Juan de la Rica (Bilbao, 1979) is a Spanish painter based in Bilbao who presents us with imagery that is far from novel, yet continues to surprise and absorb us with each representation. Close to the sphere of pop artists such as Alex Katz and 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—whether humans, animals, gods, or landscapes—are imbued with a profound 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 subtle irony present in his work.

In his interview for Sirocomag, he explores how he champions drawing as an enhancer of painting itself. He also clarifies that his themes, which have been used extensively throughout art history, do not seek to overcome their superficial treatment, although he understands that they give rise to new interpretations.

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