Alberto Baraya

As an artist, traveler, and researcher, Alberto Baraya's oeuvre presents a provocative interrogation of the scientific paradigm, advocating for art as a form of knowledge while simultaneously reflecting on the aesthetic dimensions of everyday life.

Alberto Baraya's Art Style

Alberto Baraya is renowned for his diverse multimedia creations spanning installation, drawing, photography, sculpture, and video. He initially gained recognition for his ironic self-portraits, often crafted from appropriated iconic paintings or through the creation of provocative scenarios. In 2003, he embarked on the ongoing series "Herbário de plantas artificiales," exploring and critiquing the practices of 17th and 18th-century European travelers.

Baraya assumes the role of the traveler, echoing the tradition of botanical and anthropological expeditions undertaken in Europe under the guise of science and colonization. During his journeys, he gathers and documents artificial plants, challenging the conventions of scientific classification, taxonomy, and the Western fascination with—or perhaps romanticization of—its colonial territories.

Through his art, Alberto Baraya satirizes colonial explorations, employing plastic plants or remnants from the global market to underscore their contemporary ramifications on global affairs.

Exhibitions of Baraya's Works

Alberto Baraya has had numerous solo and group exhibitions, showcasing his diverse multimedia art across the globe. His notable solo shows include "Automaquias y otras fábulas. Expedición Madrid" at Galería Fernando Pradilla in Madrid (2022), "Expedición siciliana" at Galería Fernando Pradilla in Madrid (2019), "Alberto Baraya – Estudios comparados de paisaje" at Nara Roesler in Rio de Janeiro (2018), "Alberto Baraya – Estudios comparados de paisaj" at Espacio Odeón in Bogotá (2017), and many more.

Additionally, Baraya has participated in group exhibitions, including the 13th Shangai Biennial, "Stayin' Alive" at Another Space in New York (2022), "Cerco l’estate tutto l’anno..." at Proyecto Paralelo in Mexico City (2019), "Modern Nature" at Drawing Room in London (2019), "Energ(ética): arte y energía sostenible" at FLORA Ars+Natura in Bogotá (2017), "Botany Under Influence" at apexart in New York (2016), among others.