Alberto Ortega (Sevilla, Spain 1976) creates oil paintings made after miniature sets that he builds as references. The small-scale sets enable him to recreate suburban scenes using details that recall the 1950s. Since he’s able to control the angle and point of view, the lighting, the location of every element, much like a film director would do, his works have a strong cinematic feel.
As an immigrant to the United States, Alberto is intrigued by American suburban life as depicted in film, literature, and visual art. Through these images of American homes, buildings, and neighborhoods, he portrays society and some of its contradictions. These scenes represent hopes and dreams, the threat of their failure, and alienation.
Alberto is represented by Arcadia Contemporary in New York City.
education
2007 MFA, Painting concentration. University of Seville, Spain
2005 BFA, Painting concentration. University of Seville, Spain
recent exhibitions
2024 Suburbia, Building the American Dream, CCCB, Barcelona, Spain
2024 LA Art Show, Arcadia Contemporary booth, Los Angeles, CA
2023 Five and Under, Arcadia Contemporary, NYC
2023 LA Art Show, Arcadia Contemporary booth, Los Angeles, CA
2022 “The Lives of Others” (Solo Show), Arcadia Contemporary, NYC
2022 LA Art Show, Arcadia Contemporary booth, Los Angeles, CA
2021 “A collection of changes”, Block Gallery, Raleigh, NC
2021 LA Art Show, Arcadia Contemporary booth, Los Angeles, CA
2021 “Arcadia Grand Opening in Soho”, Arcadia Contemporary, NYC
2020 “Cul de sac”, (Solo Show), Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC
2020 “All stars”, Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC
2019 “Home”, Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC.
2017 New times three, Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC
2016 Regional Artists Project Grantees, United Arts Council, Raleigh, NC
2016 North Carolina Artists Exhibition, Betty McCain Gallery, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh, NC
2016 Biennial Exhibition, Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC
2015 58th National Juried Show, The Imperial Center for the Arts & Sciences, Rocky Mount, NC
2015 SCOPE: The southern landscape, Visual Art Exchange, Raleigh, NC
2014 Winter Show, Greenhill Center for NC Art, Greensboro, NC
2014 The Windows View, Eno Gallery, Hillsborough, NC
2013 Solo show The blue hour, Designbox, Raleigh, NC
2013 Lines of Communications, Eno Gallery, Hillsborough, NC
2013 Artist Favorites, Eno Gallery, Hillsborough, NC
2013 Art of the Contemporary Still Life, Eno Gallery, Hillsborough, NC
2012 Winter Show, Greenhill Center for NC Art, Greensboro, NC
awards and honors
2022 Public Art. Commission. Bus Rapid Transit. City of Raleigh, NC
2016 Regional Artist Project Grant, United Arts Council, Raleigh, NC
2015 Acquisition Award, 58th National Multi-media Juried Art Exhibition. The Imperial Center for the Arts, Rocky Mount, NC
2006 Emerging Artist Grant, INICIARTE 06, Province of Andalusia, Spain
2006 International Prize in Painting Finalist. Alcalá de Guadaira, Seville, Spain
2005 Seville Cultural Center Painting Contest Finalist, Seville, Spain
2004 Talens Foundation Grant, Seville, Spain
publications
“Middle of the Night”, by Riley Sager, 2023. Book cover
American Art Collector, “Scenes of suburbia”, September 2022
“Reality Check at the LA Art Show”, Michael Pearce / MutualArt, Jan 26, 2022
North Carolina Museum of Art, video interview, NCMA Recommends. December 2021. Link here
American Art Collector, “A return to the West Coast”, July 2021
Granta Magazine. 40th Birthday Special, May 2019 issue
BOOOOOOOM, Editor´s Pick, 12/03/2018
Supersonic Art. March 2018.
Greenville Winter Show (2014), Triad City Beat. Greenville, NC
INICIARTE Emerging Artists Acquisitions and Grants Catalog (2006), Art Council of Andalucia, Seville, Spain
6 Visions Exhibition Catalog (2009), Castle of San Marcos, Port of Santamaria. Cadiz, Spain
Landscape Painting International Juried Show Exhibition Catalog (2007), Alcala of Guadaira Museum, Seville, Spain