Perico Pastor: Romantic Expressionism

Although until now Perico Pastor had never exhibited individually at the Eude Gallery, he had maintained a fruitful working relationship with Fina Furriol, founder of the gallery in 1975 and to whom we owe exhibitions that have left a good memory in our memory. . According to Perico Pastor himself, Fina Furriol was the first person to see him as a potential professional, he followed his work regularly and took him to the Artexpo fair held in Barcelona in 1976, well before ARCO. To celebrate these forty-seven years of work, the Eude Gallery has wanted to make this exhibition and thus pay tribute to who was the soul of one of the dean galleries of Barcelona. This is an anthological selection of graphic works, black and white drawings and paintings with blue as the theme.

Over time, the work of Perico Pastor has evolved in a subtle way but maintaining aesthetic constants that make it immediately recognizable. Regardless of style issues, the first feature of his work is the joy he conveys to the viewer. The importance it gives to color, its sensuality and warmth make it always pleasant to look at, the eye rests and relaxes.

Modernity is the word I would like to use to see the timeliness of a work that has not aged. Even his oldest works continue to say something to the current viewer. They have not lost their ability to evoke everyday reality. And it is that Perico Pastor is a great observer of life, which makes his work appeal to us and our memory works in favor of a better interpretation of it. Somehow, we find ourselves reflected in it. Everyday life acts as a source of inspiration to create suggestive atmospheres, often full of affectionate irony.

A strong emotional color and the imposing presence of the line, always safe, with a great gesture and rhythm, which delimits bodies and objects with a few strokes, are the most important formal characteristics of this artist. There is a disposition of the elements that is often reminiscent of oriental aesthetics and that in a way makes his works produce like a dream.

The apparent simplicity of his work does not prevent him from having depth and allowing introspective or existential contemplation. Works with more intense colors can be defined as romantic expressionism. And it is that in a way the work of Perico Pastor captures the zeitgeist , the spirit of the time that we have had to live. Perico Pastor, who went through difficult times a few months ago, continues his creative adventure with this exhibition.

Image: Perico Pastor. Nevant , 1991. Engraving. 62x98 cm.