Virginia Rivas
[ BIO - STATEMENT - ARTIST CV ]
BIO.
Virginia Rivas. Madrid, 1981.
Represented by DDR Art Gallery, Galería Adora Calvo and Galería Beatriz Pereira. Member and founding partner of AVAEX Visual Artists and Associates of Extremadura. Partner of BNM Blanco, Negro y Magenta Association of Women Artists of Madrid.
Her education at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Salamanca, the Accademia di Belle Arti of Venice and the University of Extremadura, sparked her interest in the versatility between the plastic and the visual. She currently works from Hervás (Cáceres), her hometown, where she returned in 2014 after a year as an artist/teacher at the Università delle Liberetà in Udine (Italy) with a Grundtvig Scholarship.
Since 2006, she has given lectures at institutions such as LABoral Art Center of Gijón (2019) and the Faculty of Fine Arts of Salamanca (2017). In 2024, she coordinated the Extremaduran Visual Arts Sector Meeting at the Helga de Alvear Museum in Cáceres. She also conducts workshops through programs such as Erasmus Plus (Spain, 2017) and Grundtvig (Italy, 2013) or projects she created herself such as Women Artists: 500 years, 2 decades (2020) for AUPEX Popular Universities of Extremadura (Spain, 2020). In 2026, she will be part of the 4 Artists/4 Workshops Cycle at the Spanish Museum of Abstract Art in Cuenca.
Statement.
She works with painting, video and installation, media with which she explores the individual-environment nexus and develops a sociological discourse crafted from an intimate sphere. She is interested in the viewer as an active agent: their involvement, interpretation, and interaction with the work and space. She analyzes the social landscape through light, color, and sound, an artistic practice she combines with workshops and lectures.
She has been awarded the Nautilus Lanzarote Residency 2024, grants for the promotion of Spanish contemporary art from the Spanish Ministry of Culture 2023, grants for visual artists from the Junta de Extremadura 2023, grants for artistic research, creation, and production in the field of visual arts from the Spanish Ministry of Culture 2020, S.O.S Art/Culture Creation Grants from VEGAP 2020, and Visual Artists Grant from the Junta de Extremadura 2018. She has also won awards such as the XVII ‘Sala El Brocense’ Plastic Arts Award 2024, the 13th City of Badajoz Painting Award 2020, the Galleries Award VI Artistic Intervention Projects of Segovia 2018, and the XXIV Art Nalón Competition of Langreo (Asturias) 2016. Her notable presence includes the BMW Painting Award, the National Painting Competition of the Parliament of La Rioja, and the Enate Scholarship, among others.
Her solo exhibitions include the CAB Centro de Arte Caja de Burgos, the Barjola Museum of Gijón, + Mad Museo de Bellas Artes de Don Benito, the Fundación Ávila, the DA2 Art Center of Salamanca, the Adora Calvo Gallery of Las Rozas-Madrid, the El Brocense Art Room of Cáceres, and the WIPO of the United Nations in Geneva (Switzerland); and group exhibitions at the Enaire Foundation, the Cáceres Museum, the MUBA Museo de Bellas Artes de Badajoz, La Cárcel Centro de Creación de Segovia, and the Círculo de Bellas Artes of Madrid; as well as participation in fairs such as ESTAMPA, Art Madrid, FIG Bilbao, Just Mad, JustXL Lisbon, Arte Cremona, Art Jaén, Art Santa Fe, among a hundred other exhibitions.
Her work is part of public and private collections such as Nautilus Lanzarote, Sala El Broncense, Junta de Extremadura, Museo de Cáceres, Fundación Indalecio Hernández, + Mad Museo de BBAA, Pinacoteca Eduardo Úrculo, Ayuntamiento de Badajoz, Fundación Obra Pía de los Pizarro, Colección Víctor Francos Díaz, Colección Marisa Paredes, Colección Sofia Olazabal, Fundación Igualdad Ciudadana, Diputación de Cáceres, Casa de la Mujer y el Menor de Badajoz, Ayuntamiento de Cáceres, Hospedería de Garrovillas de Alconetar, among others, spanning Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland.
