Simon Contra

SIMON CONTRA (Lleida, XXI century).
Untitled.
Painted porcelain (set of 18 dessert plates, flat and soup dishes).
Measurements: 25 cm (approx. larger diameter); 25 cm (approx. larger diameter).
18 plates unfold in this set as a mosaic of visual stories, each with its own voice. They are of different types: soup, dinner and dessert plates, but all share the same playful and carefree spirit. Simon Contra's work breathes a naïf post-pop aesthetic, in which color and spontaneity take center stage.
Each plate is a blank canvas that has been intervened with simple, almost childish strokes, but full of intention. Human figures, animals, symbols and landscapes emerge with ease, evoking memories and contemporary references. Some seem to whisper ironic comments or subtle criticisms, while others simply celebrate the absurd and the everyday. There is a sense of freedom in the stroke, as if the artist has decided to let his imagination flow without restrictions, creating a language of his own.
Among them, recognizable symbols stand out: a blue dolphin with the phrase "Willy Free", a face that could refer to public figures, and even small nods to popular culture and the collective imaginary. The mixture of vibrant colors and carefree strokes generates a fresh and close atmosphere, where the personal is intertwined with the universal. As a whole, the work is an ode to spontaneous expression, to art that does not seek to impose itself, but to dialogue with the viewer from a place of play and authenticity, reflecting a profoundly contemporary vision of the world.
A multidisciplinary artist, Simon Contra's work explores themes such as spirituality and the esoteric, through an aesthetic language of great expressiveness without losing a taste for the naive, humorous and ironic. Throughout his career he has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions and his work has been awarded on several occasions highlighting the Residence of creation, research and research at ACUR in 2020. Currently, different institutions own Simon Contra's work, such as the Fundación Caja Extremadura and L'Arxiu de l'Urgell (Acur).