The City XII Painting

Miguel Sopena is an artist and photographer originally from València, Spain, but now based in South London. Miguel felt the pull of art as he prepared to complete his doctorate in theoretical Physics at Sussex University in Southern England. Miguel started drawing and painting in his spare time, then combined writing his thesis with a 2-year, part-time Art and Design Foundation programme at Brighton City College. Miguel then completed a 2-year, skills-based portraiture diploma at the Heatherley School of Fine Art in London, where he learnt in depth about traditional oil painting and the human figure. Miguel is interested in many techniques and approaches, but at present he works mainly as an abstract painter, creating compositions in a broad variety of scales and formats. Miguel’s work shows a love for colour and the materiality of the media he works with, featuring highly visceral, dynamic mark making and Miguel’s trademark heavy textures. Miguel’s pieces are inspired by material as diverse as landscapes and cityscapes, childhood memories, stories, history and myth, and his emotional reaction to his surroundings and experiences. Whatever the initial concept, it’s the unplanned, instinctual process in the studio that shapes Miguel’s final work, as he explores the expressive potential of his materials and lets the ongoing dialogue with each piece lead to an organic conclusion. Miguel continues to actively promote and exhibit his work. His last solo show of abstract work (supported by an Arts Council England project grant) ran at the Stone Space gallery in East London in December 2022/January 2023. Miguel will participate in The Other Art Fair and the Landmark Art Fair in London in October 2025.