Robert Nava

The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum will present this retrospective exhibition on the American artist, Robert Nava, from 11 May to 22 September. The exhibition is part of the programme devoted to the Blanca and Borja Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection.

Curated by Guillermo Solana, this is the first solo exhibition on the artist in a museum.  The exhibition includes a selection of 17 large-format works created between 2019 and 2024, among which Castle Back Flyer (2021) stands out, which forms part of the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection.

Robert Nava moves away from academic conventions and develops a markedly individual style associated with "bad painting", a term used to define works that challenge good taste. Influenced by diverse sources, such as Prehistoric and Egyptian art, Pre-Columbian culture, cartoons and the work of the likes of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Cy Twombly, Nava aims to create a new mythology that reflects the present day.

His works are full of hybrid creatures and zoomorphic monsters that inhabit scenes marked by an element of violence. Using expressive artistic lines, along with a combination of aerosols, acrylics and oils, the artist resident in Brooklyn brings to life universes full of fantasy and imagination.

Image Credits:

• Robert Nava. Red River Storm, 2023. Acrylic, grease pencil and oil on canvas 195.6 x 233.7 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Pace Gallery. New York Photo: Richard Gary, courtesy of Pace Gallery
• Robert Nava. Battle of Olympus, 2023. Acrylic and grease pencil on canvas. 188 x 238.8 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Pace Gallery. New York Photo: Jonathan Nesteruk, courtesy of Pace Gallery
• Robert Nava. Between Beasts We Understand Each Other, 2023. Acrylic and grease pencil on canvas. 265.4 x 495.3 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Pace Gallery. New York Photo: Giorgio Benni, courtesy of Pace Gallery
• Robert Nava. This is My House, 2024. Acrylic, grease pencil and oil on canvas 238.8 x 188 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Pace Gallery. New York Photo: Jonathan Nesteruk, courtesy of Pace Gallery