Inauguration of Tenorio (April 14th 2012)

«—Is this The Laurel Inn? Sir, you are in it, you see. –And the innkeeper, is he in? —You are talking to him…» (“Don Juan Tenorio”)… In actual fact, we are not in The Laurel Inn, but in the Rusiñol Gallery. But it so happens that this time another Juan A. Tenorio has come with his exhibition “Human anatomy”… And, with such an enjoyable knack, Mr. Cadena has introduced him.

A quick profile “4 notes about…” (in this case, “about… Tenorio”) reveals unpublished intricacies. When asked for A record in your life? The artist replied: «Winning an award after 20 minutes work. It was in the neighborhood of the Spanish Village, in Barcelona. They called me home for repairing a piece, a machine. I had to leave the contest. I left the painting as it was and I told my friend Matthew to pick it up. «The next day… it turned out they had given me the 2^nd Prize: I was told it was a very spontaneous work…».

Tenorio’s roots are already suggested at the showcase of the Rusiñol Gallery. His family, his wife, Toni, and his father have helped him to set it up. There we can see a metal reproduction of the Brooklyn Bridge. «I am the son of blacksmiths: I know the job, my father taught me how to work in the field of iron. These origins may, more or less, explain the structural forms of my work (metallic bridges…)». Josep Maria Cadena said that «this bridge —made by his family— connects with his roots: roots out of which the sap flows for the tree to mature and the tree are his paintings».

Which is Tenorio’s style? The artist answers: «Figurative realistic. With plenty of concepts added through the collage. Images, visions. The inserted “mentor” in the scene is the spirit». Mr. Cadena added: «What can we find in his work? We can find in it the mobility of the city. We usually believe that cities are static forms. But, it is not so!, they constantly change. Tenorio explains it through his collages: he combines the city with things he has recollected from very different places, moments and circumstances that motivated him when he was painting, thus, creating a close relationship between what he is building and that he wants to put into his work».

Juan A. Tenorio: «I am going to tell to you a story… I was recently exhibiting in Malaga. A client came to me and said: —It is curious; being a painter from Barcelona you have no intonation whatsoever. Then, I said: —It’s true that I am a painter from Barcelona, but I was born in Utrera, Seville. —Ah! “right”, so you are in your land, he replied… Today I am at home; I am at the Rusiñol Gallery. It is the third time that they welcome to me. I am with my friends; you are part of my world. I feel very comfortable with the Cabanas family and their team. Apart from this, I am in Barcelona, a city I love and admire; a city full of architecture and elements that are useful for me in order to make my work». Tenorio ended with a warm thanks to his wife, Toni. «Your help is great!».