Juan de la Rica

Bilbao, España, 1979

“I like to say that the subject is nothing more than a macguffin, to use Hitchcock’s language, a plot excuse for the painting to move forward. I see it a bit like the paradox of figurative painting: we painters are constantly looking for interesting subjects, when what is really interesting is the painting itself”.

Download CV

More about the artist

Juan de la Rica (Bilbao, 1979) is a Spanish painter based in Bilbao who presents us with an imagery far removed from any novelty, but which continues to surprise and absorb us with each representation. Close to the sphere of pop artists such as Alex Katz or David Hockney, Juan de la Rica’s pictorial work appears to us as a breath of fresh air, dense and superficial at the same time. The protagonists of his paintings —be they humans, animals, gods, or landscapes— are invested with a depth, accentuated by the use of colour and the cleanliness of the drawing. However, this introspection is combined with the superficial halo of pop art and a fine irony present in his work.

In his interview for Sirocomag, he explores how he vindicates drawing as an enhancer of painting itself. He also clarifies that his themes, so often used in the history of art, are not intended to go beyond their superficial treatment, although he understands that they can be read in new ways.

The marked melancholy of his works is also given by the play of light and shadow, which, far from seeking realism, is the result of his intuition in painting. The contradiction continues because, despite his complex opinion about painting, he does not dispense with irony in his figures.

Artworks

Juan de la Rica

Study for mujer con guindilla

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for Mujer con guindilla

Works on paper

Juan de la Rica

Lipotimia

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Mujer con guindilla

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Frutero con limones

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Tres amigas

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Guitarrista

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Bañista sentada

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Mujer con fruta

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Mujer con sombrero de papel

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Sombrero rojo

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Ertzaina

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Reunión

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Florero sobre fondo negro

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Desnudo con frutas flotantes

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Tres flores

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Estudio para Guitarrista

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Estudio para Bañista sentada

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Estudio para Tenista con fondo azul

Works on paper

Juan de la Rica

Estudio para Tenista con camiseta roja

Works on paper

Juan de la Rica

Estudio para Frutero con limones

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Estudio para Dos flores

Works on paper

Juan de la Rica

Bodegón con jarra azul

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Mujer con Graceland

Works on paper

Juan de la Rica

Mujer con gato

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Mujer recostada

Works on paper

Juan de la Rica

Mujer en interior rojo

Works on paper

Juan de la Rica

Mujer con la mano en el rostro

Works on paper

Juan de la Rica

El tocador

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Frutero con fondo azul

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Periódico de ayer

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Mujer con sombrero de papel

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Mujer con sombrero de papel

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Morena

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for Mujer con fruta

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Tres amigas

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Tres amigas

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for Mujer dormida

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for En la nota

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Dormida

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Sombrero rojo

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for Ertzaina

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Saltadora de longitud

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for Mujer con la mano en el pecho

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for Jarra y cereza

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for El cordón verde

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for Florero sobre fondo negro

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Study for Florero sobre fondo negro

Works on paper Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Frutero con peras

Drawing

Juan de la Rica

Rubia

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Tenista 5

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Tenista 6

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Frutero con peras

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Tenista 5

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Tenista 6

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Tres flores

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Desnudo con frutas flotantes

Drawing Sold

Juan de la Rica

Study for Rubia

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Tenista 3

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Madonna con gato

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Tenista 2

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Mujer con sombrero y gafas

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Tres piernas III

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Tres piernas II

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Tres piernas I

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Pensadora 2

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Parable of footballer

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Composición caras II

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Composición caras I

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Pensadora

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Couple 2

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

The visit

Painting

Juan de la Rica

The rape of Europe

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

Desnudo con florero

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

La Polca

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Paisaje con mar

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Planta

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Jarrón con flores

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Metamorfosis

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Frutero con frutas

Painting

Juan de la Rica

Vanitas XXI

Painting Sold

Juan de la Rica

La jarra negra

Painting