Tireless, demanding and creative by impulse. Defining the creative personality of Óscar Alvariño helps to understand his prolific work –acknowledged by countless awards–, the stylistic perfection of his pieces and his way of creating the moment in which he starts to shape the sculpture. "Each time I attempt to do a draft design, I do it as I were 17 years old again, for the sake of creative ambition", he explains. However, he recognises that the physical work of creating a sculpture, particularly if they are large scale, "really encumbers adolescent vibrancy". "It requires an impressive level of drawing, approaching from many perspectives, with casting moulds, a process that halts the moment that makes your hairs stand on end. It is a lengthy working process", he explains.
With a very traditional approach to sculpture, inherited from classic artists, he defines his work from this era as abstract and rich in organic connotations, which is the guiding principle of his latest more geometric and architectural pieces. "They are very stark and skeletal compositions in which I tend to minimise props –like in all my sculptures– and in which an emphasis is placed on structure and matter". His most recurring themes include the direct (very direct) relationship with what happens around us. "And sometimes it is not related to those surrounding you, a type of contradiction". With a passion for large-scale sculpture, some of these small-scale pieces on display at Capa were designed to grow. Inspired by a natural creative environment, in the middle of Sierra Norte de Madrid, he continuously sets himself new challenges concerning techniques and materials. "I am very self-critical, it is the only way of evolving. At times I have a great time, but evolving comes at a cost of being extremely rigorous".
2009. Solo. Óscar Alvariño. Galería de Arte López Torres. Madrid.
2008. Moradas. Palacio de Pimentel, Valladolid.
Desde el Taller [From the Workshop]. Escuela de Arte La Palma. Madrid.
2005. Óscar Alvariño. Sculpture. Fundación Segundo y Santiago Montes. Valladolid.
2001. Galería Paloma 18. Burgos.
1996. Galería del Rancho. Torrecaballeros, Segovia.
2011. 25 Años [25 Years]. Julio Gavín Museum of Drawing. Castillo de Larrés. Huesca
Galería Artis. Salamanca
2010. Medallística: Laboratorio Formal [Medallist: Formal Laboratory]. Faculty of Fine Arts of Complutense University of Madrid.
Galería Artis. Salamanca
XIII Ángel Orensanz International Sculpture Award. Town Council of Sabiñánigo. Huesca.
XXX National Sculpture Competition, Villa de Parla. Municipal Council of Parla, Madrid.
71 Exposición Internacional de Artes Plásticas [71st International Visual Arts Exhibition]. Municipal Council of Valdepeñas, Ciudad Real.
City of Palencia Awards for Visual Arts. City Council of Palencia.
XII Villa de Oropesa del Mar Sculpture Competition. Municipal Council of Oropesa del Mar. Castellón.
Concurso Internacional de Escultura de los Premios AQA [International Sculpture Competition of AQA Awards]. Francisco Carvajal Foundation and Town Council of Albolote. Granada.
III International Sculpture Award. Caja de Extremadura. Plasencia.
XVII Villa de Rota Visual Arts Award. Fundación Alcalde Zoilo Ruiz-Mateos and Town Council of Rota. Cádiz.
VI Certamen Nacional de Escultura de Pequeño Formato [VI National Small-Scale Sculpture Competition]. Municipal Council of San Bartolomé de la Torre. Huelva.
2009. II Premio Ibérico de Escultura Cidade de Serpa [II Iberian Sculpture Prize, City of Serpa]. Local Government of Serpa. El Alentejo. Portugal.
70 Exposición Nacional de Artes Plásticas de Valdepeñas [70th National Visual Arts Exhibition of Valdepeñas], Ciudad Real.
XI Villa de Oropesa del Mar Sculpture Competition. Municipal Council of Oropesa del Mar. Castellón.
XLV National Sculpture Exhibition and Competition. Círculo De Bellas Artes, Pozoblanco. Cordoba.
VIII Mateo Hernández Sculpture Biennial. Municipal Council of Béjar. Salamanca.
I. Eskultura Lehiaketa I Berrizko Udala Sculpture Contest. Municipality of Berriz. Biscay.
Invierno 09 [Winter '08]. Capa Esculturas. Madrid.
2006. Paralelo [Parallel]. Capa Esculturas. Madrid.
2005. Salamanca 2005. Plaza Mayor de Europa. Casa de las Conchas. Regional Government of Castile-Leon.
Estampa [Print]. Salón Internacional del Grabado y la Edición de Arte Contemporáneo [International Printmaking and Contemporary Art Fair]. Capa Esculturas. Madrid.
