Chechu Álava Spanish, b. 1973

Biography
Chechu Álava, Artist and Model (Lee Miller), 2021, Oil on linen 55 x 46 cm
Chechu Álava, Artist and Model (Lee Miller), 2021, Oil on linen 55 x 46 cm
Chechu Álava’s ongoing series of female portraits reclaim the male gaze and challenge the archetype and hierarchy presented by the male artist/female muse relationship.  The starting points of Álava’s works are often reinterpretations of recognisable art historical works by male artists, photography, and historic moments of gender hierarchy. A gauzy, auratic atmosphere is often offset by the directness of the subject’s gaze.   

Álava’s portraits teeter on the edge of ghostliness amplified and unified by her soft-focus application of a palette of fleshy, pearlescent pinks and postmodern pastels. Offering up something of the otherworldly and strangely erotic, Álava’s paintings combine sex and spirit to conjure the creamy, dreamy, transubstantiated flesh of saints, angels and gods in the frescoes of cathedrals. Moody and existential they are imbued with a muted tenor of unspoken intensity common to many humans who currently identify as women, whilst celebrating the shared and common positionality of womanhood across the veil of time. 

Chechu Álava (b. 1973 Asturias, Spain. Lives and works in Paris, France) has had solo exhibitions at the Thyssen Museum in Madrid, Spain; Meghan Mulrooney Gallery, Los Angeles US; Cob Gallery, London, UK; Xippas Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland and Paris, France; Galería Alegría, Barcelona, Spain;  Bravin Lee programs, New York, US. Álava has featured in group exhibitions at Lychee One Gallery, London, UK; , Museo Barjola, Gijón, Asturias, Spain; Smac Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa; Instituto Cervantes, Rome, Italy and Beers Contemporary Gallery, London, UK.

 

In 2020, Álava presented her first major museum exhibition, Rebeldes, at the Thyssen Museum in Madrid, Spain, which was accompanied by an artist’s monograph. Álava’s work is represented in institutions such as the Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias, DKV Art Collection Spain, the Ministry of Culture (Spain) and in private collections in Mexico, France, Colombia, Germany, Portugal, the United States, South Africa, South Korea, China, Italy and Spain. In 2014, her work was selected by an international jury to be included in 100 Painters of Tomorrow, a book published by Thames and Hudson. 

 

EDUCATION
1991-96 Graduated in Fine Arts, University of Salamanca
1995 Erasmus at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy of Amsterdam
 
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 Cob Gallery, London, UK (forthcoming)
2025 Circus of Life, Megan Mulrooney Gallery, Los Angeles, USA (forthcoming)
2025 Water is taught by thirst, Galerie Xippas, Geneva, Switzerland
2025 Water is Taught by Thirst,  Xippas, Geneva, Switzerland
2024 Expo Chicago, Cob Gallery, Chicago, USA
2023 Eros, Galería Alegría, Barcelona, Spain
 2022 L'âme et la vie, Xippas, Paris, France
2022 A Timeless Story, Cob Gallery, London, UK
2022 Una Historia del Arte reciente. 1960-2020, DKV Collection and Juan March Foundation, Museu Fundación Juan March, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
2021 The Restless Muses, BravinLee programs, New York, US
2020 REBELDES, El Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain 
2019 Primeros Retratos, I.E.S.Bernaldo de Quirós. Mieres, Spain
2016 Volver a pintar, Espacio Líquido Gallery. Gijón. Spain
2013 Sisters, Galería Utopía Parkway, Madrid, Spain
2011 The Romanov,  Triple Base Gallery. San Francisco, USA
2011 El hilo de Ariadna, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Gijón, Spain
2009 Le temps perdu, Utopía Parkway Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2008 Los placeres y los días, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Gijón, Spain
1995 Paintings and Drawings, Municipal Cultural House of Avilés. Asturias, Spain
 
