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A Vocation Born in Mediterranean Light

Originally from El Prat, near Barcelona, Cristina BanBan has emerged as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary painting. Her relationship with art began early and instinctively. Her parents enrolled her in art school at the age of five — a defining gesture.

“I always knew I wanted to do something with drawing and painting,” she recalls.

Since childhood, a sketchbook and pencils have never left her side. This intimate connection to drawing is rooted in a traditional education centered on observing reality. Very early, she learned to copy, to understand light, to master color, watercolor, and acrylics, and eventually to draw from life. This rigorous discipline forged both her vision and her precision.

Between Popular Culture and Pictorial Heritage

Cristina BanBan’s early influences reflect the hybridity of her generation. While Picasso was her first artistic shock — “Picasso was my first influence” — she also acknowledges the profound impact of popular visual culture: Japanese anime series such as Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, and Doraemon fed her teenage imagination.
This dual belonging — between high art and popular culture — still flows through her work today, where the monumentality of the body meets an almost graphic expressiveness.

From Barcelona to London: The Search for Artistic Identity

Graduating in 2010 from the University of Fine Arts of Barcelona, which she describes as “very conservative,” Cristina BanBan decided to move to London, where she lived for seven years.

“I felt very lost, and the way I spent my free time was mostly drawing,” she explains.

There, she developed — almost self-taught — a personal visual language blending sensuality, strength, and humor. From 2016 onwards, painting became her main medium of expression.

The Call of New York: A Defining Turning Point

In 2019, a residency in New York transformed her trajectory. Invited by a gallery, she discovered a new source of energy:

“I had so much fun. It was so exciting, and I felt it brought me back to life.”

The New York experience became foundational — offering her the freedom and experimentation that pushed her practice toward looser, more gestural forms.

While the female body remains central to her work, Cristina BanBan now treats it as a vessel for emotion rather than representation. Around 2022, she began to explore distortion, tension, and fragmentation. She cites Willem de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Paula Rego, and Lucian Freud among her references, as well as Joaquín Sorolla, whose mastery of light and gesture she deeply admires.

Evolving Style: From the Body to Composition

While the female body remains central to her work, Cristina BanBan now treats it as a vessel for emotion rather than representation. Around 2022, she began to explore distortion, tension, and fragmentation. She cites Willem de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Paula Rego, and Lucian Freud among her references, as well as Joaquín Sorolla, whose mastery of light and gesture she deeply admires.

Her creative process is grounded in drawing — “Drawing is a very calm, meditative state for me” — but her approach to painting is driven by energy and impulse. Without preparatory sketches, she advances instinctively, “breaking” canvases that fail to work and immediately starting anew.

“Lorquianas”: An Homage to Federico García Lorca

Presented at Galerie Perrotin in Paris, Lorquianas marks a major milestone in BanBan’s career. Inspired by Federico García Lorca, the celebrated Spanish poet and playwright, Cristina BanBan reinterprets his world through a series of powerful and lyrical works.

Invited to work at the Centro Federico García Lorca in Granada, she delved into the poet’s archives, drawings, and photographs. From this dialogue emerged ten large-scale paintings and several drawings intertwining symbols, architecture, and feminine figures.
The paintings evoke Lorca’s tragic heroines — Yerma, La Casa de Bernarda Alba — as well as his dreamlike characters: clowns, sailors, Pierrots.

“The meaning of the exhibition is to give life to Lorca’s legacy in a different context here in Paris,” she explains.

The Female Body as a Territory of Emotion

In Lorquianas, Cristina BanBan chose, for the first time, to dress her figures. Clothing becomes a narrative tool, a bearer of symbols. Yet painting the female body remains her central thread:

“As a woman painting women, my gaze is inevitably different.”

Her canvases convey the emotional power of the body — its vulnerability and strength — far removed from any erotic intention.
Lorquianas thus stands as a pictorial meditation on femininity, memory, and poetry. Between figuration and abstraction, between Spain and America, Cristina BanBan transforms painting into a sensitive language — a space where the body becomes metaphor and color becomes emotion.

