About the artist:

More than anything else, Josep Cisquella’s work is concerned with the illusory properties of painting. It is a subject steeped in tradition, with antecedents extending from ancient Hellenic art to seventeenth-century trompe l’oeil to the more recent photorealistic work of Richard Estes and his contemporaries. Cisquella, however, approaches this estimable territory from a perspective that is altogether new. Building on the foundations erected by great artists before him, he finds fresh ways to marvel at a painting’s capacity to create realities. Josep Cisquella’s shadows elegantly illustrate a dichotomy of presence and absence: we see many of his subjects by focusing on where they are not. He is a painter of light, specifically the bright Mediterranean variety. This deep interest in the sun’s effects on objects links him strongly to Impressionist ancestors such as fellow Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla Bastida, despite the intense realism of Cisquella’s work. It is striking that Cisquella uses the two dimensional shadow to either echo or imply the existence of a real, three dimensional form. In doing so, he thrusts the subject of the painting into the viewers actual space, facing us to engage with his work in a very visceral, very real way. These are canvases that speak to the beauty of details; preserving moments that, in real life, are all too ephemeral. For that reason, and for the care he takes in rendering these quiet scenes, Josep Cisquella’s work amounts to a whole–hearted celebration of painting itself. Born: 1955, Barcelona Spain Solo Exhibitions: 1989 - Galeria Alfonso, Alcolea Barcelona, “Asfalt”. 1990 - Galeria Ynguanzo, Madrid Spain, “Cota Cero”. 1991 - Galeria Arcs & Cracs, Barcelona; Magidson Gallery, New York New York, “New York at Groundlevel”. 1992 - Magidson Gallery, Aspen Colorado; Galeria Ramon Sardá, Barcelona, “Òxids”. 1994 - Galeria Àmbit, Barcelona, “Correlacions”. 1995 - Sala Transcurs UPC, Barcelona, “Abstracció MatemÀtica”; Museu d’Art Modern de Tarragona, Spain, “Naus Mercants”. 1996 - Galeria Àmbit, Barcelona, “LÍnia de Flotacioó”. 1997 - El Far, Barcelona, “Pintures a Nivell del Mar”. 1998 - Galeria Àmbit, Barcelona, “Ombres”; Galeria Carlos Lozano, “Cadaqués”. 1999 - Caldwell Snyder Gallery, New York New York, “Shadows”. 2000 - Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco California, “Outside-In”. 2001 - Caldwell Snyder Gallery, New York New York, “Stairs & Windows”. 2001 - Sothebys Gallery, Amsterdam Holland, “Exhibition New European Artists”. 2002 - Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco California, “Soliel Intense”. 2004 - Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco California, “Roadside Advertisements”; Trajan Gallery, Carmel California, “Roadside Advertisements”. 2005 - Campton Gallery, New York New York, “Recent Paintings”. 2006 - Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco California, “Towards Reality”. Group Exhibitions: 1989 – Vinçon, Barcelona. 1990 - Art Cologne, Germany, With Galleries: Inge Beacker, Cologne; Fisher Fine Art, London; Ynguanzo, Madrid. 1995 - Saint Étienne, France, “Art dans La Ville”; Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona; Retrat de Barcelona; Galeria Alter Ego, Barcelona. 1996 - Art Frankfurt, Germany; Galeria Àmbit, Barcelona. 1997 - Galeria 3 punts, Barcelona; Galeria Llucià Homs, Barcelona “Realisme d’Avantguarda”. 1999 - Campo & Campo Gallery, Amberes Belgium; Centre d’Art, Santa Mònica Barcelona, “Realisme a Catalunya”. Selected Art Fairs: 2001 - Art Miami, Florida. 2003 - Art Cologne, Cologne Germany 2004 - Merrill Lynch Arte-Americas, Miami, Florida Selected International Art Expositions: 2005 - San Francisco International Art Expo, San Francisco, CA. 2002 – 2003 Art Chicago, Chicago Illinois. 2002 – 2004 San Francisco International Art Expo, San Francisco California. Education: Drawing & Painting studies, Graduated in Industrial Engineering