Juan de la Rica

Allouche Gallery is pleased to present Stillness Is the Move, a solo exhibition of new paintings by acclaimed Spanish artist Juan de la Rica. This is de la Rica’s debut solo exhibition with Allouche Gallery.

At the heart of Juan de la Rica’s practice is the elevation of form itself. In Stillness Is the Move, de la Rica refines his distinctive visual language through a series of vibrant, contemplative paintings that explore the interplay between color, composition, and the subtleties of human expression. His works—often portraits or still lifes—are defined by their bold, saturated color palette and clean, flat lines, blending playful compositions with art historical references, from biblical and mythological scenes to broader Spanish cultural motifs.

While his paintings carry echoes of familiar art historical influences such as the humor of Botero or the regal stillness of the Italian Quattrocento—de la Rica’s work is ultimately an expression of painting as an end in itself. As he explains, "I see it a bit like the paradox of figurative painting: painters are constantly looking for interesting subjects, when what is really interesting is the painting itself." In this sense, his subjects retain an enigmatic quality, their unflinching gazes both cool and introspective, suggesting a deeper mystery beneath their tranquil surface.

The exhibition’s title, Stillness Is the Move, draws from the song by the Dirty Projectors, invoking themes of existential reflection and the search for meaning. One of the verses reads: “Isn’t life under the sun just a crazy dream / Isn’t life just some mirage of the world before the world... Where does time begin / Where does space end / Where do you and I / Where do you and I begin”. This sense of timelessness and contemplation is mirrored in de la Rica’s work, where the simplicity of his compositions invites the viewer to pause and consider the spaces between thought and form, subject and self.