Holland Art Fair. The Hague, Holland.
10 años de trayectoria [10 years of experience]. Galería Paloma 18. Burgos.
Sthlm Art Fair 05. Stockholm.
2004. Estampa [Print]. Salón Internacional del Grabado y la Edición de Arte Contemporáneo [International Printmaking and Contemporary Art Fair]. Capa Esculturas. Madrid.
2003. Estampa [Print]. Salón Internacional del Grabado y la Edición de Arte Contemporáneo [International Printmaking and Contemporary Art Fair]. Capa Esculturas. Madrid.
2002. Lineart International Art Fair. Capa Esculturas. Ghent 2002.
2001. Ríos [Rivers]. Galería Paloma 18. Burgos.
Capa Esculturas. Brussels, Belgium
Inter-American Art Fair. FIA 2001. Caracas, Venezuela.
Estampa [Print]. Salón Internacional del Grabado y la Edición de Arte Contemporáneo [International Printmaking and Contemporary Art Fair]. Capa Esculturas. Madrid.
Obra Única [Unique Works]. Originals, Editions. Galería Cuatro Diecisiete. Madrid.
2000. La Escultura Española del Siglo XX [Spanish Sculpture from the 20th Century] Capa Bilduma Collection. Vitoria and Álava.
Inter-American Art Fair. FIA 2000. Caracas, Venezuela.
Novísima 2000. Galería Cuatro Diecisiete. Madrid.
1999. Capa Collection. Adra, Almeria.
1998. Capa Collection. Santa Barbara Castle. Alicante.
1997. Homenaje a Manolete [Tribute to Manolete]. Palacio de la Merced. Provincial Government of Cordoba.
1996. Galerie Dialogue. Paris.
Capa Esculturas. Madrid.
1995. Capa Esculturas. Madrid.
1994. Jornadas de la Sierra de Madrid [Sessions in the Sierra de Madrid]. Manzanares el Real, Madrid.
Capa Collection. León.
1993. Azienda Promocione Turística. Recoaro Terme. Vicenza, Italy.
1991. Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Artísticos [School of Applied Arts and Artistic Trade]. León.
Regional Government of Castile-Leon. Plaza Mayor. Salamanca.
Palace of El Infantado. Guadalajara.
Plaza de San Juan. Church of San Lesmes. Burgos.
City Council of Ponferrada. Plaza del Temple. Ponferrada, León.
Cementerio de Noblezas [Cemetery of Nobles], Toledo.
The Benito Pérez Galdós Theatre. Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.
City Council of Ponferrada. Plaza Luis del Olmo. Ponferrada, León.
First École Normale [Normal School] in Spain. Fuente El Carnero. Zamora.
San Pablo Cemetery. Los Montes, Toledo.
Gardens of Santa Bárbara Castle. Alicante.
City Council of Ponferrada. Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Ponferrada, León.
La Explanada, Promenade. Alicante.
City Council of Nava del Rey. Valladolid.
City Council of Degaña. Asturias.
Plaza de San Pablo. City Council of Palencia.
Toro de la Vega. Tordesillas. Valladolid.
Official Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Ávila.
Parque de la Constitución. Valle del Sil. Ponferrada. León.
Jardín del Agua [Water Garden]. San Fernando. Cádiz.
Bridge of Tordesillas. Valladolid.
Palacio de la Audiencia. Plaza Mayor. City Council of Soria.
Arco de la Sangre [Arch of Blood]. City Council of Toledo.
Plaza del Ejército. City Council of Ávila.
Plaza de Toros [Bullring]. City Council of Santander.
City Council of Ciudadella. Menorca.
City Council of Albolote. Granada.
Centro Cultural Palacio Obispo. Vellosillo de Ayllón, Segovia.
Municipal Council of Arganda del Rey, Madrid.
Provincial Museum. Albacete.
Caja de Ahorros. Guadalajara.
Centro Cultural Antonio Machado. City Council of Madrid.
Díaz-Caneja Foundation. Palencia.
Centro Cultural Casa del Rey. Municipal Council of Arganda del Rey, Madrid.
Antiguo Monasterio de San Juan [Old Monastery of San Juan]. City Council of Burgos.
Municipal Council of Valdepeñas, Ciudad Real.
Conde Duque Cultural Centre. City Council of Madrid.
Municipal Museum. Vicenza, Italy.
Eduardo Capa Foundation.
Los Arcos Equestrian Centre. Management Systems. San Lorenzo del Escorial, Madrid.
