José María de Aurora (b. 1988) returns to the essential elements of painting, where color, gesture, and material form the core of his artistic language. His work often moves between painting and sculpture, softening the distinction between the two.

Each piece is the result of a conscious and methodical process. Beginning with texture and color, de Aurora works with custom-made spatulas and carefully chosen materials to shape fluid, intentional gestures that emerge as elegant, relief-like surfaces. His refined use of color adds a powerful, almost physical presence to the compositions. He often leaves parts of the surface exposed, creating a neutral boundary that focuses attention on the sculptural fields of color. By reducing his work to what is essential, de Aurora avoids narrative interpretations and instead encourages a direct, intuitive encounter with the viewer.

His practice is closely connected to his personal path. He discovered his artistic sensibility early on, which led him to study both art and fashion. As the founder of the haute couture label Ze García, he is immersed in a world of fabric, technique, and shifting aesthetics. Painting offers him a space for pause and reflection, a contrast to the intensity of fashion. Still, both disciplines continue to influence each other, adding depth and complexity to his creative output.

The result is a body of work that feels both timeless and precise, radiating calm as well as intensity. In a time shaped by the constant urge to explain and define, José María de Aurora’s paintings offer a space where perception can unfold freely and without instruction.

Text by Sarah Dorweiler