Gorka Mohamed
Gorka Mohamed (b.1978 in Santander, Spain) creates works distinguished by an ambiguity that makes it difficult for the viewer to class them as just one art genre. They contain a mixture of surrealism and the Spanish Baroque creating dark cartoon-like figures. Intense colours and seemingly unconnected objects come together to create single figures resembling a two-dimensional sculpture, which characterise his paintings. Embedded within the bouquet of references to art history, pop culture and media are the societal critiques that the artist puts forth with his narratives. Particularly inspired by Nietzsche’s critiques on power structures and their application in today’s society, the artist pokes fun at the “new authorities” that dictate our contemporary existence.
고르카 모하메드는 어느 한 예술 장르로 분류하기 어려운 모호함으로 가득 찬 그림을 그린다. 초현실주의와 스페인 바로크가 합쳐진 듯한 기법의 기괴한 캐릭터들을 중심으로 강렬한 색감과 언뜻 보기에 연결성 없는 오브제들이 한데 모여 2차원적 조각의 형상을 보여준다. 미술사, 대중문화, 대중매체 등에 대한 레퍼런스로 가득 찬 화폭 속 작가가 내세우는 사회 비판들이 서술적으로 드러난다. 특히 권력구조에 대한 니체의 글에서 영감을 받은 작가는 그 당시의 아이디어가 현대 사회에서 어떻게 적용될 수 있을지 탐구하며 우리의 현대사회 속 우리의 삶을 좌우하는 "새로운 권위들"에 대한 비판을 유머러스하게 풀어낸다.
Born in 1978, Spain.
Lives and works in London.
EDUCATION
2006-2008 Master in Fine Arts, Goldsmiths College, London, UK
1997-2003 Graduate in Art and Design, Escola Massana. Barcelona, Spain
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021-2
- ’Hall of Mirrors’. Galería Marta Cervera. Madrid, Spain.
2019
- I Would Prefer Not To. Galerie Thomas Bernard. Paris, France.
- The Mad Dog of The Desert. Dar Al-Nimer of Arts and Culture. Beirut, Lebanon.
2018
- I ARE. Galerie La Mauvaise Réputation. Curated by Emilie Flory. Bordeaux, France.2016
- Raise Ravens and They will Pluck Out Your Eyes.Peter Von Kant. London, UK.
2016
- Raise ravens and they will pluck out your eyes. Peter Von Kant Gallery. London, UK.
- Ha,Ha. Helena Parada & Gorka Mohamed. Choi & Lager Gallery. Cologne, Germany.
2015
- Termite Painting & The Sick Feet. Galeria Juan Silio. Santander, Spain.
2014
- Solo Project at Arte Santander Art Fair. Santander, Spain.
2011
- Riendo Hacia Atras, Galería Distrito Cuatro. Madrid, Spain.
2010
- Tautologies. Gallery b’one. Seoul, Korea.
2009
- Toon Toon. Galeria Siboney. Santander, Spain.
- Cota Uno (Project Room). Arte Santander. Spain.
2006
- Puente de la Vision, Contemporary Museum of Santander, Spain.
- Ghosts and Premonitions.Galeria Luis Adelantado, Valencia
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
- ”Flowers” Choi & Choi Gallery. Seoul, Korea
2020
- ¡Fiat Lux!Centro de Exposiciones Caja Granada Puerta Real. Granada, Spain.
2019
- Masterpieces Vol2. Galerie Thomas Bernard. Paris, France.
- Eugenèsia. Lo Pati Centre d’Art-Terres de l’Ebre. Amposta, Spain.
- Pampre It Up! .La Mauvaise Réputation. Bordeaux, France.
- Masterpieces Vol1. Galerie Thomas Bernard. Paris, France.
- Spanish Omelette. Contemporary Art from Spain. Kalawakan Spacetime. Curated by Manuel Ocampo. Manila, Phillipines.
- Abracadabra. Assembly House. Leeds, UK.
- Ranchito End of Residency. Hammana Artist House. Hammana, Líbano.
- Del Cuaderno Del Coleccionista. Colección Bragales. Castillo de Argüeso. Cantabria, Spain.
2018
- Poco Hecho/ Medium Rare. Matadero. Madrid, Spain.
- A Monochrome Exhibition. Rocky Shore Gallery. Tokio, Japan.
- Back to the Hood. Thierry Lagalla ,Vicent Gicquel, Charles Manson, Gorka Mohamed, Manuel Ocampo.
- Thomas Bernard/Cortex Athletico & La Mauvaise Réputation, Bordeaux.
- Boy Meets Girl. Danny Fox, Bernhard Martin, Dale Lewis and Gorka Mohamed. Choi & Lager Gallery. Cologne, Germany.
- Boy Meets Girl at Spinnerei. Choi & Lager Gallery. Leipzig, Germany.
- Yes, Sir/Ma’am! No, Sir/Ma’am! Right Away, Sir/Ma’am!. Manuel Ocampo & Collaborators. Tyller Rollings Gallery. NYC, USA.
2017
- The Untimely Dream. Contemporary Spanish Art in Dysfunctional Times. The Drawing Room Gallery. Manila, Philippines
- Ride On. Abdul Vas & Gorka Mohamed. Galería Proyecto H. Madrid, Spain
- Creo que a Joseph Beuys no lo tengo en el facebook. Sala Atín Aya. Seville, Spain
2016
- Una mirada en abierto: Colección Fundación Coca-Cola. Centro de Arte Contemporáneo La Conservera. Murcia, Spain.
- “Puertos de Entrada”, Festival Periferias (comisariada por Javier Aquilué). Huesca, España.