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 In Tandem, Cob Gallery, London, UK (forthcoming)
2024 Ode To A Beautiful Nude, Wilder Gallery, London, UK
2024 TERRA curated by Emie Diamond and Jenn Ellis, Burgundy, France 
2023 Fancy Selfies. Autodérision, troubles & dévoilements, Zoo Galerie, Nantes, France
2022 Una Historia del Arte reciente. 1960-2020, A project of DKV Collection and Juan March Foundation
2022 Museu Fundación Juan March, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
2022 En busca del tiempo judío de Proust, Centro Sefarad Israel, Madrid, Spain
2022 Intimacy, Rafael Pérez Hernando Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2022 Sin cerraduras, Mujeres artistas en la Colección Los Bragales, Fundación Vital, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
2021 Unfair Weather, Lychee One Gallery, London, UK
2021 Studiolo, Una mirada a la colección de Candela Álvarez
2021 Soldevilla, Lázaro Galdiano Museum, Madrid, Spain
2020 Pintura en las venas, Museo Barjola. Gijón, Asturias, Spain
2020 A show of solidarity, Smac Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2020 Las calles de los artistas, Noche Blanca Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
2019 The female line, Smac Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2019 Las formas del alma, Instituto Cervantes, Roma, Italy
2019 Justmad Art Fair, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2019 Las formas del alma, Instituto Cervantes, Belgrade, Serbia
2019 Las formas del alma, Instituto Cervantes, Bucarest, Romania
2019 Sobre mujeres artistas, Colegio de arquitectos, Oviedo, Spain
2018 Las formas del alma, Instituto Cervantes, Prague, Czech Republic
2018 Nepotismo ilustrado 2, Centro Cultural de La Carolina, Jaén, Spain
2018 En la hora azul, La Casa Amarilla Gallery, Zaragoza, Spain
2018 Las formas del alma, Instituto Cervantes, Palermo and Rome, Italy
2017 Las formas del alma, Instituto Cervantes. Madrid, Spain
2016 Rehabitar el espacio: presente, pasado y future, DKV Collection. Lázaro Galdiano Museum, Madrid, Spain
2016  Animalista, Representación, violencias y respuestas, La casa encendida, Madrid, Spain
2016 Miscelánea, VALEY Centro Cultural de Castrillón, Asturies, Spain
2016 BravinLee Programs, New York, US
2016 Museo Thyssen Bornemisza, Madrid. Spain
2015 Mirar en un espejo. 25 Years of Young Art in Asturias, Banco Sabadell Herrero Showroom, Oviedo, VALEY Centro Cultural de Castrillón and Centro de Cultura Antiguo Instituto de Gijón. Asturias, Spain
2015 El bosque interior, Las formas del Alma, Juana Francés Gallery, Zaragoza. Spain
2015 Sutiles y convulsas ensoñaciones, César Monzonís Collection, Fine Arts Museum Castellón de la Plana, Castellón, Spain
2014 100 painters of tomorrow,  Beers Contemporary Gallery, London, UK
2014 La edad de la Inocencia, Festival Miradas de Mujeres. Cantabria Central Library, Santander, Spain
2014 Faro spiritual, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Gijón, Spain
2013 La metamorfosis del paisaje en el Arte, Caja Vital Foundation, Vitoria. Spain
2013 Freestyle, Foundation CajaMurcia, Cartagena
2012 Face to Face, Adam Baumgold Gallery, New York, USA.
2012 Fiction - Non Fiction, Adam Baumgold Gallery, New York, USA
2011 Contemporary Art from the Fine Arts Museum of Asturias, Barjola Museum, Gijón, Spain.
2011 Retrato de Familia, VALEY Cultural Center of Castrillón, Asturias, Spain
2010 Now, it's about what you can't see, Triple Base Gallery, San Francisco, USA
2008 Qué arte? Discursos sin fronteras, Oviedo University, Banco Herrero Showroom, Oviedo, Spain
2008 La pintura en los tiempos del Arte. Veinte pintores españoles para el siglo XXI, Muralla de Baluarte showroom, Congress Palace, Pamplona, Spain
2007 Uno más uno multitude, Doméstico 09, Madrid, Spain
2007 Women Painters of Asturias, Cajastur Showroom, Mieres, Avilés. Gijón, Spain
2007 Extensiones- Anclajes, I'll be your mirror, Laboral Foundation, Cudillero, Asturias, Spain
2007 Polylogue 1789" Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. Carré de Baudouin. Paris. France
2006 IV International Biennale of Fine Arts of Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
2006 XVIII Painting Biennale City of Zamora, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Zamora, Spain
2006 Depósito abierto, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Gijón, Spain
2005 "Becarios Colegio de España en París". Cervantes Institute. Paris. France 
2005 El fin del paisaje, Iglesia de la Encarnación y Museo Etnográfico de Castilla y León. Zamora, Spain
2005 El hombre Delgado, Moriarty Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2004 Becarios Colegio de España en París, Royal Academy of San Fernando, Madrid, Spain
2002 European Artists, Cité des Arts, Paris, France
1998 The beach and its echoes, Piedras Blancas Cultural House, Asturias, Spain
 
 

