Miquel Wert

May 10, 2016

Lola M.

Miquel Wert makes charcoal drawings inspired by the old photographs from the 50’s. He believes that drawings add a more personal touch to the fabricated photography. In his nostalgia-driven paintings, he questions the collective memory of random strangers. Every time we deal with memories from the past, we tend to overwrite the bad experiences and only cling to the good ones. In his art, Wert tries to explore the depth of the melancholic memories, giving his characters a deeper structure, both in drawing form and in a motive. He draws using old photographs as inspiration, and he takes them from various private collections or flea markets.

Searching for Familiriaty

Miquel Wert was born in Barcelona in 1982. He is of Swedish lineage and he often examines the influences of his heritage on his personal beliefs and the feeling of collective consciousness. The stories he portrays allow the viewers to sneak peak into the lives of others, where they can identify and collect personal memories by searching for familiarity. Wert graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona. He spent few years living in Paris and created some of his most wonderful pieces there. He exhibited in France, Italy and Spain. He examines the rhythm of everyday routine, trying to find a universal property of shared memories, that is not essentially nostalgic.

The artist examines the rhythm of the everyday, exploring the shared memories

Exploring the Subconscious

Miquel Wert’s collection of family drawings serves as a unique platform for recalling and recollecting subconscious material from the past. Memories fade out, and what we think of the past times has less to do with facts and more to do with sentimental pieces that were caught in the photographs and in our hearts. When he draws, he reconstructs the history, giving the fresh perspective of the events from the past. The artist paints in black, white and shades of gray. He mixes acrylics, charcoal and oil technique. He paints on canvases, draws on paper, and even does murals. The family gatherings in his paintings, are meant to evoke the feeling of anticipation, as we can’t help but wonder what had happened with the characters in the future.

Wert paints in black, white and shades of gray

Vintage Sceneries and the Importance of Family

The bareness of the images directly refers to the perception of the identity. Every family is similar to the other, yet completely different and unique. The shared motifs are used as triggers for subconscious exploration. The events that are portrayed are common family gatherings, vacations, and celebrations. In all that subjectivity, a portal to the new dimension opens the one that leads us to different memories. How we remember our past and how we connect with our roots, directly inferences our ability to identify ourselves in the present moment. Miquel Wert gives a beautiful outlook on his heritage, roots, and individuality.

The artist is represented by Green Flowers Art Gallery in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, Galeria Anquins in Reus, Tarragona, Spain, Galerie Art du Temps in Cléon d’Andran, France and Luxart Galerie in Arlon, Belgium.

Miquel Wert lives and works in Barcelona, Spain.

Featured image: Miquel Wert – Portrait of the artist
All images © Miquel Wert