Raúl de la Torre Spanish, b. 1974

Overview

Born in Barcelona, Raúl de la Torre was immersed in the rich artistic heritage of Catalonia from an early age. Shaped by the revolutionary spirit of artists such as Joan Miró and Antoni Tàpies, he developed an approach that challenges the conventions of painting while embracing its expressive possibilities. Miró's declaration, "I want to assassinate painting," became a catalyst for Raúl's own exploration of what a painting can be.

Working at the intersection of painting, sculpture, and textile, Raúl transforms the traditional canvas through acts of destruction and repair. He cuts into painted surfaces only to painstakingly mend them with intricate embroidery, creating works that embody both tension and reconciliation. His embroidered threads become both structural and expressive, adding rhythm, depth, and emotion while blurring the boundaries between painting and object.

Raúl studied at the Escola Massana in Barcelona, an institution celebrated for its interdisciplinary approach to art and design. He later worked in the studio of Antoni Tàpies, whose pioneering use of unconventional materials profoundly influenced his understanding of surface, materiality, and the expressive potential of the handmade.

After living and working in London and New York, Raúl settled in Los Angeles, where he continues to expand his distinctive visual language. A member of the LACMA Arts Council, he is actively engaged with the city's vibrant contemporary art community. Over the course of his career, his work has been exhibited in Barcelona, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Berlin, and Toronto, and is represented in numerous private and corporate collections. Through his innovative fusion of painting and embroidery, Raúl continues to redefine the possibilities of painting, creating richly textured works that explore memory, repair, and transformation.

Works
  • Raúl de la Torre, Fils I Colors DLXVII, 2022
    Fils I Colors DLXVII, 2022
  • Raúl de la Torre, Poemes CXXII: Sono Sapore di quel mondo quieto e sgomento, 2022
    Poemes CXXII: Sono Sapore di quel mondo quieto e sgomento, 2022
  • Raúl de la Torre, Of Such Frail Thoughts its Thread is Often Broken, 2020
    Of Such Frail Thoughts its Thread is Often Broken, 2020 Sold
  • Raúl de la Torre, Poemes XC, 2019
    Poemes XC, 2019
Biography

Born 1964, Barcelona, Spain

Lives and works in Los Angeles, CA, USA

 

EDUCATION

 

Universität de Barcelona, London School of Economics

Master’s in marketing, Direction by ESMA Barcelona

The Escola Massana, Art and Design Centre, Barcelona, Spain

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

 

2016 Threaded Poems, Spotte Art, New York, NY

2015 Shaping Memory, Matthew Rachman Gallery, Chicago, IL

           Presentation of Seven New Works, Petrossian, West Hollywood, CA

2013 Poems and Affirmations, Fresh Paint, Culver City, CA

2012 Deep Cuts, Launch, Los Angeles, CA

2010 Experimenting with Color, City of Fontana/Art Depot, Fontana, CA

           Fils I Colors, LACMA Art Rental Sales Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2009 Fils I Colors, Seyhoun Gallery, West Hollywood, CA

            Ciutats, Arthaus 66 Gallery, Albuquerque, NM

2008 Ciutats, Bluebird Art House, Whittier, CA

...

Exhibitions
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