CONTACT
Jordi Pedrola believes color is the spiritual expression of light.
Jordi Pedrola is a Chicago artist originally from Barcelona, Spain. After graduating on 1992 at the University of Barcelona (Sant Jordi Royal Academy of Fine Arts) and later at the Winchester School of Art (Britain), a fellowship from the John David Mooney Foundation and the Lorado Taft Award (Cliff Dwellers) brought him to Chicago in 1995.
Jordi Pedrola paintings and murals can be seen in 10 different countries
including Dubai, Cyprus, Italy, Germany, Spain, Britain, Ireland, Canada, Colombia and all over America from Palm Beach, Fl to Santa Barbara in California.
Jordi Pedrola’s paintings are displayed in permanent collections including The Khalif Burj Tower in Dubai and The Muskegon Museum of Art in Michigan.
In many of his paintings the faces are merely representations of expression, emotion or poetry. His horse portraits define movement, power and rhythm. His commissioned portraits try to capture the personality of his models, all by making his own paints.
REVIEWS
“Chicago artist Jordi Pedrola, who is known for his use of colors”
Theresa Gutierrez, ABC 7 NEWS, Chicago.
“Architectural composition and bold colors breathe new life into an ages-old subject”
“Shelter Interiors” magazine, Chicago.
“Visages, enigmatic and surrounded by a chromatic uniqueness, are typical of the art of this artist, born in Spain, citizen of the world with strong ties to Italy”
“L’Arena” newspaper, Verona, Italy.
jordipedrola.net – jordipedrola.com
J O R D I P E D R O L A
COMPLETE RESUME:
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND & AWARDS
1992, Graduated in Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona (Sant Jordi Royal Academy of Fine Arts).
1992, European Community Fellow at the Winchester School of Art, England, UK.
1993, Admitted to membership at the Decorative Arts Foment (FAD), Barcelona.
1995, Award in Intern & Apprenticeship Program, John David Mooney Foundation, Chicago.
1996, The Lorado Taft Fellow, Chicago.
1997, The Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation Scholarship, Chicago.
1999, The John David Mooney Foundation Fellow, Chicago.
2000, Admitted to membership at the Arts Club of Chicago.
2004, Elected to membership at the University Club of Chicago.
2007, Baix Llobregat Cultural Recognition Award, Barcelona.
2009, Admitted to membership at the CSA, Chicago Society of Artists.
2010, Mary L. Weigand Award, Strike at Cancer Foundation, Chicago.
EXHIBITIONS
2015
Palm Beach Art Show, State-of-the-Art gallery (Barcelona-Amsterdam), Palm Beach, FL.
AAF NEW YORK, State-of-the-Art gallery (Barcelona-Amsterdam), New York.
Naples Art Show, State-of-the-Art gallery (Barcelona-Amsterdam), Naples, FL
David L. Pierce, Art and History Center, Aurora, IL.
Fulton Street Jazz Record Art gallery, Chicago, IL.
2014
Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha, WI.
General Consulate of Spain, Chicago.
2013
Tom Robinson Gallery, Chicago.
Beth Emmet Synagogue, Evanston, IL.
2012
Magdalena Gallery, Carmel, IN.
Tom Robinson Gallery, Chicago.
2011
“Horse power. Images of horses”. Muskegon Museum of Art, MI.
“Artistes Catalans a Dubai”, Fortuny Gallery, Reus, Spain.
Triangle Gallery of Old Town, Chicago.
Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago.
Tom Robinson Gallery, Chicago.
Paul Ruby foundation, Geneva, IL.
2010
“Villa Marina”, Naples, Italy.
Galeria Tuset, Barcelona, Spain
Gregory Gaymont Gallery, Chicago.
Rubinkam gallery, Douglas, MI.
2009
Galeria Tuset, Barcelona.
“Wax works IV”, Addington gallery, Chicago.
“Arte Ahora” Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago.
Button gallery, Douglas, MI.
“Surreal visions” Gregory Gaymont Gallery, Chicago.
2008
“Sephardic Visions”, Gregory Gaymont Gallery, Chicago.
“Midwest Fiesta”, Wilmington, Ohio.
Constance Petter Gallery, Douglas, Michigan.
“Scope” Art fair, My name’s Lolita Art gallery, New York.