Her work has been featured on La 2 de TVE through Carta Blanca (2020) by Metrópolis and Boek Visual (2019) by La Aventura del saber. And in the section En pocas palabras of Babelia, El País.
Artist CV.
EDUCATION
2012 DEA Diploma in Advanced Studies in Art History. Specialization in Video Art. University of Extremadura.
2006 Bachelor of Fine Arts. Specialization in Painting. University of Salamanca.
2003/04 Painting, Engraving and Audiovisuals. Accademia di Belle Arti. Venice (Italy).
2001 Artistic Baccalaureate. School of Arts and Crafts. Salamanca.
She has trained with Estrella De Diego, Rosa Olivares, Rafa Doctor, Ignasi Aballí, María Ruido, Javier Codesal, Marta Verde, Mª del Mar Lozano Bartolozzi, José Hernández and José Fuentes, among others.
CONTEMPORARY ART FAIRS
2026 Art Madrid Galería Beatriz Pereira Booth.
2025 FIG Bilbao. Síntesis Asimétrica Booth. Bilbao.
2023 ESTAMPA. DDR Art Gallery Booth. IFEMA. Madrid.
FIG Bilbao. DDR Art Gallery Booth. Bilbao.
2022 ESTAMPA. DDR Art Gallery Booth. IFEMA. Madrid.
Art Madrid ‘22. DDR Art Gallery Booth. Madrid.
DUO PROJECT. Just Mad. Galería Beatriz Pereira Booth. Madrid.
JUSTLX Lisbon. DDR Art Gallery Booth. Lisbon (Portugal).
Un Fair. DDR Art Gallery Booth. Milan (Italy).
2021 FIG Bilbao. DDR Art Gallery Booth. Bilbao.
2020 DUO PROJECT Art Madrid. Curator Fernando Gómez de la Cuesta. DDR Art Gallery Booth.
2019 ONE PROJECT. Art Madrid. Curator Nerea Ubieto. DDR Art Gallery Booth. Madrid.
FIG Bilbao. DDR Art Gallery Booth. Bilbao.
JUSTLX LISBON Curator Semíramis García. DDR Art Gallery. Lisbon.
2014 Fiera d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea. Galería Javier Román Booth. Cremona (Italy).
2013 Art Santa Fe International Art Fair. Galería Gaudí Booth. New Mexico (USA).
2009 ARTJAÉN. III International Art Fair. Galería La Tea Booth. Jaén (Andalusia).
2008 Dentro Vídeo. Street FORO SUR Iberoamerican Contemporary Art Fair. Cáceres.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 The color of noise. Caja de Burgos Art Center. Burgos.
Heritage and dialogue. 'Pérez Enciso' Textile Ethnographic Museum. Plasencia.
Our world. DDR Art Gallery. Madrid.
2024 The blank spaces. Curator Adonay Bermúdez. Barjola Museum. Gijón.
Of lightness. Curator Ana Rincón. +Mad Museum of Fine Arts. Don Benito.
2023 Color in tempore. Ávila Foundation. Ávila.
2021 Variations. Europa Room. Junta de Extremadura. Badajoz.
Variations. Adora Calvo Gallery. Las Rozas, Madrid.
2018 Sound Map. Curator Julio C. Vázquez. El Brocense Art Room. Cáceres.
Painting music, listening to paintings. Pérez Comendador-Leroux Museum. Hervás (Cáceres).
SOUNDSCAPE. DA2 Contemporary Art Center. Salamanca.
2017 SYNESTHESIA. Rufino Mendoza Exhibition Hall. Villanueva de la Serena.
SYNESTHESIA. Eduardo Úrculo Art Gallery. Langreo (Asturias).
SYNESTHESIA. Curator Miguel F. Campón. Anabel Segura Room, Alcobendas Art Center.
