the exhaustion of radicalisms, regulated emotion or emotional intellect was reached. I highlight this fragment because it seems key to my work due to the influence of these two personalities. When I realized that I was being formally influenced by my masters' work, I put distance between us and began my path in search of a more personal language, however, always trying to maintain the values they had instilled in me and which, for me, should nourish every personal and artistic facet: commitment, sincerity, rigor, independence, and risk. With all of this, through errors and successes, I have developed my work in different series: L’individu com a forma (1986-1989); Petjades (1989-1991); Orgànics (1991-1993); Autorretrats-Autoreptats (1993-1998); Colors de Vall (1998); Imatges en positiu / Imatges en negatiu (1999-2003); Vocabularis (2004-2005); Paisatges Trobats (2006); Embolics; Gestos; Rastres; Evanescència Fixada; Del roig, Del blau, Del groc al negre. I have also edited several print portfolios, solo or with friends like Messa, Joan Calabuig, Xavier Mollà, Joan Sancarlos, Cesc Biosca, Juan Francisco Tormo ... No. For insubordination (1993); 750 as Valencians (1994); Àrabs i Catalans (1994); Past of a people ... Future of a people (1995); Atzavara (1995); Som (1996); From a time, from a people (1996); To the poet Ausiàs March (1997); End of Millennium (1999); Home Word People, by V.A. Estellés; Always, by Ovidi Montllor; Rabat, 2003; Four words, 2004; … Since the late 90s of the last century, I have been captivated by volume, space, materials, and forms, and my creativity has shifted towards three-dimensionality. I believe I am more sincere when I present works where the forms are what they are. Since then, various series have emerged in which concepts and materials have evolved and varied. Natures, Àrbres, Racons, Embolics, Arq, Contínuum, Addend, Gest, Cerclant, Laocoonte, Un entre tants, Corbant, Sacra flor, Intros, Desconstrucción, Interior, Junyent, Blau, Full, Plec, Unit, Transparencias, Romp. Within the three-dimensional facet, together with my friend the gnomonist Joan Olivares, we have designed and built a good number of sundials / sculptures distributed in various locations in the Valencian Community and the rest of Spain. As for exhibitions, since 1983 I have been showing my work in numerous individual and collective exhibitions in Valencia, Barcelona, Alacant, Madrid, Santander, Belgrade, Stuttgart, Cologne, Vienna, Ghent, Tangier, Casablanca, Bergamo, ... The following are the most recent exhibitions and collaborations: 2018 Exhibition Evanescència Fixada. Thema Gallery, Valencia. Installation/Exhibition Contrapunt. Collaboration with the Multimedia Installation Ensemble of the Master's in Musical Composition, Technology, and Innovation, under the direction of Professor Pierce Warnecke from Berklee's Valencia Campus. Science Museum, City of Arts, Valencia. Installation Miratges. Collaboration with the Multimedia Installation Ensemble of the Master's in Musical Composition, Technology, and Innovation, under the direction of Professor Pierce Warnecke from Berklee's Valencia Campus. Consorci de Museus, Centre del Carme, Valencia. 2019 Participation in justMad X edition, Madrid. Artigallery of Barcelona. Participation in ArtMadrid 14 edition. BAT Alberto Cornejo Gallery, Madrid. Online exhibition Mediterràniament, BAT Alberto Cornejo Gallery, Madrid. Artist in residence, IES Andreu Sempere, Alcoi. Installation Davallament, collaboration with musician, composer Mario Roig.