2007
“Legacy. A decade of collecting”, Muskegon Museum of Art, MI.
“Landscaping the Prado”, Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago.
Instituto Cervantes, Chicago.
“Midsummer Dream” Gregory Gaymont Gallery. Chicago.
State Street Gallery, Chicago.
2006
ART MIAMI, Lebasi Galeria d’Art, Miami.
“Figuracio 2006-2007” Galeria Tuset, Barcelona.
“Galipette”, Palm Beach Equestrian Club, FL.
Gregory Gaymont Gallery, Chicago.
“The Abstract Mind” Aldo Castillo Gallery, Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago.
Galeria Tuset, Barcelona.
Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago.
“Angels Among Us”, Mars Gallery Chicago.
2005
“Enigmas del Mediterraneo” Lebasi Galeria d’Art, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
John David Mooney Foundation, Chicago.
“An Enigmatic Approach”, Gregory Gaymont Gallery, Chicago.
2004
The University Club, Chicago.
Aldo Castillo Gallery, Chicago.
S.B. Art Co, Santa Barbara, California
2003
S.B. Art Co, Santa Barbara, CA.
Anna Meyers Interiors, Miami.
Aldo Castillo Gallery Ten Anniversary Exhibit, Chicago.
Josephine Berault Interiors, Merchandise Mart, Chicago.
Mixed Media Gallery, Douglas, MI.
2002
“Homage à la femme” The House of Kahn, Chicago.
Galería Gala, Chicago.
2001
ARTE SEVILLA, Galería Gaudí, Seville, Spain.
ART EXPO, Galería Gaudí, New York.
“Enigmatic Visages” Galeria Gala, Chicago.
Galería Gaudí, Madrid.
2000
Villa Arvedi, Verona, Italy.
1999
World Art Expressions Gallery, Chicago.
“Face the Millenium”, Art Encounter, Fassbender Gallery, Chicago.
1998
The Oak Park Art League Gallery, Oak Park, IL.
1997
Instituto Cervantes, Chicago.
1996
“Three Artists from Spain”, O’Donnelly Center, Chicago.
“Artists for Hope”, Molins de Rei Museum, Barcelona.
1995
“I Mostra d’Art Off”, Sala Transformadors Gallery, Barcelona.
1994
Wilson Sala Gallery, Barcelona.
1993
“I Mostra d’Art Solidari”, Convent dels Angels, Barcelona.
1992
Galeria Trànsit, Barcelona.
Castle of Benedormiens, Castell d’Aro, Costa Brava (Northern Catalan Riviera), Spain.
Slaughterhouse Gallery, London, U.K.
1990
Lewis Gallery, Madrid.
Sala Parés Gallery, Barcelona.
REMARKABLE ART COLLECTORS
Khalif Burj tower, Dubai, featured artist at the 98th floor, Dubai.
Muskegon Museum of Art, MI.
Molins de Rei Museum, Barcelona.
Ernest Hemingway Foundation, Oak Park, IL.
Maria Pappas, Chicago.
Consuelo Císcar Casabán, Valencia, Spain.
Hampton Green Farms, MI & FL.
Barbara Susman & Associates, Chicago.
Arvedo Arvedi, Verona, Rome & Naples, Italy.
Kempster Keller & Lenz-Calvo, LTD, Chicago.
Banco Bilbao-Vizcaya-Argentaria, Miami, FL.
BOOKS, ARTICLES, MAGAZINES, EDITIONS, AND CATALOGUES
2015
“The Carriage Journal Magazine”, Front Cover, Lexington, KY.
2014
“Diari de Tarragona”, newspaper, interview, July 13, Tarragona, Spain.
2013
“El Llaç” magazine, interview, April 23, Barcelona, Spain.
2011
“Wall Street Journal”, March 3, featured mural & artist name, New York, NY.
“Diari de Tarragona”, newspaper, article, May 14, Tarragona, Spain.
2010
Khalif Burj tower, book-catalogue of the permanent art collection, Dubai.
2009
“El Llobregat”, newspaper 38, september, article, Baix Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
2008
“L’artista per l’artista”, “L’Espai” Magazine, April 23, Baix Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
2007
“Revista Cambrils” Magazine 428, March, Interview, Tarragona, Spain.
“A decade of Collecting legacy”, exhibit catalogue, Muskegon Museum of Art, MI.