2015
- ‘De La Mano’. Centro Centro.Palacio de Cibeles. Madrid, Spain.
- ‘Tener Que Sentir’. Centro de Cultura Antiguo Instituto. Colección Los Bragales. Gijón, Spain.
2014
- ‘100 Painters of Tomorrow’. One Art Space Gallery. New York. USA.
- ‘Exeter Contemporary Open 2014’ Exeter Phoenix. Exeter, UK.
- ‘Untitled (Unconscious) TJBoulting Gallery, London. UK.
2013
- ‘Creekside Open 2011 Selected by Ceri Hand. A.P.T. Gallery.’, A.P.T Gallery, London.
- ‘Ultima pintura en las colecciones del DA2 y la Fundación Coca-Cola’. Museo de Arte Contemporán eo de Arrecife (MIAC). Lanzarote, Spain
- ‘Meaning Making’ (curated by Monica Alvarez Careaga ), touring show: New York, Washington, Brussels.
2012
- ‘Enlaces + Seis Contextos. Museo Patio Herreriano. Valladolid, Spain.
- ‘Salon Art Prize’. Matt Roberts Arts gallery. London.
- ‘Swollen Jungle’. Union Gallery, London.
2011
- ‘Creekside Open 2011 Selected by Dexter Dalwood’, A.P.T Gallery, London.
- ‘Young London’, V22 Collection. London.
- ‘Translate/Transcribe’, 15th Art Moscow. Moscow, Russia.
- `Wonderpia’, Seoul Museum of Contemporary Art, Nanji Studio Gallery. Seoul, Korea.
- ‘Ultima Pintura’ (Collections from DA2 & Coca-Cola Foundation), DA2. Salamanca, Spain.
2010
- Odd Place, Artside Gallery. Seoul, Korea.
- TAG, Brown Gallery, London.
- DA2. Acquisitions 2010 from Coca Cola Foundation. Salamanca, Spain.
- ‘Enlaces+4’, Patio Herreriano Museum. Valladolid, Spain.
- Bright Lights London Painting, Resy Muijsers contemporary art. Tilburg, Netherlands.
- il alla A lai de lA il, Crimes Town Gallery. London, UK.
- Bragales Collection, Palacio de Sástago. Zaragoza. Spain.
2009
- Ventriloquist (curated by Emma Dexter), Timothy Taylor Gallery.London, UK.
- Code of Being (Jill Mason, Eemyun Kang, Gorka Mohamed), Gallery With Space. Beijing, China.
- Modern Times, Vegas Gallery. London, UK.
- Notes from the underground, James Taylor Gallery.London, UK.
2008
- Enlaces+3, Patio Herreriano Museum. Valladolid, Spain.
2007
- Planes Futuros (curated by Lorena and Maria del Corral), Sala Baluarte, Pamplona, Spain
- Celeste Art Prize: T2 The Old Truman Brewery, London. Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh
- Beauty & Sadness (Juan Navarro Baldeweg, Juan Uslé, Eduardo Gruber, Gorka Mohamed, Manu Arregui amount others): Galeria Torreao Nascente da Condoaria Nacional, Lisbon.
- Industrie-und Handelskammer. Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- ‘Fall-in Theatre’, V22 Basement, London.
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2014
- Honourable Mention in the category of painting at 2013 Beers Contemporary Award for Emerging Art.
- Finalist at Exeter Contemporary Open 2014. Exeter Phoenix. Exteter, UK.
2008
- Winner of the Wardens Purchase Prize. Goldsmiths College
2005
- Winner of the Pancho Cossio contest, Santander, Spain.
- Selected in the contest Caja Madrid Generation 2005. Madrid, Spain.
2005
- Arteleku Grant, San Sebastian, Spain
- Residency in Piramidon, Barcelona, Spain
2002
- ¨Winner of the Casimiro Sainz contest, Reinosa, Spain
2001
- Grant of studies by Escola Massana, Barcelona, Spain
1997
- Winner of the Pancho Cossio contest, Santander, Spain
COLLECTIONS
Olor Visual Collection. Spain
Patio Herreriano, Museum of Spanish Contemporary Art, Valladolid, Spain
Bank Caja Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Fundacion Coca-Cola. Madrid, Spain
Ayuntamiento de Reinosa. Reinosa, Spain
Culture Department of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
Goldsmiths College, University of London.
Colección Los Bragales, Spain.
Colección Norte. Santander, Spain.
Fundacion Centenera, Spain.
LECTURES
"La cultura alternativa como alternativa cultural", University of Cantabria. Cantabria, Spain. 2007
SELECTED CATALOGUES AND PUBLICATIONS
100 Painters of Tomorrow by Thames & Hudston (2014)
Young London 2011-2014 Catalogue by V22 Collection & Grey Tiger Books (2014)
2014/Antes de irse.40 ideas sobre la pintura by David Barro (2013)
Wonderpia, text by Lee Jinmung & Kira Kim (2011)
Odd Place, text by Lee Jinmyung (2010)
Tautologies, text by Raúl Zamudio (2010)
Toon Toon, text by Kristian Leahy (2009)
Turpsbanana issue nº 6, Review by Sarah Douglas (2009)
Silenci? (2009)
Planes Futuros by Lorena & Maria del Corral. Text by Cedar Lewisohn (2007)
Celeste Art Prize (2007).
Emerging Art in Spain by Manuela Villa (2006 )
Beauty and Sadness by Monica Alvarez Careaga (2007)
Puente de la Vision by the Museum of Santander. Text by Isabel Portilla (2006)
D[x]i Magazine, issue 21 (2006)
Street Logos by Tristan Manco (2004)
Helena Parada Kim & Gorka Mohamed