2016 SYNESTHESIA. WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization. United Nations. Geneva (Switzerland).
2014 Attraverso la finestra. Galleria d’Arte La Loggia. Udine (Italy).
2012 Nada Grave. Hospedería Valle del Ambroz Exhibition Hall. Hervás (Cáceres).
2010 Small Format. Mouse Head. Contemporary Creation Space. Cáceres.
2009 The entrails of the fish. La Tea Gallery. Plasencia (Cáceres).
Piccolo mondo. Espora Space Gallery. Madrid.
2008 Identity Marks. Barrantes Cervantes Palace, Pizarro Foundation. Trujillo.
Identity Marks. Hebraica Room. Las Claras Cultural Center. Plasencia.
Identitas–Identitatis. Mouse Head. Contemporary Creation Space. Cáceres.
Reflecting yourself. Espacio Joven Exhibition Hall. Salamanca City Council. Salamanca.
2007 Moments of Childhood. Pérez Comendador-Leroux Museum. Hervás (Cáceres).
The one who looks from the other side. Experimental Art Space. Fonseca Palace. Salamanca.
2006 Disfigurations. "García de la Huerta" Sociocultural Center. Zafra (Badajoz).
2005 1st Steps. Municipal Exhibition Hall Proyecto M. Zarza (Cáceres).
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 From the Threshold. Beatriz Pereira Gallery. Plasencia.
New Projects. Galería Cuatro. Valencia.
2024 XXVII Plastic Arts Award. El Brocense Art Room. Cáceres.
Ithaca. DDR Art Gallery. Madrid.
Seven Gazes. Adora Calvo Gallery. Las Rozas, Madrid.
Challenge(s). Beatriz Pereira Gallery at Galería Nueva. Madrid.
I forgot that I forgot you. BNM. Naves de Gamazo. ENAIRE Foundation. Santander.
2023 Women in Picasso's life. BNM. Institute of Women. Madrid.
13th National Painting Competition Parliament of La Rioja. Parliament of La Rioja. Logroño.
2022 XXIV Plastic Arts Award. El Brocense Art Room. Cáceres.
D [ONES]. BNM. La Muralla Room. University of Valencia. Valencia.
ENATE Scholarship. ENATE Art Room. Salas Bajas, Huesca.
2021 It's light. Adora Calvo Gallery. Las Rozas, Madrid.
OPENING Carabanchel. Beatriz Pereira Gallery Booth. Madrid.
2020 I forgot that I forgot you. BNM. Pazo de San Marcos Room. Lugo.
IMPRISONED. BNM. Museum of Women of Costa Rica. Costa Rica.
Traces of the Salon II. Need for Art. Las Claras Cultural Center. Plasencia.
2018 XXI Plastic Arts Award. El Brocense Art Room. Cáceres.
25 Years of Young Art in Langreo. Curator Gabino Busto. Langreo Art Gallery (Asturias).
Women and the social fabric. Curator Concha Mayordomo. MAC Florencio de la Fuente. Huete (Cuenca).
Women standing for ART. Curator Rosana Soriano. March 8th. Assembly of Extremadura.
2017 XX Plastic Arts Award. El Brocense Art Room. Cáceres.
XVII Timoteo Pérez Rubio Painting Award. City Hall Room. Oliva de la Frontera (Badajoz).
IMPRISONED. BNM. LÉCRAC Cultural Center. Palencia.
Cáceres Abierto. Curator Jorge Díez. Visual Arts/Public Space. Extremaduran Culture Foundation.
Art in Feminine. Curator Rosa Perales. Palacio de la Isla. Cáceres.
2016 Stories of the Way. 'Francisco Zurbarán' Scholars. Junta de Extremadura. Itinerant.
XIX City of Badajoz Painting Award. Luis de Morales City Museum. Badajoz.
XXVI Calamonte Joven Competition. Calamonte (Badajoz).
XVI UNED Painting Competition. Plasencia.
