The Spanish artist Benat Olabeitia creates in a non-impressionist, non-narrative, and non-reductive manner. His paintings resemble a connected adventure of perception, exploring the links between vision and thought through composition, form, rhythm, and balance. Abstract lines on the canvas are at times filled with passionate tension and at other times present regular overlapping shapes, achieving a balance of aesthetics between rationality and sensibility.
Beñat Olaberria｜Unviewed｜2023｜160 x 130cm｜Mixed media on canvas
Heavy acrylic pigments, like the marks left behind in the exploration of his adventure, present an incomplete aspect through abstract compositions. Benat Olabeitia never explains his works in a narrative manner; just as the vast blank spaces in his paintings are left open for viewers to interpret, filling the gaps with their own experiences. The non-representational explanations and abstract compositions also allow the works themselves to have multiple interpretation pathways.
Beñat Olaberria｜Take another place｜2023｜160 x 130cm｜Mixed media on canvas
The given text in Chinese can be translated to English as follows: "With an impulsive mark-making combined with rational composition shapes and the final addition of details, the balance of the image is also what Beñat Olaberria explores in his visual work. He has expressed that he incorporates his two contrasting personalities - impulsiveness and control freak tendencies - into his paintings. The dripping and thick application of pigments serve as the release of emotions, appearing like unfinished sketches but also overlapping spaces where visual, intellectual, and emotional intersections extend."
Beñat Olaberria｜Shut｜2023｜140 x 110cm｜Mixed media on canvas
Here is the English translation of the provided text: "Beñat Olaberria approaches the canvas without a plan, fully embracing the process of creation, which he metaphorically describes as a 'walk.' It's like an adventure where the final destination is unknown, and everything in life, including objects and characters, influences his journey. The narrowness and impulsiveness of the lines represent his experiences during this adventure. The irregular shapes and rhythms are what Olaberria explores in his subconscious, seeking balance in perception and vision."
'Quartet' Group Exhibition
Exhibition Date：2023.12.9 – 2024.2.17
Bluerider ART Shanghai · The Bund
Thu.- Sun. 10am-7pm
No. 133 Sichuan Middle Rd., Huangpu Dist., Shanghai
info.china@blueriderart.com
Tel +86 21 6330 6166