MARCOS LOZANO
Contemporary Baroque
Marcos Lozano chooses to pay tribute to the Spanish Golden Age (El Siglo de Oro) through his own artistic creations, reinterpreting these classical works from a contemporary perspective to maintain continuity with art history. As a rising star in the panorama of contemporary art, this young Spanish painter and sculptor creates works that vary in size—from small square or rectangular wooden panels to large-scale canvases. Each painting emerges as if drawn from the depths of time’s memory, seemingly belonging to a paradoxical artistic universe.
His works include portraits, self-portraits, and allegorical compositions… all set within a singular background, featuring antique still-life objects, Promethean figures, and representations of feminine tenderness. These elements compel the viewer to examine the paintings as countless fragments of life while also offering glimpses into the artist’s rich and multifaceted thoughts. As Luca Micheletti poetically describes his creations: “They arise from countless memories… They are traces of his existence.”
His works appear profound, rough, and even possess a rocky texture, much like the artist himself. Lozano often paints on reclaimed oak fragments, whose raw surfaces are thick, splintered, and irregular in both edges and thickness.
On these coarse surfaces, he applies heavy layers of paint—sometimes thickly impastoed, other times exquisitely refined. His paintings bear marks of dripping, splattering, scraping, and even the violent carving or cutting of the wooden panels themselves. These raw and expressive gestures intertwine with masterfully executed academic techniques, showcasing a striking balance between destruction and precision.
This is precisely what the artist takes pride in: his mastery of technique, composition, and color is a form of artistic honesty—something rare and valuable in an era where many creators shy away from or even disdain technical perfection. To describe his artistic approach, Lozano references a quote by 19th-century Polish poet Cyprian Norwid: “Beauty bestows passion upon work; work reconstructs everything.”