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David Reed is a prominent American contemporary painter known for his abstract works that emphasize color, movement, and light. With a distinct approach that blends traditional techniques with modern influences, his paintings often evoke a cinematic quality, mixing expressionist brushwork with a digital sensibility. In this interview, Reed discusses his artistic journey, from his early influences to his latest exhibition, Whirlpool.

Early Influences and Path to Art

Reed’s early life in San Diego, California, was shaped by modernist architecture, thanks to his uncle, architect John August Reed. This influence, combined with family members involved in art, created a foundation that would eventually lead Reed to pursue painting. He reflects on how McLaughlin’s minimalist work, often dismissed by others, piqued his curiosity and shaped his approach to space and composition.

The Impact of the New York Studio School and Milton Resnick

While studying at the New York Studio School, Reed encountered Milton Resnick, who challenged him to view paintings as a whole rather than focusing on isolated parts. Resnick’s unconventional advice helped Reed develop a more integrated approach to painting.

Color, Emotion, and Freedom in Painting

One of the defining features of Reed’s work is his use of color to evoke emotion. For Reed, color serves as an opening, offering an unarticulated yet powerful emotional resonance. He believes color in painting can liberate the viewer, creating personal connections that transcend commercial uses of color in media.

“Painting can fight back against [advertising] by using color in a way that’s free, that lets people experience in a different way and frees them up rather than trying to control them.”

Whirlpool: The Endless Possibilities of Painting

In Whirlpool, Reed seeks to create paintings that feel open-ended, inspired by an Edgar Allan Poe story about a whirlpool with simultaneous inward and outward motion. This dynamic interaction, where paintings pull viewers in before pushing them out, captures the essence of Reed’s recent work.

“I want these forms to be open… to think that the painting can open up sideways, above and below, and maybe be repeated in certain ways.”

Homage to Barnett Newman and the Use of Stencils

Reed’s experimentation with stencils has given him new freedom in manipulating color and form. In his homage to Barnett Newman, Reed uses red, yellow, and blue to invoke Newman’s abstract yet culturally resonant approach. This piece reflects Reed’s respect for Newman’s ability to blend intellectual depth with popular culture, a quality Reed aspires to in his own work.

“I think of that painting as an homage to Barnett Newman… he was so intellectual, but still so involved with pop culture.”

Conclusion: The Emotional Journey of Painting

David Reed’s dedication to exploring the emotional and visual language of color and form has cemented his place in contemporary art. His work continues to offer viewers a unique, open-ended engagement, revealing the transformative potential of painting in a world where color is often commercially driven. Reed’s exhibition Whirlpool serves as a testament to his belief in the enduring relevance of painting as an expressive medium.

Watch David Reed’s full interview to learn more about his journey and philosophy.

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Alex Katz: A Master of Contemporary American Art and Printmaking

Alex Katz, born in Brooklyn, New York City in 1927, is a celebrated American artist known for his distinctive style that merges abstraction and realism. His work primarily focuses on portraiture, landscapes, and scenes of everyday life especially with his friends and wife Ada who is also his muse. Katz’s art, characterized by its bold colors, flat surfaces, and simplified forms, has made a significant impact on the world of contemporary art. In addition to his paintings, Katz is also highly regarded for his contributions to printmaking. His exhibition at Thaddaeus Ropac, 60 years of Printmaking, following his retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, is an occasion to explore this aspect of his work.

Early Life and Education: The Foundation of an Artist

Born to Russian immigrant parents, Katz was surrounded by creativity and perseverance from a young age. His father’s ability to thrive in competitive environments and his mother’s artistic background influenced Katz’s future path.

His introduction to art was informal, he recalls doing watercolors with his father and being influenced by modern art books such as the Bauhaus principles of Piet Mondrian.

Katz’s formal education in art began at the Cooper Union in New York City, where he enrolled after going to a trade school. His background in antique drawing and the pouncing technique (spolvero), which he learned during his teenage years, gave him a strong foundation that allowed him to excel in modern art studies. Katz’s time at Cooper Union enabled him to master the principles of Cubism and other modern art methods. He emerged as a top student, earning a scholarship to the prestigious Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine, where he discovered plein air painting and painted directly from nature. 

