The works on display at the museum go beyond reality, neither reaching into the realm of deities nor intending to offend religion. Their purpose is to represent the artist’s creative vision through a sincere and honest perspective, something that has always accompanied her throughout her artistic career. This is evident in the exhibited pieces, which highlight her commitment to the world of abstraction.

Their purpose is to represent the artist’s creative vision through a sincere and honest perspective, something that has always accompanied her throughout her artistic career

Twenty-five years ago, Fustero held her second exhibition at the museum, creating a meaningful connection with her current celebration of five decades of artistic work. To mark this occasion, she has chosen the same space for a retrospective, showcasing a carefully curated selection of small-scale paintings and iron sculptures. These pieces emphasize her importance and influence in avant-garde art, not only in Spain but internationally, where she has gained significant recognition. It’s worth noting that in 2021 and 2022, she also held a traveling retrospective in León.

These pieces emphasize her importance and influence in avant-garde art, not only in Spain but internationally, where she has gained significant recognition. It’s worth noting that in 2021 and 2022, she also held a traveling retrospective in León

In the mid-20th century, a new artistic movement called abstract expressionism emerged in the United States, characterized by spontaneous and gestural brushstrokes on the canvas. This trend soon made its way to Europe under the name informalism, manifesting in various forms, such as through stains, materiality, space, and gesture. From the start of her career, Elvira Fustero has shown a keen interest in gesture and stain, remaining loyal to this movement ever since.

From the start of her career, Elvira Fustero has shown a keen interest in gesture and stain, remaining loyal to this movement ever since.

The exhibition follows a chronological journey, showcasing the versatility of her work, where the use of color begins to emerge in the 1980s, with hues of ochre, pink, and blue. Later, neutral tones (white, black, and gray) take center stage in her paintings. When working with gray, she finds herself drawn to the vast range of nuances a single color can offer. For this reason, she applies several layers of gray on the canvas in a selective process of gradation.

In most of her works, stain and gesture combine with geometric shapes, initially appearing as rectangles and squares, particularly in her series of black paintings from the 1990s. Over time, these shapes evolve into spirals and circles, evoking the idea of movement, helping to understand how her work seeks new ways to represent and express the effects of chiaroscuro and light, as seen in her paintings.

In most of her works, stain and gesture combine with geometric shapes, initially appearing as rectangles and squares, particularly in her series of black paintings from the 1990s

As for her sculptures, the pieces might seem like small-scale models of larger works, but in reality, they are originals. Fustero constructs these from thin, delicate sheets of iron joined by welding points. Although they evoke enclosures or compartments, the artist describes them as "spaces for the soul," and they also incorporate the concept of emptiness. Fustero further explores the potential of these sculptures by changing their position, suggesting the possibility of a new work. It’s also worth mentioning her large-scale sculptures, such as Dialogue Between Cultures.

Although they evoke enclosures or compartments, the artist describes them as "spaces for the soul"

In the exhibition, Elvira Fustero invites the viewer to reflect on the complex interaction between spirituality and the reality of everyday life through her artistic journey.