Edited by Miguel Ángel Huerta Zuñiga
My work can be framed within the current of surrealism; it is figurative, fantastic and is characterized by a detailed drawing and the absence of perspective, flat volumetry.
There are an imaginary of beings and biomechanical artifacts that originate in dreams I had repeatedly as a child that generate my interest in artists. Those references are in painting, Max Ernst and Giorgio de Chirico. In literature, mainly science fiction, Ray Bradbury, Jorge Luis Borges and Jules Verne.
My work is also fueled by my interest in our weird and wonderful world and the question of the possibility of life beyond it. I do not seek to cause a change in the viewer, or refer to great questions of humanity; I simply work from a psychological mechanism and process that are essential for children and artists: curiosity and imagination– Oscar Barra
Oscar Barra was Born in Santiago in 1964, he studied Art at the University of Concepción, co-founder of Grisalla, an outstanding group of artists from the 90s and early 2000s. Mainly dedicated to painting, he has extended his creation to engraving, sculpture and the drawing. He currently resides between Concón and also maintains a workshop in Santiago.
Recent individual exhibitions
2018: “Agnostos Theos”, Casa Autónoma Gallery, Autonomous University of Chile, Santiago.
2018: “Paintings”, Galerie zone, Leiden, Holland.
2018: “Winter visit”, Joan of Arc Gallery, Concepción.
2016: “The extraordinary creatures of Oscar Barra”, Nescafé Theater of the Arts, Santiago.
2016: “Imaginary Zoobotany”, Artium Gallery, Santiago.
2015: “Summer Imaginary”, Prima Gallery, Santiago.
2014: “Autumn and rain”, Nemesio Antúnez Gallery, Metropolitan University of Sciences and Education, Santiago.
2013: “Strangers in paradise”, Blanc Gallery, Santiago.
2011: “Human Resources”, Cultural Corporation of Recoleta, Santiago.
2010: “The machinery of joy”, Trazos Gallery, Santiago.
2007: “Living Water”, Matthei Gallery, Santiago.
2002: “Beyond good and evil”, Matthei Gallery, Santiago.
1997: “The forgotten games”, Chilean Institute – North American, Concepción.
1995: “Paintings”, Tomas Andreu Gallery, Santiago.
Collective exhibitions and national competitions
2020: CHACO 2020, International Contemporary Art Fair Chile, online version due to pandemic.
2019: “Tarquinia Art”, inaugural exhibition at Galería Tarquinia, Concón.
2019: “The Wild Eye”, exhibition of Latin American surrealism, Bellavista, Santiago.
2015: “Art helps”, Casas de lo Matta; organized by Parenthesis Foundation.
2014: “Art helps”, Casas de lo Matta; organized by Parenthesis Foundation.
2013: “The art of signs”, ARTIUM Gallery, Santiago.
2011: “Values from diversity”, Ralli Museum, Santiago.
2011: 3rd Version International Contemporary Art Fair Chile: CHACO 2011. Casas De Lo Matta, Santiago.
2010: 2nd Version of the International Contemporary Art Fair Chile: CHACO 2010. Casas de Lo Matta, Santiago.
2010: “60 years of the General Song”. Collective exhibition in homage to Pablo Neruda. Artium Gallery, Santiago.
2009: “Stories illustrated by Artists”, Cecilia Palma Gallery, Santiago.
2009: 1st Version of the International Contemporary Art Fair Chile: CHACO 2009. Glider Club, Santiago.
2008: “The Work: art study”, sculptures, Providencia Cultural Institute, Santiago.
2005: “Metro Valparaíso” Collection, Permanent Exhibition between the Metro Stations, Valparaíso.
2000: “Around the painting”, Parque Arauco Events Center, organized by Galería La Sala, Santiago.
1993: “Proyectarte 93”, National Museum of Fine Arts, Santiago.
1993: II Biennial of Painting “Gunther Award”, National Museum of Fine Arts, Santiago.
1990: “Territory for Art”, Pinacoteca of the University of Concepción and Municipal Hall of Los Angeles.
International collective exhibitions
2011: “The Sculpture”, Adriana Indik Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2009: “Good things come in small packages”, Círculo Azul Art Gallery, Coyoacán, Mexico City.
2000: X International Art Fair “Arte BA”, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2008: Jadite Gallery, New York, USA.
2008: “Afternoon without cuts”, Victoria Cultural Center; Mendoza Argentina.
Exhibitions with the GRISALLA Group
2008: “Illustrations of the nonexistent”, JHH Fine Art, Connecticut, USA.
2007: “GRISALLA – A Self-visited Promise”, Pinacoteca Universidad de Concepción.
2006: “GRISALLA – Autonomous Painting”, Matthei Art Gallery. Santiago.
2000: “GRISALLA – Contemporary Chilean Painters“, Simon Patrich Gallery,
Vancouver, Canada.
1999: “GRISALLA“, Matthei Gallery, Santiago.
1997: “Signs of a life”, Praxis Gallery, Santiago.
1992: “Journey to leisure, madness and death”, National Museum of Fine Arts, Santiago.
1991: “GRISALLA”, Pinacoteca of the University of Concepción.
Works in:
MAVI. Museum of Visual Arts of Santiago, Chile.
RALLI MUSEUM. Santiago, Chile.
RALLI MUSEUM. Punta del Este, Uruguay.
RALLI MUSEUM. Israel.
MAM. Museum of Contemporary Art of Chiloé. Chile.