20th-21st century Spanish

A painter and photographer, José Manuel Ballester recognised his artistic vocation from an early age. The son of a music teacher, since his beginnings his practice has always been based on a combination of a serious working method and artistic inspiration.

He studied at the School of Fine Art at Universidad Complutense in Madrid, graduating with a BA in 1984. In this period he was particularly attracted to the painting and technique of Flemish and Italian artists from the fifteenth to eighteenth century. This interest led to the experimentation with various techniques he undertook in the different disciplines he has worked with throughout his career: painting, , photography and video.

That being said, photography is the core discipline in Ballester’s production, characterized by a meticulous study of light and the use of large formats.

Turning to the main themes of his practice, while at the outset he worked largely with figuration, human presence gradually became less and less as it gave way to architecture and landscape. Buildings under construction and uninhabited landscapes are recurring images in his works.

In 1999 the Madrid-born artist won the National Award, in 2006 the Goya Prize for Painting and in 2008 the Photography Prize of the Region of Madrid. His work in photography was also distinguished in 2010 with Spain’s National Photography Prize.

Ballester has work in major collections in Spain and worldwide: Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Institut Valencià d’Art Modern, Museo Patio Herreriano, Museo Guggenheim Bilbao, Marugame Hirai Museum, Japan, Pérez Art Museum Miami and 21 Century Museum, Lexington, Kentucky.