Frédéric Gutiérrez Barde

ARTIST

For Frédéric Gutiérrez Barde, there is no hierarchy for the different materials and mediums. The resistance (or nonresistance) of materials and the behavior of pigments, rust, metal, and marble dust dictate how the light reflects on the subject, giving it a poetic depth that invites contemplation. In many of his pieces, much of their strength lies in the materials used.

The artist reflects on the human condition through Rostros (Faces), manipulating these faces time and time again, achieving an enigmatic appearance that is, at times, wrenching; anonymous faces that invite us to reflect on the mysteries that they contain, close yet impenetrable. These pieces have no guidelines for their interpretation; they are works that give the viewer freedom to interpret. Last year, he presented his latest Faces in France; first at the Gaab Gallery of Biarritz and later at thevalérie Peter Gallery of Bordeaux.

In his studio, abstraction and form live together naturally. He has always been interested in working on multiple lines at the same time; depending on his state, he pours himself into one or the other, without premeditation, with absolute freedom.

In his more recent abstract works, the color black has been the great protagonist. Nevertheless, among the dark brush strokes that appear in the foreground, glimpses of warmer tones can be seen coming through, from a base made up –once more– of different materials like paper or rust. He paints around emptiness to shape light. Along these lines, his latest series in paper entitled La oscuridad sigue poblada de luciérnagas (Darkness is Still Inhabited by Fireflies) allows for consideration of a continuation of the ideas and aesthetics that characterize the artist’s recent works.

Last fall, he exhibited his work at the gallery inside the Luzea Tower of Zarautz, a Renaissance building from the fifteenth century. This exhibition brought together the different genres through which the artist expresses himself, from painting to collage.