2006
“ART MIAMI”, Lebasi Galeria d’Art, art fair general catalogue, Miami, FL.
“Figuracio 2006-2007”, Art book, Galeria Tuset, Barcelona, Spain.
”Carolina Architecture & Design”, 14 Edition, Hendersonville, SC.
2005
“Maltese Euraquilum”. Limited Edition of 50 etchings. Banco Bilbao-Vizcaya, Miami, FL.
“Jordi Pedrola”, “El Llaç”, Front cover & Interview, May magazine, 401, Barcelona, Spain.
2004
“In residence”, “Shelter interiors”, September-October, Chicago.
2002
“jordi Pedrola: Wooden paintings”, catalogue, Galería Gala, Chicago.
2001
“Jordi Pedrola: Barcelona paintings in Chicago”, catalogue, Galería Gaudí, Chicago.
”Jordi Pedrola,”, catalogue, Galería Gaudí Madrid, Spain.
2000
“Molins de Rei, Paisatge Urbà i Memòria”, Historic landmarks book, Barcelona, Spain.
“Gli Enigmatici visi di Jordi Pedrola”, Culture page, “L’Arena”, Verona, Italy, Dec, 28 paper.
FEATURED IN TV.
2010
25TV “Las Tardes de Pedro Riba”, broadcasted life interview all over Spain, Barcelona.
2009
RTVE “Españoles en el mundo”, taped interview in national television, Madrid, Spain.
Chanel 44 local news, taped interview, “Arte Ahora” exhibit, Chicago.
ABC local news, “The Art of Healing” exhibit, Chicago.
2007
Chanel 66 local news, Interview, exhibit at Instituto Cervantes, Chicago.
2006
ABC local news, Aldo Castillo exhibit, Chicago.
2003
WGN local news, La Piazza murals, Chicago.
WGN local news, Festival Italiano, Chicago.
2000
RAI local news, taped interview, exhibit at Villa Arvedi, Verona, Italy.
1997
“Pobles de Catalunya”, TV3 Catalan regional TV, Barcelona, Spain.
LECTURES.
2013
“Sephardi heritage in Jordi Pedrola’s art” Beth Emmet synagogue, Evasnton, IL.
“Spain, inspiring land for artists”, Hispanic Society, Gurnee, IL.
2006
“About Jordi Pedrola”, “Galipette”, Palm Beach Equestrian Club, FL
“Spiritualism in today’s Art”, Fra Angelico Foundation, Riverside Arts Center, IL.
2004
“World Arts Program”, Art in Spain, Chicago Public Schools.
2001
Art Seminary about Francisco de Goya, Instituto Cervantes of Chicago.
“Talking about Art”, Figurative Painting in Spain, Galería Gaudí, Chicago.
“Museums in Spain”, Kellogg School of Management, NorthWestern Univ., Chicago.
“Art in Spain”, De Paul University, School of Business, Chicago.
1998
Oak Park Art League, Chicago.
1997
“The Poetry of Color in Interior Architecture”, Instituto Cervantes of Chicago.
1994
Lecture about murals, ARTS FAD, Decorative Arts Foment, Barcelona, Spain.
ACTIVITY AS CURATOR AND SCENOGRAPHY DESIGNER.
2013
“Gilda’s Club exhibit”, Chicago.
2012
“Gilda’s Club exhibit”, Chicago.
2009
“The art of healing”, Maria Pappas Cook County Office showroom, Chicago.
2008
“Fighting cancer through art”, Saint Luke’s Rush Hospital, Chicago. 2006
“Time to be Alive”, stage for dance, Museum of Contemporary Art, MCA Chicago. 2004
“Feminine Abstracts from Eastern Spain”, Instituto Cervantes of Chicago.
2001-2002
Galería Gala curator, Chicago.
1997
“Art of Iberoamerica Exhibit”,CIC (Consuls of Iberoamerica Association) University of Illinois at Chicago Gallery, Chicago.
1996-1999
Instituto Cervantes of Chicago Gallery, Chicago.
1995-2000
International Currents Gallery, John David Mooney Foundation, Chicago.
1994
“Colorado”, Artists from Denver at the Decorative Arts Foment (FAD) Gallery, Barcelona.
