Portal de Turismo de Castilla y León

Dates

11 June to 13 September 2026

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Currently

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"REFLEXES (II)"

JIMENEZ ARELLANO MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART OF THE UVa (San Ambrosio Room)

Fernando Bayo Vela presents his new exhibition Reflections (II) in the rooms of the Arellano Alonso African Art Museum of the University of Valladolid, in the Santa Cruz Palace, where he displays some of the best sub-Saharan African sculptures shown in this institution.

Bayo, through some thirty acrylic paintings, with the aim of taking a journey through the broad artistic and cultural perspective that is developed in the museum on the African continent, with one of the best collections on this subject at the European level.

The aim is that the pictorial reflection of traditional coins, terracotta sculptures, masks from the Kingdom of Oku in Cameroon, and traditional ethnographic utensils will give the visitor a closer, broader, and more detailed view of each of the works, both the real objects and the painted ones. Ultimately, it's a face-to-face encounter, a mirror, a reflection, between Africa and the artist's vision.

The paintings refer to the compilation of artworks created over the years by the Arellano-Alonso couple, which Fernando Bayo has faithfully captured in his pictorial creation through this exhibition.

This time, Bayo plays with the entire museum space, displaying the museum's original works alongside the artist's paintings. Whichever way you look, you'll find the same works reflected in a mirror image. In addition, new paintings from the Kingdom of Oku have been included, featuring more contemporary works that are more in keeping with the exhibition.

Technically, the work again seeks realism, but without forgetting the author's own personal touch, where numerous tones have been emphasized, through many pictorial layers, a unique and very striking lighting, without neglecting the most minute details, made with care and typical of direct observation of the work, resulting in a profound expressiveness that makes these works a unique new collection.

This exhibition thus achieves a dual objective. On the one hand, it provides visual enjoyment, but also makes visitors aware that African art is not limited to sculptures, paintings, or architecture; even the most utilitarian objects can be beautiful artistic creations.

Event website : https://www.fundacionjimenezarellano.com/index.php/explora/