Félix de la Concha Retrospective Brings Over 800 Artworks to La Térmica Cultural
A major contemporary art event has arrived at La Térmica Cultural. The exhibition Félix de la Concha: Choreographies of Attention (Coreografías de la atención) brings together over 800 individual artworks spanning the 30-year career of the acclaimed Spanish painter.
Running from January 23 to May 31, 2026, the exhibition is hosted in the unique industrial setting of the Condensadores Room. Visitors can explore this extensive collection for free, though booking a ticket in advance via the venue's site is recommended.
Discover 'Choreographies of Attention' and Modern Visual Culture
Curated by Nieves Acedo, the exhibition is designed as an artistic journey that prompts visitors to think deeply about how we focus our minds in the digital age. The spatial design, created by the prominent architecture firm estudioHerreros—noted for high-profile projects like the Munch Museum in Oslo and the Reina Sofía expansion—encourages physical movement through the gallery, mirroring the passage of time captured in the paintings.
Félix de la Concha, a native of León who spent more than two decades establishing his reputation in the United States, is known for painting en plein air (from life). His style goes beyond capturing physical landscapes; he seeks to document the micro-histories, changing light, and human realities of the places he inhabits.
Unmissable Series and Spanish Premieres
The exhibition presents sixteen distinct thematic series, highlighting several works that have never been displayed to the public before or are making their Spanish debut:
- Portraits from Julia Well (Retratos desde el Pozo Julia): This poignant series blends visual art with oral history. It consists of twelve portraits of residents from the mining town of Fabero. Visitors can listen to audio recordings of interviews with these former coal miners while viewing their painted likenesses, preserving a vital local memory.
- Fallingwater in Perspective: Painted during the winter of 2006–2007, this series was created while the artist lived at Frank Lloyd Wright’s legendary architectural masterpiece in Pennsylvania. This marks the very first time these works are being shown in Spain.
- Diario de pintura autista: A fresh series from 2024 that captures daily life in different Spanish locales, including Madrid, Albacete, and Fuerteventura.
About the Artist
Félix de la Concha (born 1962) studied fine arts in Madrid before receiving a prestigious scholarship to paint in Rome. He later moved to the United States, where his work has been featured in major institutions like the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Columbus Museum of Art. His paintings frequently explore themes of memory, time, and shared human experience, often utilizing direct, single-session portraiture (alla prima).
Visitor Planning and Accompanying Events
To enrich the experience, the venue is hosting a series of workshops, collaborative talks, and live performances alongside the static gallery display. Notable figures such as filmmaker Isaki Lacuesta and singer Alondra Bentley are scheduled to participate.
The complete event lineup, alongside reservation options, can be explored directly on the official exhibition page.
If you are planning your next weekend gallery walk or looking for other inspiring creative spaces nearby, you can browse local museums or check out the latest what's on exhibitions guide through Musemap (musemap.art).
