Alba Matilla's practice constantly crosses boundaries between the physical and the virtual, between the landscape and the individual who inhabits it, and between the manipulated and organic nature that occurs in spaces in a context of abandonment. The main themes she addresses have to do with the processes of deindustrialization and coexistence with uncertain and contaminated futures and, above all, the poignancy of living in these uncertainties and ruptures. In her methodology as well as in her research work, Matilla feels comfortable working in "non-places" that sometimes wander through painting, other times through digital and interactive installations, and sometimes both at the same time. As for painting, she mainly establishes herself in the delirium of virtual landscapes, always phosphorescent, luminescent and perfect, in contradiction to the broken physical world they represent, experimenting with formats that range from bare canvas to the introduction of sewing elements or wooden frames that become part of the painting itself. In general, his projects pursue a longing for identity, home and refuge, and constantly seek the need to create peaceful environments for the viewer who passes through them, despite representing hostile and violent climatic realities.
​
Alba Matilla (Avilés, 1998) is studying for a degree in Fine Arts at the University of Vigo and a Master's Degree in Research and Creation in Contemporary Art at the UPV/EHU. In 2025, she was selected as the winner of the VEGAP 2025 Sequences competition, and in 2024 she was awarded the Asturias Joven Prize for Plastic Arts. She has completed artistic residencies at centres such as iMAL Brussels, Matadero Madrid, El Palacio (Gijón), Centre d'Art Lo Pati (in collaboration with Eufònic) and LABoral Centro de Arte, among others. Her work has been exhibited individually at the Montehermoso Cultural Centre (2024), Espacio Flechazu (2025) and Galería EXHIBIT (2024), and collectively at the Exhibition Hall of the Ministry of Youth, Madrid (2025); Centro de Cultura Antiguo Instituto Jovellanos, Gijón (2025); LABoral Centro de Arte, Gijón (2024); Sala Borrón, Oviedo (2024); Upper Gallery, UAL, London (2023); Galería CTJV in Monçao, Portugal (2022), and Pazo de la Cultura de Pontevedra (2021), among others. He has participated in contemporary art festivals such as ECOS Festival d'arquitectura y territoriu (Asturias, 2024), Eufònic (Tarragona, 2024) and INTERSECCIÓN (A Coruña, 2022). His work forms part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias and the ARES archives of the University of Castilla-La Mancha and HAMACA. His video works have been screened at venues such as CCCB and Hangar.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
© IDC for Matadero Madrid (2024)