SELECTED ART FAIRS

2024 Expo Chicago (solo booth), Cob Gallery, Chicago, USA

2022 ARCO International Art Fair, Galería Alegría, Madrid, Spain

2022 ART PARIS Contemporary Art Fair, Xippas Gallery, Paris, France

2020 X Contemporary Art Fair Oviedo, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Asturias, Spain

2014 ARCO. Espacio Líquido Gallery, Madrid, Spain

2013 JOBURG Art Fair. Smac Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

2012 11 Biennal Martínez Guerricabeitia, Valencia, Spain

2012 ARCO International Art Fair,  Espacio Líquido Gallery, Madrid, Spain

2011 ARCO International Art Fair, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Madrid

2007 ARTESANTANDER Art Fair, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Santander, Spain

2007  ARCO Art Fair, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Madrid, Spain

2006 ARCO International Art Fair, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Madrid, Spain

2006 IV International Biennale of Fine Arts of Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain

2005 ARCO Art Fair. Spanish Minister of Culture Stand, Madrid, Spain

2004 ARCO Art Fair, Luis Adelantado Gallery, Madrid, Spain

2004 FIAC Art Fair, Luis Adelantado Gallery, Paris, France

2004 Artissima, Espacio Líquido Gallery, Turin, Italy

2003 FIAC International Art Fair. Luis Adelantado Gallery, Paris, France

 
AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS AND GRANTS
2008 First Prize in VIII Painting Contest of the Government of the Principality of Asturias. Spain
2003 Fellowship given by the Spanish Minister of Culture as an artist-in-residence program at the Colegio de España, Cité Universitaire, Paris, France
2001 Fellowship as an artist-in-residence program at "Workshop with Artists from Objective 1 Regions". Eisenstadt, Austria
1996 Fellowship as an artist-in-residence program at "International Course of Art". Spatium Gallery, Tavira, Portugal
1995 Erasmus Fellowship to study at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy of Amsterdam
1994 First Prize and golden medal in the XXV National Painting Contest of Luarca. Asturias. Spain
Fellowship to attend the National Courses of Artistic Creation at Valdeñas de Jaén. Spain
 
COLLECTIONS
Fine Arts Museum of Asturias
Spanish Minister of Culture
Government of the Principality of Asturias
Government of Castilla y León
City Council of Castrillón (Asturias)
City Council of Jaén.
City Council of Luarca (Asturias)
Private Collections in Mexico, Germany, South Africa, Colombia, Portugal, USA. France, South Korea and Spain
Works
Exhibitions
Installation Views
Fairs
Press | Bibliography
View works. Chechu Álava, Waiting for the Miracle, 2024
Waiting for the Miracle, 2024
View works

2021 THE RESTLESS MUSES BY CHECHU ÁLAVA - Spain Arts & Culture

2021 Chechu Álava: "Art has power when it transcends" - Fusion Asturias, Martha Malde

2021 Chechu Álava: The Restless Muses - Mutual Art 

2020 Chechu Álava. Rebels - Thyssen-Bornemisza

2020 Museo Thyssen-BornemiszaChechu Álava. Rebels - Artforum

2020 Las heroínas de Chechu Álava - El Cultural, Saioa Camarzana

2020 In the workshop with Chechu Álava - El Salto, William Rivas-Pacheco

2020 Chechu Álava - Masdearte 

2020 Chechu Álava - La Gran, Elena Fernandez Prada

2020 'REBELDES': THE PICTORIAL TRIBUTE TO THE FEMALE GENDER PROMOTED BY CHECHU ÁLAVA - Vein, David Alarcon

2020 THE MUSES AND HEROINES OF CHECHU ÁLAVA IN THE THYSSEN MUSEUM - Ars Magazine, Hector San José

2020 Exhibition of the Asturian artist Chechu Álava at the Thyssen Museum - RTPA

2020 The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum presents 'Chechu Álava. Rebels' - Info Enpunto

2020 Chechu Álava brings together in the exhibition 'Rebeldes' 16 portraits of women in history who challenged the patriarchy - La Vanguardia

2020 The portrait of 'Chechu Álava. Rebels', at the Thyssen-Bornemisza -  Fanfan, Juan M. Comas

2020 The exemplary women of Chechu Álava in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum - Revista De Arte

2020 CHECHU ÁLAVA: REBELS - Exit Express

2020 Chechu Álava: presences in rebellion - The Notebook, Juan Carlos Gea

2020 Chechu Álava brings together in the exhibition 'Rebeldes' 16 portraits of women in history who challenged the patriarchy - Europe Press

2020 'Chechu Alava. Rebels', the new exhibition at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza - Agenda 

2020 Chechu Alava. The intimacy of the insubordinate portrait - Style Feel Free Magazine, Rosana G. Alonso

2016 The artist and her work: 'Blonde' by Chechu Álava - La Escena, Santiago Martinez

2015 100 PAINTERS OF TOMORROW LONDON: 50 ARTISTS INCLUDED IN 100 PAINTERS - Beers London

2014 ART OPENING: 100 PAINTERS OF TOMORROW EXHIBITION AND BOOK LAUNCH @BEERSCONTEMPORARY THURSDAY 27TH NOVEMBER - FAD Magazine, Mark Westall