Circulo de Bellas Artes. Madrid.
Museo López-Villaseñor. Ciudad Real.
Headquarters of the Regulatory Board of the Denomination of Origin of Valdepeñas Wine. Valladolid.
2014. First Prize. Competition of Ideas for a commemorative outdoor sculpture in the town of Oropesa y Corchuela. V Centenario del Nacimiento de D. Francisco de Toledo [V Centenary of the Birth of Francisco de Toledo]. Viceroy of Peru.
2013. Honourable Mention. V Premio Ibérico de Escultura Cidade de Serpa [V Iberian Sculpture Award, City of Serpa]. Câmara municipal [Local Government] of Serpa. Portugal.
2012. First Prize. IX Bienal de Escultura Mateo Hernández [IX Mateo Hernández Sculpture Biennial]. Municipal Council of Béjar. Salamanca.
2011. First Prize. Competition of Proposals to create a monumental sculpture of Pope John Paul II. City Council of Guadalajara.
Honourable Mention. I Sculpture Competition Aguagranada Foundation. Granada.
2010. First Prize. XXX National Sculpture Competition, Villa de Parla, 2010. Municipal Council of Parla, Madrid.
First Prize. National Small-Scale Sculpture Competition. Municipal Council of San Bartolomé de la Torre. Huelva
Second Prize. II Open-air Sculpture Competition. Excultural Bargas-2010. Municipal Council of Bargas. Provincial Government of Toledo.
Runner-up. XIII Ángel Orensanz International Sculpture Award. Town Council of Sabiñánigo. Huesca.
2009. First Prize. Sculpture Project Competition to create a sculpture of the historical figure Morayma. Proyecto de Miradores [Viewpoint Project]. Landscape with figures. Town Council of Loja, Granada.
First Prize. XLV National Sculpture Exhibition and Competition. Círculo de Bellas Artes, Pozoblanco, Córdoba.
Runner-up. Hipólito Pérez Calvo. VIII Mateo Hernández Sculpture Biennial. Municipal Council of Béjar, Salamanca.
2008. First Prize. XV Premio Ibérico de Escultura [XV Iberian Sculpture Prize] Punta Umbría. Council of Punta Umbría. Huelva.
Diploma of Honour from the Feria de Santiago 2007.Trophy from Félix Rodríguez Bullfighting Club. City Council of Santander.
2007. Acquisition Award. Caja Castilla La Mancha Sculpture Award 2007. Toledo.
First Prize. Competition of Ideas for creating a sculpture for the "Llamada de Hermanos Cofrades" [Call of the Brotherhood] and "Toque del Tararú" [Playing the Tararú]. City Council of Palencia.
2006. First Prize. Competition of Ideas for carrying out the design and execution of the monument of bullfighter Félix Rodríguez. City Council of Santander.
First Prize. Public Sculpture Competition. 750th Anniversary of the Fuero [jurisdiction]of Soria. City Council of Soria.
First Prize. III Concurso de Escultura Múltiple Alfa Arte [III Alfa Arte Multiple Sculpture Competition]. Eibar. Guipúzkoa. Lehenengo Saria [First Prize]. Escultura Anizgarriaren III [Sculpture Competition]. Lehiaketa.
First Prize. Concurso Internacional de Escultura de los Premios AQA [International AQA Awards Sculpture Competition]. Francisco Carvajal Foundation and Town Council of Albolote. Granada.
2005. First Prize. Fernando VII of the Competition of Proposals to create nine sculptural reliefs for the medallions in the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca. Salamanca 2005. Plaza Mayor de Europa. Department of Culture and Tourism. Regional Government of Castile-Leon.
First Prize. Alfonso XIII of the Competition of Proposals to create nine sculptural reliefs for the medallions in the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca. Salamanca 2005. Plaza Mayor de Europa. Department of Culture and Tourism. Regional Government of Castile-Leon.
First Prize. The First Republic of the Competition of Proposals to create nine sculptural reliefs for the medallions in the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca. Salamanca 2005. Plaza Mayor de Europa. Department of Culture and Tourism. Regional Government of Castile-Leon.
First Prize. Don Juan De Borbón, Count of Barcelona, of the Competition of Proposals to create nine sculptural reliefs for the medallions in the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca. Salamanca 2005. Plaza Mayor de Europa. Department of Culture and Tourism. Regional Government of Castile-Leon.
First Prize. XII Premio Ibérico de Escultura [XII Iberian Sculpture Prize] Punta Umbría. City Council of Punta Umbría. Huelva.
