Bordea Contemporary Art Exhibition by Gabriel Coca in Bilbao

Bordea showcases a significant body of drawings and paintings by artist Gabriel Coca, developed during his residency at BilbaoArte. The exhibition explores the materiality of paint, investigating the intersection of gesture, tension, and form through layered, rhythmic strokes that define and cross the perimeters of the pictorial space.

Bordea—translated as Edging—presents a comprehensive collection of small to large-format works created by Gabriel Coca during his residency at the BilbaoArte production center. The artist employs a methodology grounded in drawing to explore the mechanics of the pictorial image, transitioning from haphazard paper cuttings to more refined applications of charcoal and varied paint textures. By focusing on the 'edge' of a stroke, Coca treats the canvas as a space to occupy, navigate, and define, creating a dialogue between harmony and conflict within the painting. Throughout the exhibition, viewers can observe Coca’s practice of de-constructing images through multiple, dense layers of paint. His gesture-driven process seeks to eliminate initial drawings, allowing new forms to emerge through instinctive, rhythmic brushwork and carefully placed color spots. This body of work aims to impact the viewer directly, balancing the solidity of forms with the vibration of color, thereby exploring the boundaries of how a painting can serve as both a factual, material presence and a captured moment in time.

Admission to the exhibition at the URIBITARTE40 Hall is free of charge. Visitors can also attend various programs including guided tours and roundtables, for which entry remains free subject to available seating at the venue located in Paseo de Uribitarte, 40, Bilbao.