Nieves González: El cuerpo sostenido Contemporary Painting Exhibition at SC Gallery Bilbao

This solo exhibition by Nieves González explores the theme of care as a sacred act through a contemporary reinterpretation of José de Ribera’s painting 'Saint Sebastian Tended by the Holy Women'. By focusing on the neglected narrative of healing and the role of the women who saved the saint, González links historical imagery to current conversations about empathy and medical practice.

In 'El cuerpo sostenido' (The sustained body), artist Nieves González engages in a profound dialogue with the Spanish Baroque, specifically centering on the secondary narrative of Saint Sebastian being rescued and healed by Saint Irene. Moving beyond the traditional depiction of the saint's martyrdom, González reconstructs this historical scene to highlight themes of collaborative healing, feminine agency, and the surgical precision of care. Her practice acts as a transhistorical bridge, inviting viewers to move between the historical past and contemporary experience. The exhibition is accompanied by a scholarly curatorial text from Las Hijas de Felipe (Carmen Urbita and Ana Garriga), which situates González's work within a lineage of knowledge that challenges patriarchal frameworks. By framing the act of tending to the wounded saint as a form of sacred, intellectual, and physical labor, the exhibition questions how we inherit visual culture and reconfigures the definitions of vulnerability and strength in the present day.

Admission to the gallery is open to the public during scheduled hours. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 17:00 to 20:00. Visits on Saturdays or during morning hours require an appointment.