The Evolution of Katz’s Artistic Style

While everyone was doing abstract expressionist paintings, Katz turned to a blend of realism and modernism, characterized by flat, simplified forms and vibrant colors. Embracing the flatness and graphic quality, he  developed what would become his signature style. Katz’s portraits, particularly those of his wife, Ada, are some of his most iconic works. These portraits are known for their clarity and simplicity, capturing the essence of the subject with minimal detail.

Katz’s landscapes are equally important in his oeuvre. He often paints scenes from Maine, where he has spent much of his time. His landscapes, like his portraits, are characterized by their bold use of color and flatness, creating a sense of immediacy and directness. Katz’s work bridges the gap between abstract expressionism and pop art, making him a unique figure in the contemporary art world.x

Printmaking: A Crucial Medium for Katz

Printmaking has played a crucial role in Alex Katz artistic career. His interest in prints began in the 1950s, when he experimented with stencils. This exploration laid the groundwork for his later work in printmaking, particularly with silkscreen prints, which became popular in the 1960s.

Katz, emphasizes the importance of collaboration with skilled printers. He worked with several master printers, each contributing to the evolution of his technique and the quality of his prints. Katz admired printers who could take his ideas and elevate them, producing works that often exceeded his original vision.

Katz’s work with Aldo Crommelynck, a renowned printer who also worked with Pablo Picasso, is particularly noteworthy. Katz recalls how Crommelynck’s mastery of techniques like aquatint and his ability to push the boundaries of printmaking had a profound impact on his work. Katz also worked with other legendary printers, including Doris Simmelink and Hiroshi Kawanishi, who brought their own unique skills and sensibilities to Katz’s projects.

Katz’s Impact and Legacy

Katz has spent his life experimenting with different ways of representing reality, from the detailed antique drawings of his youth to the flat, simplified forms of his mature work. Katz’s work continues to be relevant, as he remains active in the art world, producing new work that resonates with both contemporary and traditional audiences. This ongoing exploration has kept his work fresh and innovative, ensuring his contributions to the history of art.

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In this conversation, artist Katharina Grosse is interviewed about her career and artistic influences. She discusses her upbringing in a working-class area, which exposed her to art, music, and cultural experiences. Grosse’s affinity for color and her early inspirations, such as Manet and Matisse, are discussed, as well as her experiences in nature and their impact on her perspective and sense of scale. A pivotal moment in Grosse’s career is highlighted when she painted the Green Corner in Bern, which marked a release into a freer way of working in space.

The interview also delves into Grosse’s realization that color is her core medium. She reflects on her decision to use a spray gun, which allowed her to work on uneven surfaces and move more freely in space. Grosse discusses her tactile approach to her artwork, contrasting earlier works where she embedded leaves with her current practice of not physically touching her work with the spray gun. The interview concludes with Grosse reflecting on the independence of painting from its surroundings and the fascination of combining color with functional spaces or objects.

Overall, this conversation highlights Grosse’s journey as an artist and the pivotal moments and influences that have shaped her career. It explores her fascination with color and her exploration of different techniques and approaches to painting. Grosse’s emphasis on the physicality of her artwork and its relationship to space is also discussed. The interview provides insights into Grosse’s artistic process and her ongoing exploration of the possibilities of painting.

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Nathaniel Mary Quinn is an American contemporary artist who explores themes of identity, resilience, and the human experience. His latest exhibition, “The Forging Years,” reflects on his upbringing in Chicago and the transformative power of art in his life. Quinn’s distinctive style combines portraiture and abstraction to create visually striking compositions that evoke a powerful sense of emotion and vulnerability. Gestalt theory plays a significant role in his artistic practice, as he aims to evoke emotions, provoke introspection, and foster a deeper understanding of the self. At the core of his work is the message of persistence and resilience.

Nathaniel Mary Quinn’s unique style of combining portraiture and abstraction creates a sense of intrigue and emotion that draws the viewer in. His use of gestalt theory is a testament to his understanding of the human psyche and his ability to provoke introspection. “The Forging Years” exhibition is a touching reflection on how art has helped him navigate his life’s challenges. Through his artwork, Quinn encourages viewers to reflect on their own experiences and find strength in their own resilience. His work serves as a reminder that despite life’s struggles, we can persist and overcome.