Alejandro "Ale" Casanova: Contemporary Spanish Figurative Painter Born in Valencia in 1981, Alejandro "Ale" Casanova is a Spanish figurative artist renowned for his emotionally charged portraits and intimate narrative scenes. His practice is grounded in a deep technical mastery of oil and watercolor, mediums through which he captures the raw, unfiltered moments of everyday life. Casanova earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, followed by advanced academic research at the University of La Laguna in Tenerife, supported by national and European grants. These formative experiences laid the foundation for a career defined by precision, vibrant color use, and a striking sensitivity to light. Since his first solo exhibition in 2005, Casanova has cultivated a unique visual language distinguished by deliberate, almost surgical brushwork and a focus on the human figure as a vessel for emotional storytelling. His scenes often imply more than they reveal, drawing viewers into a space of contemplation and personal interpretation. His exhibitions span internationally, with solo shows across Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal, and participation in group shows throughout Europe and North America. Currently represented by Abend Gallery in Denver, as well as several European galleries, Casanova balances his studio work with an ongoing dedication to teaching. He regularly leads specialized painting workshops and courses, sharing his knowledge with students around the world. His paintings are held in private collections across Spain and abroad, continuing to resonate through their unflinching honesty and evocative depth. "I paint in search of beauty through emotion and material," Casanova states. "The human body is my starting point—a perfect excuse to talk about intimacy, rawness, desire. I’m drawn to what happens off-frame, to what’s implied but not shown. That’s why many of my scenes invite the viewer to imagine what lies beyond." Working in both oil and watercolor, Casanova embraces the tension between control and spontaneity. "Oil allows me to fix studied ideas through a more reflective process. Watercolor, on the other hand, lets me fall in love with risk, with fluidity, and with the beauty of mistakes. Both mediums coexist and complement each other—two different ways of looking at the same thing." His brushwork is sharp and intentional—"like painting with a scalpel," he explains—anchored by an obsession with light and how color reacts to its presence. This delicate balance of structure and vibration defines his approach and fuels the emotional undercurrent of each piece. Artist Statement "For me, painting is a deeply personal form of exploration—an intimate search for meaning within the physicality of the body and the subtleties of light. I use the figure not as an object, but as a gateway into emotion and memory. My goal is not to replicate what is seen, but to uncover what is felt. I am captivated by ambiguity, by the power of suggestion, by what is left unsaid." "Through my work, I try to create a dialogue between the viewer and the subject—between presence and absence, beauty and imperfection. I want each piece to function as a moment suspended in time, vibrating with something fragile, unresolved, and human." Curriculum Vitae Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain Postgraduate Research, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain Solo Exhibitions: 2023 – Narrativas Interiores, Galería Alba Cabrera, Valencia, Spain 2022 – La Belleza de lo Incierto, Espacio Primavera 9, Madrid, Spain 2021 – Interior Light, Abend Gallery, Denver, USA 2019 – En la Piel, Galería Imprevisual, Valencia, Spain Group Exhibitions: 2024 – Abend Gallery, Denver, USA 2023 – Realism Reimagined, Abend Gallery, Denver, USA 2022 – Contemporary Visions, Galería Artizar, La Laguna, Spain 2021 – New European Figuratives, Porto Art Fair, Portugal Awards & Grants: National Artistic Research Grant, Spain European Mobility Art Grant, EU Commission Young Painters Prize Finalist, Fundación Focus-Abengoa