Javier Calleja

Born in Spain, 1971. Lives and works in Spain.

A self-professed artist, Calleja’s works are filled with a diverse array of twists and interventions that mirror daily life. As a fan of the works of surrealist master René Magritte, as well as artists Yoshitomo Nara and Chris Johanson, he references their techniques in the context of contemporary portraiture. Still children or not quite teenagers, his signature characters with gigantic, brightly colored eyes confront life head-on, sometimes with tenderness, sometimes with a casual rebelliousness, and always with a keen sense of humor or touch of irony. These endearing characters with their often delusional hopes and desires might look helpless but never seem to give up.

The narratives perceived from the correlation between the images and texts, as well as the explosive interplay of scale between the piece itself and the installation it is situated in, are ingenious ploys on part of the artist. Thanks to this almost hallucinatory distortion, each one of his exhibitions feels like diving into nonsense, harkening back to Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Calleja’s work continues fascinate viewers even in the current world in the midst of global issues. One might empathise for the artist and his attempt to confront difficulties through his sharp-witted creativity, along with his optimism.

1971 年出生於西班牙。現於西班牙生活和工作。

Calleja 是透過自學走進藝術，他的作品總是充滿日常生活中的曲折離奇。作為超現實主義大師雷內·馬格利特(René Magritte) 以及當代藝術家奈良美智和克里斯·約翰遜 (Chris Johanson) 作品的支持者，他在當代肖像畫中引用了他們的技術。畫作中看似童稚的人物色彩鮮明的大眼睛，眼神時而細膩、時而有一絲俏皮，以幽默感笑看世界。這些富七情六慾的人物置身塵世雖然有點孤獨，但他們總是永不放棄。

作品以圖像和文字之間的關聯讓觀者自行參透的敘事手法，以及畫作與其裝置之間大小對比帶來的震撼，都是藝術家別出心裁的巧思。 Calleja每個展覽都猶如走進《愛麗絲夢遊仙境》般，是一個個奇妙且扭曲的幻想空間。

綜然各種全球性問題籠罩當今世界，Calleja的作品仍然絲絲入扣。 藝術家以洞見與創造力迎難而上，同時笑看風雲，不禁令人產生由衷的共鳴。

PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS

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  • 2023
    Chim Pum | AISHONANZUKA | Hong Kong
    Still on time | Almine Rech | London, UK
    MR.GÜNTER, THE CAT SHOW | Centro Cultural Fundación Unicaja de Málaga | Malaga, Spain

    2022
    This Is Your Lucky Day | Almine Rech | Paris, France
    MR.GÜNTER, THE CAT SHOW | CICA Vancouver | Vancouver, Canada
    MR.GÜNTER, THE CAT SHOW | PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO | Tokyo, Japan

    2021
    Open Your Eyes | Nanzuka Underground | Tokyo, Japan
    Almine Rech Shanghai | Almine Rech | Shanghai, China
    If I told you… | Rafael Pérez Hernando Arte Contemporáneo | Madrid, Spain
    Drop By Drop | Dio Horia | Athens, Greece

    2020
    No Art Here | Sushi Saito 3110NZ by LHD Kitchen | Tokyo, Japan
    No Art Here | 2G PARCO | Tokyo, Japan
    Little Maurizio | K11 MUSEA | Hong Kong
    Sooner or Later | Bill Brady | Miami, FL

    2019
    I Did, I Do, I Will Do | AISHONSANZUKA | Hong Kong
    Those Little things | Dio Horia | Mykonos, Greece
    Clouds through the window | Galerie Zink | Waldkirchen, Germany

    2018
    Do not touch | Nanzuka | Tokyo, Japan
    F*ck You n Bear | Nanzuka EchoOne | Bangkok, Thailand
    Fake is the future | Galerie Zink | Hamburg, Germany
    I hope you don’t mind | Yusto/Giner Gallery | Marbella, Spain

    2017
    Hi | AISHONANZUKA | Hong Kong
    Art on Paper Fair | Galerie Zink | Brussels, Belgium

    2016
    Few things | Galería Rafael Pérez Hernando | Madrid, Spain
    No cartoons tonight | Art on paper Fair | Castor Galler | New York, NY

    2015
    Fast food | Galerie Zink | Waldkirchen, Germany
    Finally together | Centro de Arte de Alcobendas | Madrid, Spain
    No art here | Castor Gallery | New York, NY
    Broken white | Galería Yusto/Giner | Marbella, Spain

    2014
    Javier Calleja | Galerie Zink | Waldkirchen, Germany
    Historia de dos para un final imposible | Galería Rafael Pérez Hernando | Madrid, Spain

    2013
    Alimentación científica de las gallinas | Beca Vazquez Díaz, Museo de Huelva | Spain

    2012
    What a beautiful pink day | Galeria Louis 21 | Palma de Mallorca, Spain
    This is not my universe | Fondation Suisse | Paris, France

    2010
    El fin del mundo | Galería Alfredo Viñas | Malaga, Spain
    Cuatro Paredes | CAB de Burgos | Spain

    2009
    Sweet Home | Galería Rafael Pérez Hernando | Madrid, Spain

    2008
    Play Room | CAC Málaga. Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Malaga | Spain

    2006
    El Coleccionista | Sala Moreno Villa | Malaga, Spain

    2005
    Hommo ludens, hommo invadens | Palacio de los Condes de Gabia, Diputación de Granada, Spain

  • 2024
    Winter Selection | Atelier Aki | Seoul, South Korea

    2023
    Winter Tale | Maddox Gallery | London, UK
    Summer’s Palette | Corridor Gallery | Tel Aviv, Israel
    L'Almanach 23 | Le Consortium | Dijon, France
    Sculptures & Multiples | Lougher Contemporary | Bristol, UK
    PLAYGROUND | Sohle Abghari | Marbella, Spain
    Art Toys | Lot 180 Gallery | New York, NY
    New In for the New Year | Lougher Contemporary | Bristol, UK

