The work of Rafel Bestard

1. GALERIA CONTRAST
"The beauty that emerges from Bestard’s
paintings is always disturbing. The radical
eroticism goes side by side with humoristic
winks and, in the everyday sight, we see,
simultaneously, the strength of desire and the
frustrations of a fragile beast, sensitive and
isolated. A dead bird closes our mouth.
Silence. We are alone in front of the painting.”
Albert Lladó, art critic
Barcelona May 2013

2. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
Oil on canvas
Statement.
Well, there’s no doubt that there is some kind of real world outside our minds, but we know about it
only through our experience - an experience that includes not only the direct information we receive
through our senses, but also knowledge, memory, fantasy, imagination, dreams…. Conformism
limits the experience of the world in every day life, but we can feel that there is something else, and
that is just there, in the joints of the armored commonplace that imprisons us.
From my early days I wanted the painting to reveal something: A special world in which the
appearance of absurdity gives way in which things are rebelling against the narrow range of
meanings which have been embedded in a world that is becoming increasingly complex.
My work explores the relationship between fusion and fundamental opposites: Light and Shadow,
Love and Death. Through a painting technique in which the tradition of the old masters, through
influences as diverse as Bachelard philosophy and Kobayashi films, brings forth new
representations of eternal concerns.

3. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
A brief history.
Born in Palma de Mallorca in 1967.
Graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona in 1990.
Professor of Technical Drawing between 2009-2012 at the School of Design Balearic Islands
(ESBID) originally established in 1779.
Participation in courses and seminars about theory and history of contemporary art at the Fundació
Pilar i Joan Miró established in 1981 in and the Juan March Foundation established in 1955 in
Madrid.
Attended workshops under Spanish Master Antonio Lopez 2011-2015 and additional study in
portraiture at LARA (London Atelier of Representation Art)

4. GALERIA CONTRAST
Some considerations in Rafel Bestard`s work:
- Light. As a master oil painter Rafel Bestard explores what light gives to the painting, how an environment
changes, how colors are affected and therefore he affects the emotions of the viewers by the mood the
composition’s light.
- History. Bestard knows the old master painters, as a devotee of Velazquez and Goya, Rembrandt, Ingres and
more; he has studied all of them not just to take inspirations about subjects and/or appreciate the skills and
techniques, but also to understand what is his own place in this line of work. What is the place for the painting in
the confused contemporary art world? What can his form of painting communicate and contribute?
- Natural or human world. The nature appears in Bestard’s painting as a reflection of the “values” of the human
being, some of these symbols, as zebras or monkeys, expressed sometimes moral aspects, other times complex
metaphors about certain attitudes and personalities, simple dreams and even political or religious criticism.
Whatever his subject matter, Rafel consistently uses symbology in his work.
- Personal fetish. Along his trajectory as an artist, Bestard has constructed different kinds of environments where
the models face various disturbing or placid “dreams”, but even in the most intense scenes the model appears
with some bracelets, rings, necklaces or earrings, this is a kind of mark where the artist expressed his own
presence through them as a particular signature.

5. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
Some pieces from
the beginning.
These are some of the
first pieces that Rafel
Bestard was able to
really understand the
importance of his work
from a personal
perspective.
From the very beginning
the intention was to try
to capture the “light”
from the island,
Mallorca, where he has
worked and lived since
the nineties.
“I shall respect your feelings”
Oil on canvas 170x180 cm.
“Aguas turbias”
Oil on canvas 210x210 cm.

6. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
“Vol sortir en camiseta”
Oil on canvas 150x150 cm.
Some pieces from
the beginning.
Rafel developed his skill
for almost 15 years
before his work brought
him his first sense of
satisfaction. He has
been rewarded for his
work with many
important exhibitions
and awards of great
prestige.

7. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
Awards.
2012 1st. X Biennial Arts Award Ciudad de Albacete, Albacete.
2008 Acquisition Prize VIII Biennial of Plastic Arts City of Albacete, Albacete.
2008 Honorable Mention Ciutat de Palma d'Arts Plàstiques, Palma de Mallorca.
2007 Special Jury Mention Ciutat de Palma d'Arts Plàstiques, Palma de Mallorca.
2007 1st. Premi Ciutat d'Arts Award Plàstiques Manacor, Manacor
2004 2nd prize International Painting Competition Vila de Binissalem, Binissalem.
2001 1st. Painting Competition Dijous Bo, Inca Prize.
1998 1st. XL Prize Award jove painting, Sala Parés-Fund. Banc Sabadell, Barcelona.

8. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
“Ce que l’on dit du Sauveur”
Oil on canvas 150x150 cm.
“Ce qu’il pense de nous”
Oil on canvas 150x150 cm.
The next step.
It was 2009 that marked
a year of rapid changes
for Bestard's work. This
was the year that his
work began to show in
other countries. His
work has been shown in
China, Switzerland,
Germany, Canada and
USA among others.
As soon as his work
began to show
internationally, Bestard
felt that was the right
time for him to explore
different directions in his
compositions.

9. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
“Ceux qui dorment dans le centre”
Oil on canvas 170x180 cm.
The next step.
To advance his work,
Bestard began to really
feel the impulse to
control light. He began
bringing light to internal
spaces and also brought
in the elements of
nature that he had
studied in recent years.
And so, with the
international recognition
of viewers and
collectors, Rafel has
begun to be recognized
as one of the important
painters of our
generation in the scene
of contemporary
painting.

10. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
“Busqueda”
Oil on canvas 146x114 cm.
The new work.
In his current body of
work Bestard continues
his study of light and is
exploring the simple way
that he can control the
source and intensity of
light within the studio.
In this newer work,
nature is defined as a
device that emphasizes
a human being who tries
to find his place and
continues to symbolize
exploration inside the
composition.

11. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
“Sacrilegio”
Oil on canvas 114x97 cm.
“Expolio”
Oil on canvas 100x81 cm.
Consolidation
through
partnership.
Galeria Contrast is
committed to growing
awareness of Rafel
Bestard’s work. To do
so it is important to
make alliances and
share the benefits of
those alliances, so the
work of can continue to
be appreciated by a
larger audience.

12. GALERIA CONTRAST
Rafel Bestard
“Confusión”
Oil on canvas 130x96 cm.
“Voll”
Oil on canvas 130x89 cm.
Consolidation
through
partnership.
Already Galeria
Contrast has the
exclusive rights for the
Bestard’s work, but
shares the rights with
institutions and galleries
interested in promoting
this artist.
MOKUM
GALLERIE
We firmly believe that
with the work of Rafel
Bestard, Mokum
Gallery, being a
prestigious and well
founded gallery in The
Netherlands, can be a
vital partner that will
continue to engage the
public interest in
contemporary painting.