Figura violeta, Circa 2025
Juan Ripolles

Engraving by Ripollés, hand-painted and signed, 100% authentic

Known by his second surname or as "Blessed Ripo," Joan García Ripollés discovered his passion for painting when, as a young man in the immediate aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, he began working in an industrial painting workshop. From then on, he dedicated himself to painting at night, and later took drawing classes at the Ribalta Institute in Castellón. After his debut in a group exhibition held in 1951 at the Castellón Savings Bank, a turning point in his career occurred in 1954, as a result of a trip to Paris where he established contact with the city's artistic circles. However, he was unable to leave industrial painting until 1958, when he joined the Drouand David Gallery in Paris, one of the most prestigious in the world. He organized his first major solo exhibition at the MACBA (Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona) in 1962, and in 1967 he traveled to New York, where he exhibited and sold his entire collection to The William Haber Art Collection. That same year, New York art dealer Leon Amiel, of the Larousse Gallery, acquired his entire oeuvre, a feat he would repeat during his trip to Japan. From this moment, a dazzling international career began, taking his work around the world. He has held solo exhibitions not only in Spain, Paris, and New York, but also in Mexico, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, various US cities, Germany, and Japan. He is currently an exclusive artist with The William Haber Art Gallery in New York and the Galerie Drouand in Paris. In 2000, he was awarded the Valencian Community Arts Prize. Ripollés defines himself as an “immature adult" and, above all, “carefree, a little mischievous, and somewhat naive," words that reflect his exuberant creative spirit, his simple and extroverted character, and his childlike soul. Ripollés is today one of Spain's most internationally renowned artists, and also one of the most versatile, having brilliantly worked in painting, sculpture, and printmaking. His work is represented in the IVAM, the MoMA in New York, the University of Alicante Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, and the MACBA.

Juan García Ripollés' work has not only achieved extensive international dissemination, but it also possesses intrinsic characteristics and market positioning that suggest significant potential for long-term revaluation.

Ripollés' work is fundamental in contemporary art for several reasons:

Unique Identity and Style: Ripollés developed a figurative and colorful language that is immediately recognizable. His work is characterized by unbridled vitality, the bold use of color, and the constant representation of nature, women, and the joy of living. His style falls within a current of optimistic and humanist art that easily connects with the public.

Multidisciplinary Mastery: His importance lies in being a master of multiple disciplines:

Painting: His canvases are loaded with texture and vibrant colors.

Engraving: He was one of the first to use techniques like etching and lithography with great formal boldness.

Sculpture: His large figures of bronze, iron, and glass (often enameled with striking colors) are a hallmark of his production, giving the work a unique three-dimensionality and public presence.

Influence of Art Brut and Modernity: Although his work is colorful and festive, it has roots that connect with movements like Art Brut (raw art), by maintaining an intentional freshness and naivety, combined with the technique of the School of Paris.
Potential for Revaluation

The revaluation of an artist is based on the balance between supply, demand, and historical recognition. In Ripollés' case, several factors point to an upward trend in the value of his art

Ripolles is with Pablo Picasso,  Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Egon Schiele, Damien Hirst, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Chillida, Banksy and Keith Haring one of the best artist of the 20th