Spanish painter Xevi Solà in Miami

Opera Gallery in Miami (151 NE 41St Street, suite 131) presents ‘Social Landscape,’ a solo exhibition of 14 new paintings by Spanish artist Xevi Solà from May 9-26. Known for his colorful portraiture combining elements of psychological portraiture with a bold, illustrative sensibility, Solà’s vivid acrylic paintings are characterized by visually dense scenes reminiscent of dream sequences.

In an homage to a term coined by pioneering American photographer and artist Lee Friedlander, the exhibition’s title explores the complexity of interactions between people, objects and the environments they inhabit. Typified by candid moments and references to cinema and Americana, Solà’s acrylic paintings are saturated with cool pastel blues, electric reds, neon greens, buttery yellows and more.

With visual influences ranging from the comic book illustrations of Richard Corden to the atmospheric cinema of auteurs such as Jim Jarmusch and David Lynch, Solà’s paintings reflect his fascination with the subconscious mind. Furthermore, his experience working in a psychiatric hospital influenced the form and content of his work, leading to a fascination with the transience of emotion. Solà’s paintings evoke psychological complexity in various forms including the dynamics of power, perceived social roles, and suppressed emotions through the combination of seemingly ordinary scenes that are infused with a sense of underlying tension.

Solà belongs to a rich tradition of painters who bend the rules of traditional figuration in order to capture a more elusive likeness. Like 20th and 21st century artists including Lucian Freud, Alice Neel, Alex Katz, Chantal Joffe and Elizabeth Peyton, he is more interested in painting the essence of a subject than their exact physical likeness. To this end, he works quickly in order to avoid second-guessing the marks that he commits to the canvas.

Sensitive to subtle gestures and facial expressions, Solà’s version of psychological portraits evoke backstage scenes of fashion shows, applying an outsiders lens to the insider experience. In paintings like Backstage and Behind the Curtain, statuesque models strike poised, angular poses while bearing smoldering expressions.

In Garden, two figures reminiscent of fashion models strike a pose in what appears to be a skewed version of Dorothy’s journey along the yellow brick road from the iconic film “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), an example of how Solà incorporates cultural references from a variety of sources into his compositions.

“Our viewers will step into a world of bold expression and powerful storytelling through striking figurative works that captivate and inspire,” Dan Benchetrit, Opera Gallery Miami’s Director, said. “Expect to be moved, energized, and deeply engaged as you explore art that speaks with confidence and vitality.”

About Xevi Solà

Xevi Solà (b. 1969-) is a Spanish painter who lives and works in Girona, Spain. He was born in Santa Coloma de Farners in Catalonia and he graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona in 2007.

He has exhibited widely in galleries and museums across Europe, the United States, and Asia.

About Opera Gallery

Founded in Singapore in 1994, Opera Gallery has forged, over its 30 years, a network of galleries worldwide including London, Paris, Madrid, Geneva, New York, and Miami, establishing itself as one of the leading global players within the international art market.

Headed by Gilles Dyan, Chairman and Founder, and Isabelle de La Bruyère, CEO, Opera Gallery specializes in Post-War, Modern and Contemporary Art.

In addition, the gallery represents contemporary artists such as Andy Denzler, Pieter Obels and Gustavo Nazareno, alongside internationally recognized names such as Ron Arad, Manolo Valdés, Anthony James and Anselm Reyle.