First Prize. Competition of Ideas for carrying out the design and execution of the monument of Cervantes in Toledo. City Council of Toledo.
2004. First Prize. National Sculpture Competition, Ávila. City Council of Ávila.
First Prize. Premio Victorio Macho de Escultura [Victorio Macho Sculpture Award] Palencia. City Council of Palencia.
First Prize. XXIV National Sculpture Competition, Villa de Parla. Municipal Council of Parla, Madrid.
2003. First Prize. Sculpture Competition Official Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ávila. Centenary Award. Ávila.
First Prize. Certamen Internacional de Escultura en la Calle [International Competition of Sculpture in the Street] 2003. San Fernando. Cádiz First Prize. XXIII National Sculpture Competition, Villa de Parla. Municipal Council of Parla, Madrid.
2002. First Prize. Competition to carry out and place a sculpture of the Toro de la Vega in Tordesillas. Valladolid.
2001. First Prize. International Sculpture Award from the Eduardo Capa Foundation. Santa Barbara Castle. Alicante.
2000. First Prize. IX Premio López Villaseñor de Artes Plásticas [IX López Villaseñor Visual Arts Award]. City Council of Ciudad Real.
1998. Gold Pámpana Award. LIX National Visual Arts Exhibition. Municipal Council of Valdepeñas, Ciudad Real.
First Prize. Restricted competition for the design and arrangement of the Monument of the Templar Knight. Town Council of Ponferrada, León.
1997. First Prize. Restricted competition to erect a Monument of San Lesmes Abad, patron saint of Burgos. (Lost-wax cast bronze doors). City Council of Burgos.
First Prize. XIII Premio Victorio Macho de Escultura [XIII Victorio Macho Sculpture Award] Palencia. City Council of Palencia.
Second Prize. Competition of Ideas for creating the Monument of the Cuatro Marinas. Port of Cadiz Bay.
1996. First Prize. Competition of Ideas for designing and executing the works for building a Monument of Cardinal Mendoza. City Council of Guadalajara.
1993. Gold Pámpana Award. Caja de Ahorros, Castilla-La Mancha. LIV Exposición Nacional de Artes Plásticas [LIV National Visual Arts Exhibition]. Municipal Council of Valdepeñas, Ciudad Real.
First Prize Mariano Benlliure Sculpture Award 1993. Villa de Madrid Awards. City Council of Madrid.
1992. Silver Pámpana Award. Regulatory Board of the Denomination of Origin of Valdepeñas Wine. LIII Exposición Nacional de Artes Plásticas [LIII National Visual Arts Exhibition]. Municipal Council of Valdepeñas, Ciudad Real.
First Prize. V National Sculpture Competition, Burgos. City Council of Burgos.
First Prize. Competition to create a medallion in stone dedicated to Elio Antonio de Nebrija in the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca. City Council of Salamanca.
1990. First Prize in the X Certamen Nacional de Escultura [National Sculpture Competition], Arganda. Municipal Council of Arganda del Rey, Madrid.
1989. First Prize. VI Premio Victorio Macho de Escultura [VI Victorio Macho Sculpture Award] Palencia. City Council of Palencia.
1988. Sculpture Prize. II Premios Castilla-La Mancha de las Artes Plásticas [II Castilla-La Mancha Visual Arts Awards]. Provincial Museum of Albacete.
First Prize. II Certamen de Escultura Antonio Machado [II National Sculpture Competition in Honour of Antonio Machado]. City Council of Madrid.
1986. First Prize. Competition to create a medallion in stone dedicated to Miguel de Unamuno in the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca. City Council of Salamanca.
2000. Seminar of Readings on Contemporary Art. Management: Josu Larrañaga. Aula de Arquitectura. School of Architecture European University of Madrid. Círculo de Bellas Artes.
1993. PhD in Fine Arts (Cum Laude) from the Complutense University of Madrid.
1990. Course Video para Enseñanzas Artísticas [Video for Artistic Education](Viea-9054) given by the Programa de Nuevas Tecnologías [New Technology Programme]. Ministry of Education and Science. Madrid.
1988. Graduate in Applied Arts, specialising in moulding and casting from the Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Artísticos de Salamanca [School of Applied Arts and Artistic Trade of Salamanca].
1987-1988. Monographic forging course at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Salamanca.
1980-1985. Graduate in Fine Arts, specialising in Sculpture. Complutense University of Madrid.
Works by Óscar Alvariño
