The realistic painting ‘Nube XIX’, by the Japanese artist Teruhiro Ando, has surpassed the 298 artworks submitted this year to the 86th International Exhibition of Fine Arts in Valdepeñas, winning the Gold Medal of the exhibition and a prize of 15,000 euros, in addition to other selected works by the jury for the acquisition fund.
In this edition, the jury was composed of Jesús Martín Rodríguez-Caro as Honorary President, Vanessa Irla as President, José Javier Pérez Avilés as Secretary, and prominent art experts and members including the renowned artist Guillermo Pérez Villalta; the sculptor Blanca Muñoz; the art critic Fernando Castro; and the art critic and gallerist Fernando Fernán Gómez.
During the jury’s decision, the Deputy Mayor of Culture, Vanessa Irla, emphasized the quality of the presented works, selecting 73 paintings and sculptures for the exhibition that will open its doors on August 31st.
Irla stated, «This is already the 86th edition of this exhibition, making us one of the main events in our country, the most important in our community, and one of the most significant in Spain. This leads to an increasing number of artists participating and gives it an increasingly international character, with the participation of more nationalities.» She highlighted that «this event is very important for Valdepeñas and one of our hallmarks.» Additionally, she congratulated Aurora Cid, Cristina Megía, Javier Tercero, and Miguel Carmona, all from Valdepeñas, whose works were selected for the upcoming exhibition.
The medal-winning painting by Teruhiro Ando stood out among the 298 works presented by 234 artists from 13 nationalities, with a unanimous vote from the jury. Artist Guillermo Pérez Villalta acknowledged that the winning piece «had quite an impact on me the first time I saw it because it’s a work with great sensitivity, extraordinarily simple, and wonderfully executed technically.» He also noted that «there were other works among the finalists as well, making it a real challenge to choose, given the significantly increased quality and the abundance of very good artwork.»
Regarding the exhibition opening on August 31st, it was mentioned that it will be «very diverse, with different trends ranging from realism to the most absolute abstract.»
Alongside the Gold Medal, the 86th International Exhibition of Fine Arts in Valdepeñas will feature Rafael Canogar as the guest artist, the creator of the sculpture ‘Cabeza de hombre,’ which can be seen in the roundabout on Avenida del Sur within Valdepeñas’ open-air museum. In this edition, the jury selected 73 works, with 50 paintings and 23 sculptures, to be displayed in the exhibition opening on Sunday, August 31st at the Cultural Center ‘La Confianza.’
Acquisition Fund
Regarding the acquisition fund, the jury unanimously decided to acquire the painting titled ‘Profecías de un desorden’ by Santiago Talavera for the collection of the Municipal Museum of Valdepeñas. The sculpture ‘Koré’ by Diego Peribáñez will also become part of the municipal fund.
Similarly, by delegation, the jury selected the painting ‘Sin título’ by David Calderón and the sculpture ‘Hafiz’ by Ángela Pareja for the collection of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha. Additionally, the painting ‘Ser Savia/2023’ by Lau Rodríguez will go to the collection of the Provincial Council of Ciudad Real.
In this edition, the prize money for the competition has been increased. A total of 15,000 euros is awarded as the exhibition prize, along with 15,000 euros for the acquisition fund from the City Council of Valdepeñas. The Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha contributes 10,000 euros, the Provincial Council of Ciudad Real with 7,000 euros, Francisco Delgado Abogados with 3,000 euros, Tecnobit-Grupo Oesía with 3,000 euros, Fundación Globalcaja with 3,000 euros, and Moisés Argudo with another 3,000 euros.
The acquired works by the City Council will be part of the municipal art gallery, where other valuable artworks by renowned artists such as Antonio López, Manuel López Villaseñor, Pancho Cossío, Agustín Redondela, Agustín Úbeda, Antonio Guijarro, Juan Barjola, Venancio Blanco, Santiago de Santiago, José Luis Sánchez, David Lechuga, and Juan Manuel Castrillón are also housed.