Carmen Ibarra

I am a painter from Valencia, Spain (b. 1969). My work is guided by a search for beauty through the behavior of the materials themselves, without relying on figuration to tell a story. I am fascinated by the interaction of light, color, matter, and form, and how these elements can express meaning on their own.

Paper has been a constant in my practice, first as a medium for collages and now as the primary support for my watercolors. Rediscovering watercolor allowed me to simplify my approach, focusing on intimacy and subtle expression. With water, color, and paper, I explore not only beauty but also a reflection on human experience and the place of women in society.

Education

2003 – D.E.A., Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), Spain

2003 – Academic Residency, Postgraduate Program in Visual Arts, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico

1999 – Degree in Fine Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, San Carlos, UPV, Valencia, Spain

1998 – Erasmus Program, École Supérieure des Arts Visuels La Cambre, Brussels, Belgium

Selected Exhibitions
Carmen Ibarra has exhibited widely across Spain and internationally since the late 1990s. Her solo shows include Russafart at Lalambik (Valencia, 2024), Las Falleras Modernas (Valencia, 2022–2021), Aigua Viva (Fundación Quaes, 2019), Maps (Laland Russafa, 2016), and Abstract Paintings at Sala Melchor Zapata (Benicàssim, 2014). Earlier exhibitions include Swiss Group Bank (Zurich, 2004) and Imprevisual Gallery (Valencia, 2006).

She has participated in numerous group exhibitions and art events such as Russafart, Art Jaén, Fira del Xicotet Format, and Fleurs et Flots (Versailles, 2020).

Her work has also been shown in major national art awards and curated exhibitions, including the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos National Painting Prize —Museo de la Ciudad, Valencia (2018)—, the Premio Ciudad de Tudela, and Incipit. Premio Joven UCM at the Museo Nacional de Antropología (Madrid).