Born in 1984
The softness of the light is perhaps the first thing you notice in a painting by Antonio Barahona. It delicately reveals the architecture and nature of a place where time seems to have stood still.
Often, we see an inner courtyard in the heart of a small Andalusian village, a corner of tranquility far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The plants are the main protagonists of the scene. Occasionally, they let a character steal the show: one or more "abuelitas" are reading, cooking or chatting, a child is doing his homework, a grandfather is resting on a rocking chair. Looking at Antonio's paintings, you can feel a certain nostalgia, as they depict the forgotten sweetness of life in small villages. The patio is a place closely linked to the artist's childhood memories. Modest in itself, it has a strong social function and has survived the centuries in Andalusian architecture. Antonio brings it to light and restores it to its former glory.
Each painting has an undeniable aesthetic appeal. The colors are soft and vibrant at the same time. The perfectly mastered chiaroscuro has no intention of dramatic effect. It's delicately graduated and serves the natural, zenithal light. We appreciate his technique of oil painting on wood. Here too, the process is in keeping with an Art History tradition, linking us to the past.
Antonio Barahona was born and lives in Seville, southern Spain. At the age of 19, he entered the Santa Isabel de Hongrie Faculty of Fine Arts in Seville. He also studied at the School of Fine Arts in Perugia, Italy.
After graduating, he continued his training at various art schools, notably the Antonio Gala Foundation in Cordoba. His paintings have already won numerous awards and have been shown in Norway, the Netherlands, England, Spain and China. He is an integral part of the new Spanish figurative painting scene and has already been exhibited in several museums and foundations (Antonio Gala Foundation, Casa Ibánez Museum, AXA Foundation, among others).
