Manuel Velasco and Carlos Morago in the Sala Parés

Sala Parés hosts, until March, two individual exhibitions based on the artistic proposals of Manuel Velasco and Carlos Morago .

'Huellas del paraiso' is the proposal of Manuel Velasco (Valladolid, 1966), a work that stands out for its plastic characteristics and texture. His canvases create a trompe-l'oeil that makes us think that he works directly on metal plates. The artist has developed his own technique based on experimentation through which he uses micronized iron applied to canvas which is then chemically oxidized and where he applies different paints and enamels and achieves results of great material and chromatic richness. He usually works in series based on a theme that serves as a conceptual thread between the different works where the idea of a wall or curtain is almost always present, a direct reference to the Berlin Wall and the physical and ideological separation of society during his youth. His artistic proposal is between representation and abstraction, and poses a narrow, almost non-existent border, which is diluted by small details and nuances.

Graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Salamanca, he has been exhibiting at the Sala Parés since 2020, and also regularly in other Spanish cities, as well as in Belgium, France and Portugal. His characteristic artistic personality has led his work to be recognized with different awards and to be part of some important private and public collections.

'Horitzó', Manuel Velasco

On the other hand, the work of Carlos Morago (Madrid, 1954) depicts empty and austere spaces, serene and balanced, illuminated with a soft and clear light that allows him to explore a rich range of grays and whites that are the most present colors in his palette. He constructs scenes of great lyrical force, impregnated with an enigmatic, almost metaphysical atmosphere. He creates uninhabited and silent spaces where he proves to be the master of absences, showing, at the same time, a great interest in interior spaces. Sometimes, these are observed through half-open doors or windows that, despite this, remain almost completely hidden, playing with suspense and creating disturbing images. In others, they open up to panoramic views of cities, or they reveal gardens and interior courtyards, where some plant elements, admirably described, provide a contrast that creates a splendid harmony of colors and shapes. His still lifes are extremely poetic. He especially paints flowers and plants, but also ceramics and other solitary elements which stand out for their vitality and chromaticism on backgrounds that invade a good part of the composition.

Carlos Morago has been exhibiting at the Sala Parés since 2009 and his work has been presented on several occasions in France, Germany, England, Mexico and Belgium, as well as Madrid and other cities on the peninsula.

'Saló', Carlos Morago