2015 Opening. Diputación de Badajoz. MUBA Museum of Fine Arts of Badajoz.
Modern Art, Post War, Contemporary. Picenum Art Gallery. Cingoli (Italy).
EXTREMADURA: 5 Views. 1 Destination. Government of Extremadura. Itinerant.
XIX Indalecio Hernández Painting Award. Indalecio Hernández Foundation. Valencia de Alcántara.
CROSSING. Red Cross. NEVACAM Art Room. Cáceres.
Pavilion of Illustrious Women. Carmen Martín Gaite Library. Madrid.
6 Artists. 6 Views: Table Set. Nevacam Room. Diputación de Cáceres. Cáceres.
EXTREMADURA: 5 Views. 1 Destination. Government of Extremadura. Itinerant.
Art against AIDS. Antisida Committee of Extremadura. Moctezuma Palace. Cáceres.
LIVE ART. María Nieves Gallery. Villafranca de los Barros (Badajoz).
2014 ARTE 50 Plastic Arts Exhibition. Casa Pía Cultural Center. Lisbon (Portugal).
Manifest Enemies. Exhibition Hall of the School of Art and Higher Education of Mérida.
Exhibition of Spanish Artists. 9 Ocre Gallery. Montemor-O-Novo (Portugal).
2013 V Exhibition of National Artists. María Nieves Gallery. Villafranca (Badajoz).
Collettiva di Natale 1973 – 2013. Galleria d’Arte La Loggia. Udine (Italy).
Christmas group exhibition. Gaudí Art Gallery. Madrid.
Art in feminine. Curator Rosa Perales. Department of Culture. Palacio de la Isla. Cáceres.
2011 I Exhibition of Solidarity Art in Extremadura. Obra Social Caja Badajoz Room. Mérida.
2010 Young Extremaduran Artists 2010. Organized by Junta de Extremadura. Itinerant.
Contemporary Artists. Alcazaba Cultural Center of Mérida City Council.
I "Laura Otero" Painting Competition. "Obispo Solís" Palace. Miajadas (Cáceres).
2009 XII Plastic Arts Award. El Brocense Art Room. Cáceres.
II Biennial of Plastic Arts. Assembly of Extremadura. Mérida.
OPTICA, International Video Art Festival. Paris (France).
III International Painting Competition "Juan José Narbón". Veletas Museum. Cáceres.
16th Spanish Film Solidarity Festival. Cáceres.
The art of equality. FIC. Círculo de Bellas Artes. Madrid.
2007 Fivars’ 07 Awards. Fivars Montepego Gallery. Pego (Alicante).
XVII National Competition "Calamonte Joven". Calamonte (Badajoz).
"The other side" screening. Casa de las Conchas. Salamanca.
From Silver to Blue. Villagarcía de Arousa Cultural Center (Galicia).
2006 International Photography Festival of Castilla y León Explorafoto. Salamanca.
X San Marcos Award. University of Salamanca.
Reunart’06. MUVa Exhibition Hall. Santa Cruz Palace. Valladolid.
VI Jaurena Art Painting Award. Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona).
2005 1st International Plastic Arts Exhibition. Vendas Novas (Portugal).
Collections.
Nautilus Lanzarote
El Brocense Hall
Cáceres Museum
Indalecio Hernández Foundation
Junta de Extremadura
Eduardo Úrculo Art Gallery
+Mad Museum of Fine Arts of Don Benito
Badajoz City Council
Cáceres Provincial Council
Obra Pía de los Pizarro Foundation
Sofia Olazabal Collection
Víctor Francos Díaz Collection
Marisa Paredes Collection
Citizen Equality Foundation
Extremadura Women's Institute
Madrid Women's Institute
Bodegas Fariña
Cáceres City Council
University of Extremadura
UNED Plasencia Associated Center
Hospedería Puente de Alconetar de Garrovillas
Cáceres Youth Institute
House of Women and Children of Badajoz
AUPEX Association of Popular Universities of Extremadura
Auriga Studios
> Private collections in Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland.
