ERNEST COMPTA LLINÀS

The painter of vulnerability

 

Sometimes we encounter paintings that call to us like a siren's song. The paintings shout at us, demanding our attention; they captivate us, seduce us, observe us even more closely than we, as viewers, observe them. They have much to say and yearn for someone to listen. Many of Ernest Compta Llinàs's portraits can be understood in this way.

The Picasso-esque influences in his paintings are evident at first glance, but if we look closely at the details, we can see much more. The pale tones in the complexions of his subjects, the thick black lines that intensely reinforce the expressiveness of the figures, the contrast between the grayish, completely monochrome skin and the dominant color of the background…

The characters in Compta Llinàs's paintings are fragile, frustrated, suffering, and sad beings, sometimes bordering on the pathetic. This is what the painter wants us to see, because that is what truly lies hidden behind these people. They are the manifestation of the most intimate facet of their souls, that which they show to no one, not even their closest friends and family.

Compta Llinàs has the ability to break down the mental barriers between himself and his subjects, revealing the melancholic side of his protagonists. He isolates and removes the color from people, literally. He shows emotions without filters. It is this honesty in the expression of his characters that allows him to develop his message. His work gives us the opportunity to lower our defenses and receive with open arms the artist's meditations, doubts, and hopes, always with the aim of reflecting and making peace with our inner demons.

Pablo Santirso García

Bachelor's degree in Art History from the Autonomous University of Barcelona