    2022
    For TZ | Nanzuka Underground | Tokyo, Japan
    Sublime Bodies | AISHONANZUKA | Hong Kong
    Wonderwalls: Street Art & Designer Toys | NRW-Forum Kultur und Wirtschaft | Düsseldorf, Germany
    Kawaii | Maddox Gallery | London, UK
    Global Contemporary Art Show | One Gallery | New York, NY
    Winter Group Show | Rosenfeld Gallery | Miami, FL
    The Holiday Collection: Giftable Objects | Lougher Contemporary | Bristol, UK
    All Treats, No Tricks! | End to End Gallery | Hollywood, FL
    Iconic Edition | Lorin Gallery | Los Angeles
    "PE" Prints & Editions | Leonards Art | London, UK
    After Hope | Dio Horia | Athens, Greece
    Worldwide Contemporary Art | 3 White Dots | Hong Kong

    2021
    Salon de Peinture | Almine Rech | New York, NY
    Si yo te contara ... | Galería Rafael Pérez Hernando | Madrid, Spain
    Editions and Multiples | Lougher Contemporary | Bristol, UK
    Mickey Mouse Now and Future | PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO | Tokyo, Japan
    FIAC & FIAC Hors Les Murs | Grand Palais Ephemere (Champ-de-Mars, Paris) | Paris, France

    2020
    Colectiva 15 años | Galería RPH | Madrid, Spain
    Global Pop Underground | PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO | Tokyo, Japan
    Friends non show | Dio Horia Art Gallery | Athens, Greece
    FIGURATIVE ∙ STILL-LIFE ∙ OBJECTIVITY | Rosenfeld Gallery | Miami, FL
    Portraits: 1962 - 2017 | PULPO GALLERY | Murnau am Staffelsee, Germany
    MR+ | Gin Huang Gallery | Taipei, Taiwan
    ART ON PAPER | Gin Huang Gallery | Taipei, Taiwan

    2019
    Seis personajes en busca de autor | Salas Mingorance del Archivo Municipal de Malaga | Spain
    MSD_Make something different | CAC Vélez Malaga | Spain
    MSD_Make something different | Centro Municipal de Exposiciones (Antiguo Mercado de Mayoristas) | Malaga, Spain
    Mother and Child | Dorothy Circus Gallery | Rome, Italy & London, UK

    2017
    The Veterans | Dio Horia | Mykonos, Greece
    Estilitas. [La extraña comunidad de la columna] | Galería Rafael Perez Hernando | Madrid, Spain

    2015
    Guiones para Gulliver | MAD. Antequera | Malaga, Spain
    Dibujo expandido | Colección DKV, Museo ABC | Madrid, Spain
    El Rumor de la montaña | Sala Fundación Cruzcampo | Malaga, Spain
    Lenguajes en papel VI | Galería Fernando Pradilla | Madrid, Spain

    2013
    Lo parcial como significativo | Colección Caja de Burgos-CaixaBank, Centro de arte de Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain Nunca jamás.
    Historias de niños para adultos, Fundación Madariaga | Seville, Spain
    Km 0' | Galería Yusto Giner | Marbella, Spain

    2012
    Neighbours | CAC Málaga | Malaga, Spain

    2011
    Espacio Atlántico | Galería Rafael Pérez Hernando | Vigo, Spain
    GRAFIKA. 30 Artistas de la España Joven | Exposición Itinerante, Instituto Cervantes y Contemporánea | Beirut, Lebanon & Ammán, Jordan

    2010
    El hombre sin alternativa | Puerto de las artes 2010, Museo de Huelva, Spain

    2007
    Geografías del Agua | exposición itinerante | Antequera, Sevilla, Granada, Almería, Córdoba, Malaga, Spain
    Nouvelle Poubelle | Palacio de la Aduana | Malaga, Spain
    Plásticamente | Ateneo, Malaga, Spain

    2006
    The Paintball Show | Kidrobot |New York, NY

    2002
    Arte más joven | Instituto Andaluz de la Juventud (IAJ) | Almería, Jaén & Sevilla, Spain
    IAJ. Granada, Spain

  • 2017
    Imagen and poster of 20 edition Festival de Málaga. Cine en Español (Malaga Film Festival)

    2014
    DKV Prize | Best Spanish artist | SWAB 2014
    Idea Art Marset Prize | SWAB 2014

    2010
    Beca Vázquez Díaz,Diputación de Huelva, Huelva, Spain

    2001
    Pepe Espaliú Prize | IAJ. Cordoba | España.

  • Banco Sabadell Collection | France

    Diputación de Málaga | Spain

    DKV Collection | Spain

    Marset Collection

    CAB de Burgos | Spain

    CAC Málaga | Spain

    Unicaja Collection | Spain

    Junta de Andalucía, IAJ | Spain

    Granada University | Spain

    Long Museum | China

    He Art Museum | China

    Powerlong Museum | China

    K 11 Art Foundation | Hong Kong

    Sifang Art Museum | China

    Chen Art Foundation | Taiwan

    Cc Foundation Shanghai | China

    X Museum | China

    Xiao Museum of Contemporary Art | China

Artist Website