Awards, scholarships & artistic residencies.
AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS, RESIDENCIES
2024 Nautilus Lanzarote Residency. Lanzarote, Canary Islands.
2nd Prize. XXVII Plastic Arts Award. El Brocense Art Room. Cáceres.
2024 BNM Honorary Member Award. Thyssen Bornemisza Museum. Madrid.
2023 Grants for the Promotion of Spanish Contemporary Art. Artistic creation and production. Spanish Ministry of Culture.
2023 Grants for visual artists. Junta de Extremadura.
2023 Selection/Catalog. 13th National Painting Competition Parliament of La Rioja. Logroño.
2021 Selection/Catalog. 36th BMW Painting Award. Madrid.
2020 Acquisition Award. 13th City of Badajoz Painting Award.
Selection/Catalog. 35th BMW Painting Award. Madrid.
2020 Grants for research, creation and artistic production in the field of visual arts. Ministry of Culture of Spain.
2020 Grants for creation S.O.S Art/Culture. VEGAP Visual Artists' Management Entity.
2019 Finalist. XXXI Sant Marçal Painting Contest. Marratxí City Council (Mallorca).
Art Containers. AUPEX. Provincial Council of Badajoz. Provincial Council of Cáceres.
2018 Aid for Visual Artists. Junta de Extremadura.
2018 Intervention Award. Galleries VI Artistic Intervention Projects. La Cárcel Creation Center. Segovia.
2017 ERASMUS +. ART HAS NO AGE. Extremadura. European Union.
2016 Second Prize. XXIV National Plastic Arts Contest Art Nalón. Langreo (Asturias).
Acquisition Award. 9th Ciudad de Badajoz Painting Award.
1st Painting Prize. XVI UNED Painting Contest. Plasencia.
2015 Second Prize. XIX Indalecio Hernández Painting Award. Valencia de Alcántara (Cáceres).
2013 Grundtvig Scholarship. OAPEE Ministry of Education and Culture of Spain. Udine (Italy).
2012 1st Painting Prize. XII "Young Artists" Contest. Cáceres Youth Institute.
2011 Scholarship for Young Creation. Youth Initiative Cabinet. Junta de Extremadura.
2010 2nd Painting Prize. IV Juan José Narbón International Painting Contest. Cáceres.
2009 Scholarship for Plastic Artists "Francisco de Zurbarán". Junta de Extremadura.
2007 Scholarship for Plastic Artists "Francisco de Zurbarán". Junta de Extremadura.
2007 Scholarship Ministry of Education and Science. Frances King School of English. London (England).
2003/04 Erasmus Scholarship. Accademia di Belle Arti. Venice (Italy).
PUBLICATIONS
Solo Exhibitions
2025 The color of noise. Caja de Burgos Foundation. CAB Art Center. Burgos.
2024 The blank spaces. Principality of Asturias. Barjola Museum. Gijón.
2021 Variations. Ministry of Culture of Spain. Junta de Extremadura. Europa Room. Badajoz.
2018 Sound Map. Provincial Council of Cáceres. El Brocense Art Room. Cáceres.
2016 Synesthesia. Langreo City Council. Eduardo Úrculo Art Gallery. Langreo (Asturias).
2008 Identity Marks. Junta de Extremadura. Hebraica Room. Las Claras Cultural Center. Plasencia.
Group Exhibitions
2020 Art Madrid. DUO PROJECT. Curator Fernando Gómez de la Cuesta. Madrid.
2019 Art Madrid. ONE PROJECT. Curator Nerea Ubieto. Madrid.
2017 Cáceres Abierto. Art and contemporary culture project that integrates interventions in public space. Junta de Extremadura. Cáceres.
2010 Young Artists. Zurbarán Scholarship awarded artists. Junta de Extremadura. Mérida.
The works of Virginia Rivas can be seen at:
DDR ART GALLERY, Calle de la Encomienda 21, 28012, Madrid.
Tel. +34 659819791
