CESC ABAD
The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret
(Curated by Gabriel Rolt)
05 – 28 April 2024
Each painting in this exhibition holds a secret, reflecting Cesc Abad’s own journey of secrecy and revelation. At the age of 21, he was forced to abandon his artistic career and take over the family business due to his father’s sudden death. For 20 years, he worked in secret behind a fake wall in his office, a space known simply as “the wall” to his employees. Only his family and a few close friends were aware of what he was doing behind that wall. After living a double life for many years, Abad decided to sell his companies in 2016 and dedicate himself exclusively to his artistic career.
Cesc Abad’s practice is marked by a constant evolution of styles, with each one leading to the next. In his latest series, which could be described as Neo-Renaissance, he revisits a the old masters from the Cinquecento, such as Rogier van der Weyden and Giorgione. This choice is not just a nod to art history but also a deliberate move to slow down and reconnect with the essence of our relationship with nature. In a world overloaded with images and communication moving at a rapid pace, Abad’s research to Renaissance painting is a deliberate step back to move forward, echoing the approach of artists like Kirchner and Nolde from the Die Brücke movement in Berlin, who found inspiration in the old masters to forge new paths forward.
A central theme in Cesc Abad’s work is the relationship between humans and animals, highlighting the consequences of our actions in the animal realm. Each painting features a figure wearing a paper bag instead on their heads, symbolizing the anonymity and loneliness of contemporary society.
The technique employed in these works is meticulous, with a combination of very fine and thick brush strokes. Most backgrounds are in shades of gold or silver, reminiscent of the old masters like Giotto and Hieronymus Bosch.
“Kind-hearted” is a term that aptly describes all the works in this exhibition, welcoming the viewers to reflect on their own relationship with nature and the world around them.
The exhibition will run from the 5th to the 28th of April 2024 at the gallery.
Gabriel Rolt, Barcelona, March 2024
Cesc Abad’s recent neo-Renaissance works, paying homage to the great masters like Giotto, Giorgione, and Rogier van der Weyden, captivate through their stillness and sobriety. In a poetic interplay between the human being and animals, he translates timeless themes into the fabric of our modern society. The diversity of the painting techniques composes a symphony of art, skillfully simplifying forms. Abad provides a profound reflection on the human condition and our relationship with the animal kingdom, infusing his paintings with a timeless harmony.
Upcoming solo exhibitions include a mid-career retrospective at LA FACT Museum, (Barcelona), WACD (Amsterdam), Pictorium gallery (London), Piermarq gallery (Sidney) and Alzueta gallery (Barcelona / Madrid), Caelis (Shanghai) and Hedonist gallery (Dubai)
His works have been shown in international galleries including The Curators Room Amsterdam, Simchowitz gallery in LA and Mayoral Barcelona.
His work has been included by institutional collections including Fundacio Vila Casas, Barcelona, Colección Fundación MER, Madrid, Alonso family Art Collectio, Madrid and the Alciturri collection, Lisabon.
