Joan Costa

Contemporary artist | Spain

Joan Costa

Joan Costa was born in Palma in 1961. After completing his training in artistic ceramics at the Arts and Crafts School in Palma, he gets a scholarship to Siena where he confirms his interest in sculpture.

After passing the entrance exam to the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara, he completed the four years studies to earn his degree in the specialty of sculpture. During his stay in Italy, he also makes practices in Pietrasanta Beani & Cacia foundry.

.

Strongly influenced at the beginning by the Balearic prehistoric Sculpture (Talayotic period), his early works show great gravid volumes rooted in land. But he will polish his style to enhance the lightness of its parts, which are increasingly organic and ethereal, undulating and light. He will even create mobiles made with metal mesh that move with the breeze and cast suggestive shadows that reveal in two dimensions the spirit of his sculptures.

He still uses the marble with which he discovered his soul of sculptor in Carrara, but continues to research the possibilities of casting and use other noble materials such as brass, aluminium, steel or wood. And even plays with the small format creating exquisite objects and jewellery made of precious metals.

Although from the beginning he performed printmaking and painting, in many cases simple sketches of his sculptures, from 2002 Joan Costa began to use colour and pure chromatics, often obtained with lithographic inks, resulting in a significant abstract work, which complements his sculpture work in three dimensions.

During the last years he also uses the more complex language of the site-specific installations to denounce the irreversible destruction of nature. Rooted in the Mediterranean, which is his source of inspiration, he became aware of the wounds that our whimsical and irresponsible civilization is leaving as cursed inheritance, and try with his philosophical installations to make us aware that such destruction will be soon irreparable.

Despite its complexity, the work of Joan Costa has the consistency that only sincerity and total dedication gives a few artists who manage to convey, without being aware of it, its own style.

Solo Exhibitions

2008 “Las Mujeres Fuertes” Museo de la Universitat d’Alacant.
2003 “Les Dones Fortes” a la Sala Municipal “Coll Alas”. Gandia.
2003 Sala Municipal “Coll Alas”. Gandia.
1995 Centre Cultural de l’Ajuntament de Gandia.
Lycée Espagnol de Paris-Ille de France.
1992 Cité Scoliare de Lyon, Francia. Artista invitado en
“Des jour pour l’Hispanité”.
1991 El coleccionista, Madrid.
1990 Nave 10, Valencia.
1988 Centre Cultural “Nicolás Salmeron”, Madrid
Museo de Albacete.
Centro Cultural de Avilés, Asturias.
1987 Caja Popular de Bilbao
1985 La Casa del Siglo XV, Segovia.
1984 Centro Cultural de Alcorcón. Madrid

Group Exhibitions

2007 “L’art de la llum”. Sala “Coll Alas”. Gandia.
2006 “Tresnudos”. Vitoria. Palacio Industrial de Congresos y Exposiciones.
2005 “Del fix al mòbil”. Fundació Martinez Gerricabeitia.
Universitat de València.
2004 “L’art de la guerra”. Fundació Martinez Gerricabeitia.
Universitat de València.
2003 “Arte Axuda Galiza”. Diputación de Pontevedra.
1997 Howard Yezersky, Boston M.A. Estados Unidos.
William Scott Gallery, Provicetown. M.A. EEUU.
1996 Icon Gallery, Provicetown. M.A. EEUU.
1991 Sala Parpalló, Valencia
1988 Exposición Itinerante “Solidaridad con El Salvador”.
1975 Sala de Exposiciones de Fomento de Gandia, Valencia.

Awards

1984 Primer Premio del “Certamen de Pintura de Alcorcón”, Madrid.
1976-1977 Pensional de la Diputació de València.
1976 Premio “Ciutat de Gandia”.

Conferences and workshops

2009-2011 Forma parte del equipo de restauración del futuro Museu de les Clarisses de Gandia.
2006-2011 Conferències “Pintura i segle XX”, Casa de la Cultura de Gandia.
2004-2005 Conferències “Una altra mirada sobre…”, C. Cultura de Gandia.
2002-2003 Conferències “Històries de la Pintura”, C. Cultura de Gandia.
2002 Conferències a la “Universitat Popular de Gandia”.
1998-2000 Boston USA. Invited Artist at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. There, occasionally he gave masterclasses focusing on the “alla prima” painting technique, with live models.

References and publications

2005 Catàleg “Del fix al mòbil”. Universitat de València.
2004 Catàleg “L’art de la guerra”. Universitat de València.
2003 Catàleg de “Les Dones Fortes”. Gandia. Text de Josep Piera.
2000 Catálogo “Constelaciones” (D. Barreres i J. Ramo).
1995 Folleto de la exposición “Joan Costa” (Ximo Company).
1991 “Al Oeste” (Club Diario Levante).
1990 Catálogo de Luis Fernando Aguirre.
1989 “R que R” (E.L, Chavarri Andújar). Sala Parpalló, Valencia.
1988 Las Provincias, 11 de Mayo (E.L, Chavarri Andújar).
1987 Catálogo de la exposición. (Ramón Rodriguez, Avilés).
“Las pensiones de pintura de la Diputació de València”.
(Carmen Garcia. Ed. Alfons el Magnànim, València)
1986 “Crítica de Arte”. Nº 27. Madrid.
El País, 28-29 de marzo. Madrid.
ABC de las Artes, José Rubio. 3 de abril. Madrid.
Revista “Formas Plásticas”, nº 13. M. Rodriguez Díaz.
1985 “Guía del Ocio, nº 536. Gloria Collado. Madrid.