Bego Riba

Bego Riba’s work is distinguished by its adherence to a classical realism, characterized by meticulous attention to detail and a subtle treatment of light and shadow. Her paintings, often rendered in almost monochromatic tones, evoke feelings of unease and melancholy, contrasting with the softness and tactile richness of fabrics, plastics, and human forms. The figures she portrays appear immersed in an oppressive, depersonalized environment, their faces veiled, thus inviting the viewer to interpret and project their own emotions.

In her most recent works, the artist approaches the representation of the human body from a different perspective. She replaces facial features with the shapes and textures of the garments that envelop them, creating compositions filled with mystery and introspection. Through the use of oil paint, she seeks to immerse the viewer in scenes rich with nuance and to spark curiosity about the hidden stories behind each figure.

At the same time, Riba turns her attention to ordinary objects that often go unnoticed. By extracting them from their context and altering their scale, she grants them new meaning and significance. She employs techniques such as oil, charcoal, watercolor, and ink, harmonizing the subtlety of finish with the roughness of the materials depicted. Her work is based on the fortuitous combination of elements that generate a poetic visual language open to multiple interpretations.

Bego Riba was born in Burgos, Spain, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Salamanca (1996–2001). Since 2003, she has lived and worked in Palma de Mallorca, where she continues to develop her artistic career independently.