Alejandro Carballosa - “Pelagia”

Oil on canvas
Size: 55 x 46 cm
Description
In this work I have aimed to deepen the idea of absolute surrender, that intimate instant when the body stops fighting and finds, in movement and in stillness, a form of fullness. The figure suspended over an ocean of intense blues does not represent only a swimmer; it is an image of concentration, discipline, and harmony, but also a metaphor for the inner journey we all undertake in search of ourselves.

I have worked with a compact, almost circular composition, where the body folds back onto itself in an attitude that for me symbolizes introspection and trust. The absence of a visible face is not accidental; I wanted identity to disappear so that emotion may endure. In this way, the figure becomes a universal reflection of human vulnerability and of that deep need to seek refuge in what connects us to our essence.

The turquoise and emerald tones of the surface contrast with the blue-violet depths, creating a dialogue between light and mystery, between serenity and the unknown. Through a free and enveloping brushstroke, I have sought for the water to cease being a mere backdrop and become an emotional space, a place where time seems to stop and where every movement takes on an almost meditative dimension.

For me, this work speaks of the beauty that exists in silent concentration, in discipline turned into poetry, and in the human capacity to find calm even amid vastness. Water, an ancient symbol of transformation and rebirth, acts here as a protective presence that embraces the figure and sustains it in a moment of perfect harmony.

Beyond the representation of a body in motion, I wanted to create a painting that invites contemplation and quiet reflection; a work that evokes the sensation of being suspended between the surface and the depth, between the visible and the intangible, reminding us that, on occasions, it is precisely when we dive into our inner world that we discover the true dimension of our freedom.

Alejandro Carballosa, Cuban visual artist and designer based in Spain, whose career has been defined by exploring strength, emotion, and beauty in the animal and human figure. His work combines technical realism with a contemporary vision, where color, light, and movement acquire a symbolic and expressive language.

Trained in visual arts and design, he merges the aesthetic sensibility of classical art with modern resources, creating pieces that balance energy and introspection.

His work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions and is part of private collections in Germany and the United States.
Education
School of Visual Arts and Plastic Arts; baccalaureate in sculpture, painter
University
Bachelor in Scenic Design; ISA, Havana, Cuba, 2023
Graduated 2011
Workshop
2022 International Makeup Workshop led by the Italian master Piero Penisi
Exhibitions
2011 Iconographic Salon Nicolás Guillén. UNEAC, Las Tunas, Cuba
2011 Exhibition “Vástagos”. Provincial Center of Plastic Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2012 Martian Salon. Sculpture Workshop Gallery, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2012 Exhibition “Lithographs”. UNEAC, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2012 Exhibition “Final Integral Exercise”. Professional Academy of Plastic Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2013 Martian Salon. Huellas Cultural Center, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2013 Exhibition “La Víspera” (The Eve). Provincial Center of Plastic Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2014 Salon “Guernica”. AHS, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2014 Salon “Plastic in April”. Provincial Center of Plastic Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2014 Collective expo “Art, a Social Image”. Provincial Center of Plastic Arts, Las Tunas, Cuba.
2017 First Salon of Plastic Arts. Guáimaro Art Gallery, Camagüey, Cuba.
2017 Collective expo, Aires de Cubanía. Casa del Alba cultural, Havana, Cuba
2022 Thematic Fashion Runway at ISA University of Art
2024 Private collections in Germany and the United States