ACTIVITY AS MEMBER OF JUDGING TEAMS
2011 Painting Awards, Colombian Consulate of Chicago, Chicago.
2005 Painting Award, Italian American Trade Bureau “& City of Chicago, Chicago.
2004, 2003, 2002 National PTA, Visual Arts Competition, Chicago.
1993 FAD Awards of Architecture & Design, Decorative Arts Foment, Barcelona, Spain.
HEALING ARTS PROGRAM. STRIKE AT CANCER & CARING ARTS FOUNDATION.
2009 Lurie-Northwestern Hospital, Chicago.
2008-2009 Fantus-Stroger Cook County Hospital, Chicago.
2007-2015 Saint Luke’s Rush Hospital, Chicago.
2006-2010 Illinois Masonic Hospital, Chicago.
2003-2015 University of Chicago Hospitals.
2002-2015 The Gilda’s Club of Chicago.
2001-2013 Chicago Children’s Memorial Hospital.
TEACHING ACTIVITY.
2015, 2014, 2013 “Paint with the Historic Spanish masters”. Art presentation, Instituto Cervantes of Chicago.
ART CRITIQUE
THE PAINTINGS OF JORDI PEDROLA:
AN EQUILIBRIUM BETWEEN CLASSICISM AND MODERNITY…
A BALANCE BETWEEN FIGURATIVE ART AND ABSTRACTION…
CRITIQUE by Amalia Martinez.
- Amalia Martinez is an art critic. She’s the History of Art director in the Faculty of Fine Arts at THE POLITECNIC UNIVERSITY OF VALENCIA, and is the author of numerous articles and books. Amalia Martinez wrote “An illustrated History of the Art of the 20th Century”, the first book of its kind to be published in SPAIN.
English translation by William Godley.
Maurice Denise, the 20th Century French painter who was one of the founders of modernity, emphasized that a painting -before it is a horse in a battle, a nude women or a simple anecdote- is essentially a flat surface covered with colors and following a certain arrangement. Denise wanted, in that way, to focus attention on the material nature of art and to emphasize that the elements of painting distinguish it from other art forms.
Figurative art, beyond its reality and independent of the fact that its content is or is not symbolic, is essentially a flat surface reflecting harmony in shape and color. This is why a painting’s type does not depend upon the way it takes form in the equilibrium of composition, the delicacy of drawing, the quality of strokes, and the way in which all these elements are integrated. This explains why the vanguard painters of the early 20th Century left to photography the task of reproducing reality. In contrast, they began an exploration of what was truly proper in art by letting each work’s formal elements its theme. This abandonment of the mimetic in painting created fertile ground for the development of each new movement we associate with the art of the 20th Century. With the loss of interest in objective naturalism, artist were liberated from the slavery of imitation and emancipated from the need to represent the natural reality. Art became the creation of a different reality based on each work’s own material content.
We are now at a point where it is easy to see what fantastic changes in art have occurred during the past century. During this time the search for new pictorical forms has come from a deep investigation of the many possibilities offered by a line design, disposition of colors, strong contrasts among shapes, and between darkness and luminosity. We face a situation, however, where the principles responsible for the modern movement itself are sometimes forgotten. Ideas have even surfaced supportive of the theory that art somehow exists because of its own characteristics and not because of the elements which are actually responsible. At this moment it is inspirational to find artists like Jordi Pedrola whose works truly exemplify the best principles of the modern movement. In these paintings many faces-numerous of wich at first appear similar- demonstrate their creator’s concern for the explotation of basic values in art: background material, line, color, chiaroscuro, area, texture, volume… These elements themselves are the real protagonists of each canvas immediately speaks to us in its own language. This is a mysterious, deeply personal language -and one lost in thought. Each painting is somehow independent from the laws of nature. This is because the rules guiding the formation of Jordi Pedrola’s images result in a delicate balance among plastic elements which are in contrast -vibrant complementary colors, an expressive articulation of fullness and emptiness, and a particulary strong distinction between light and dark.
The compositions of Jordi Pedrola are based on a search for harmony derived from an opposition of elements. In this artist’s canvases, stains of color seem to work against similar forces, but-at the same time- actually create a feeling of harmony not free of visual tension. This “opposition” results in a unique power and richness. Another characteristic of these works is a search for symetry, implicit in geometric shapes and oblique lines suggesting three dimensional space. This happens even though the construction of virtual space is simultaneously refused by the flat colors used. The “flatness” of each canvas is strengthened by the thickness of the color paste whose natural pigment has been mixed-as in the past- with linseed oil. Such “cuisine-like” mixting is all-important for this Catalan artist, because he views each material element of art as having its own peculiar aesthetic even though inextricably connected to other aspects like heaviness of stroke, shape of canvas,shape of board,etc.
