On September 19th, Aryz unveiled a long-anticipated solo exhibition at the Hangar 107 venue in Rouen, France, marking the first round of three planned shows through the country this fall and winter, four years since his last indoor presentation in LA. Once again, the Catalan artist affirmed his position as one of the leading names in the muralist scene with a showcase that raises the bar for his painterly peers.

Over the years we've witnessed many efforts to translate the practice of large scale muralism into the indoor gallery/museum setting, but often overlooked is scale, one aspect of such work. Finally, after teaming up with Paris-based curator and agent Nicolas Couturieux, Aryz found a perfect place to showcase the big-scale works he's been creating in his studio over the last few years. Patiently nurturing his studio practice while incorporating elements of his public creations, the artist created a coherent body of work having discovered a spacious venue worthy of its magnitude. Stepping away from the safety of producing house-friendly size works, the artist fully embraced this opportunity to show his range outside of the popular "street art" arena. Art lovers from the entire region appreciated the effort and packed the venue opening night.

aryz la pugna18

Starting with three older works painted around the theme of the Spanish civil war, La Pugna (the battle), fronts the main space where the newest works are exhibited. Including complimentary sketches on paper and a selection of several big-scale canvases, this tableau revolves around conflict and pain depicted in a vibrant, yet restricted color palette. Occasionally breaking up his figures, adding elements from different references, or creating unexpected color shifts, the images forcefully capture the dynamics of the tense scenario. The most traditional elements of figure painting with intensity of facial expressions and human anatomy are enhanced by draping fabric, successfully translated in bold brushstroke onto the smaller scale in similar rich, visual language. Large canvases sustain his unapologetic confidence of gesture, beautiful with the soft allure and vibrancy of his use of oils.

Aryz will continue this trifecta with another solo presentation opening in Paris on November 8, 2019, following with another opening on November 14, 2019, at Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy.