Pedro Paricio

Pedro Paricio

Spanish, b. 1982

Abstract painter Pedro Paricio was recently described by a prominent art critic as "one of the best, and most fresh emerging artists to come out of Spain". Paricio is beginning to enjoy an international reputation following exhibitions throughout Spain since 2006, and Los Angeles in 2009. His paintings are in private collections in Europe and the US.

Paricio says of his decision to be an artist, "...to be honest, the thing that attracted me was the freedom that society gives to the artist. When you are an artist, society lets you do things that, if it weren't for the art, you would be considered crazy. I chose art because I wanted a different life."

Your Culture Magazine, 2010

Perhaps the most definable characteristics of Paricio's work are his unique use of paint and vibrant colour. Recent themed paintings show a strong sense of playfulness, a fascination with colour and a love of paint. While Paricio's colours are bright and harmonious, his compositions are sometimes awkward and can evoke a sense of disquiet. His recent work makes strong references to graphic design, primitive art, and the work of 20^th century artists, in particular Francis Bacon. Paricio cites Bacon, Rothko, Basquiat, and Miró in a long list of painters who have inspired him. The influences of these particular painters are plain to see in both his drawings and paintings.

Paricio grew up in the Canary Islands and moved to Barcelona in his twenties, where he has had a studio since 2004. He thinks of himself as a Canarian, rather than being Spanish. As a child, Paricio was always drawing and says his mother knew he would be happiest if she gave him pencils and paper to play with. Paricio studied science at high school and did not initially consider a career as an artist. He thanks good teachers for rediscovering his interest in art and now he considers painting to be the most important thing in his life. In an interview for Your Culture Magazine in 2010 Paricio said, "... when I am happy I go to see art. When I am sad, I go to see art. When I see a good painting, I am in a hurry to create a good painting too. "

Paricio completed his studies in fine art at university in Barcelona in 2006, having previously studied in Tenerife and Salamanca. He takes a serious approach to art history and theory, studying and writing alongside his painting. While at university, he considered a career as a critic or curator, but in the end, decided that painting would be his sole professional pursuit. Paricio thinks of the possibilities in painting as infinite and dismisses the thought of using other media or technology in response to current fashions in art.

In 'Digital Painting' and 'After Francis Bacon', two series of paintings made in 2009, Paricio uses an unusual mix of hard lined, flat geometric and amorphous shapes in primary and jewel colours, alongside swathes of thick, acrylic paint to convey meaning. Works on paper made in 2010 include a sequence of haunting traditional ritual masks which are an interesting departure from other purely abstract coloured drawings and drawings of invented creatures and animals.

The titles and subjects of Paricio's paintings indicate an intelligent and curious mind with wide-ranging interests and a broad cultural knowledge. The artist has described his work as 'Abstract Street/Pop Art,' and says that he appropriates diverse cultural references in the titles of his paintings, which link them to a 'shared cultural history'. His subjects range from contemporary science to hispanic folklore, to music and philosophy.

Paricio calls his paintings both synthetic and organic abstraction, and says that he "...represents everything, yet nothing concrete at the same time". In an interview for the catalogue for his exhibition at the Seyhoun Gallery in L.A. in 2009, Paricio said, "I want to mix street art with traditional art to show the power of abstract art. I want to combine the ideas of Clement Greenberg with the style of Keith Haring. ... We are caught in a system and live together in a comfortable world where we want easy culture. We want only to make beautiful and funny things. But I want to think and develop my mind, to free it from its confines. I want to open the secret door."