Each of these paintings also demonstrates a “solidarity” between chromatic mass and those lines that provide demarcation. There is a distinc relationship between this solidarity and all other elements present, and this connection clarifies for us Jordi Pedrola’s individualistic artistic language and true aesthetic purpose. We can see him the “Catalan Romantic”, a man closely tied to his Mediterranean heritage and to the ancient Greek idea that color and Symmetry are essential to fine art. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) noted in his Chronicles that the Stoic School of Philosophy considered these two elements integral to beauty. This belief was continued throughout the Middle Ages, was prevalent during the Italian Renaissance and-although usually formalized in a different way -is still considered valid in our own time. Jordi Pedrola represents then a definite llink to the oldest sources of Mediterranean Art, a culture with which he is closely related by blood. His paintings are colored surfaces searching for equilibrium. One has to concentrate on these surfaces, for they depic reality.
As noted above, Jordi Pedrola’s unique modern style is symptomatic of his Catalan roots. While still a child, this artist was fascinated by what he saw in the Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona and specially by the beautiful frescoes of ancient Catalan churches that are preserved there. This fascination was led Jordi Pedrola to concentrate on mural painting when launching his career. In these early murals romantic images are the result of formal games. There is already emphasis on symmetric composition, geometric reduction of the figures, use of bold color, and evidence of a search for ornamental brightness. Symbolic content becomes pure decoration and we experience while examining these works a sense of pleasure close to the spiritual. There is a sensual and calm beauty achieved by the trust strokes that create eyes and mouths, and we see matter, color, equilibrium, and visual tension everywhere. In the wooden panels entitled “THE TEARS OF THE SEPHARDIC NATION” the violence of the red is tempered by the serenity of the deep blue, and balance comes from this interaction. Symbolism and decoration are impossible to separate in this striking wood, as are the two faces that occupy the left panel. Two faces melting into one, sharing features through intimate brushstrokes.
“The tears of the Sephardic Nation”, Egg Tempera & Oil on 2 panels, 24×32 inches (61x81cm).
To confront and experience the works of Jordi Pedrola is to confront and experience color. And since color cannot be disassociated with shape or with the borders that limit it, there is a structural relationship between shape and color. In Jordi Pedrola’s paintings this is especially obvious of the use of symmetric axis to support the distribution of the stains of color and, as a result, to establish counterbalance. Moreover, for these artist, color establishes a direct bridge to the observer. Color, more than other formal element, appeals to emotion and to subjective feelings. This explains why, of course, that color has been so widely used by every cultural group throughout mankind’s history. Like some type of universal language, this element continues to carry symbolic and expressive weight. Wassily Kandinsky, one of the founding fathers of abstraction and a master at using color, stated that a full palette of hues insures two results. They are an awareness of the basic beauty in color, and an awareness of the phychological power of color. Color can exert direct influence on the soul. In other words, color is the key, the eye is the hammer, and the soul is the piano with its strings. The artist is the hand that, through the keys, causes the human soul to vibrate. Kandinsky knew how to probe deeply into color in order to fuse the decorative and expressive, the rational and spiritual, the abstractive and the figurative. He realized, as do so all authentic artists, that a meaningful discussion of art involves a discussion of the elements of art. And when we talk of the Spanish artist Jordi Pedrola and his connection with the tradition of Mediterranean Classicism, we are talking of beauty and harmony in art. We are discussing hedonism in painting. This is an art that brings pleasure to the senses and one in which profound feelings are expressed Through color.
Perhaps the time has come when all of us, like Jordi Pedrola, must reaffirm emphatically that art’s basic function is to promote sensual and aesthetic pleasure. It is time to search again for beauty in ornament and to proclaim loudly that the decorative aspect of image has always been, and will continue to be, the cornerstone of truly fine art. It is time to again emphasis that finding pleasure in the visual arts nourishes the soul.
Consuelo Císcar-Casabán, State General Director for the Valencia museums.