Oscar Murillo, (untitled) catalyst (2017). Oil and graphite on canvas. 195 x 200 cm. © Oscar Murillo. Courtesy Gagosian, Rome. Photo: Tim Bowditch and Reinis Lismanis.
Oscar Murillo, (untitled) scarred spirits (2023). Oil and oil stick on canvas. 250 x 270 cm. © Oscar Murillo. Courtesy and Gagosian, Rome. Photo: Tim Bowditch and Reinis Lismanis.
Exhibition view: Oscar Murillo, Marks and Whispers, Gagosian, Rome (12 April–15 May 2024). © Oscar Murillo. Courtesy Gagosian, Rome. Photo: Matteo D'Eletto.
Exhibition view: Oscar Murillo, Marks and Whispers, Gagosian, Rome (12 April–15 May 2024). © Oscar Murillo. Courtesy Gagosian, Rome. Photo: Matteo D'Eletto.
Oscar Murillo, manifestation (2020–2022). Oil, oil stick, graphite and spray paint on canvas and linen. 320 x 380 cm. © Oscar Murillo. Courtesy Gagosian, Rome. Photo: Tim Bowditch and Reinis Lismanis.
Oscar Murillo, (untitled) scarred spirits (2024). Oil and oil stick on canvas. 280 x 275 cm. © Oscar Murillo. Courtesy Gagosian, Rome. Photo: Tim Bowditch and Reinis Lismanis.
__
Exhibition view: Oscar Murillo, Marks and Whispers, Gagosian, Rome (12 April–15 May 2024). © Oscar Murillo. Courtesy Gagosian, Rome. Photo: Matteo D'Eletto.
Exhibition view: Oscar Murillo, Marks and Whispers, Gagosian, Rome (12 April–15 May 2024). © Oscar Murillo. Courtesy Gagosian, Rome. Photo: Matteo D'Eletto.
Dubbed as ‘the 21st-century Basquiat’, Oscar Murillo rose from art student to art star in the early 2010s. Now a household name in the contemporary art scene and represented by mega-gallery David Zwirner, the Colombian artist opens an exhibition at Gagosian in Rome.
Titled Marks and Whispers (12 April–15 June 2024), the exhibition looks at Murillo’s use of the colour red over the past decade through paintings, works on paper, and a short film titled WRAPPED (2024).
Bold and multilayered, Murillo’s paintings range from small to vast—some span over two metres in length and width. They hang on freestanding walls, commanding the gallery’s egg-shaped rotunda.
These abstract paintings are the result of Murillo’s meticulous application of oil, graphite, spray paint, oil stick, and even dirt onto canvas and linen. Employing a labour-intensive technique involving repeated scribbling and scraping, Murillo crafts layered surfaces that are richly textured and heavily expressive.
The combination of vivid red backdrops juxtaposed with darker-hued marks in black, blue, and orange offers a striking contrast. Each painting unfolds a rush of intense emotions—passion, anger, excitement, and anguish—perhaps portraying a world torn between extremes.
Murillo will debut his new installation, The flooded garden (2024), at London’s Tate Modern from 20 July to 26 August 2024. Inspired by Claude Monet‘s ‘Water Lilies’ series (1897–1926), this collaborative installation invites visitors to paint water and waves on a huge wall of canvas in the gallery’s Turbine Hall.
A respected voice in contemporary art discourse.
Focusing on ambitious storytelling and insightful art-world commentary. Ocula Magazine publishes in-depth interviews, critical essays and timely analysis on the artists, exhibitions and ideas driving the global art world.
Learn more about Ocula Magazine
Showcasing the best of the art world.
Ocula partners with galleries from around the world to highlight their artists, artworks and exhibitions. Gallery membership is by application and invitation, with each member vetted by an independent panel.
Learn more about Ocula Membership
Specialises in the sale of major artworks.
Led by a team with deep ties to the world’s leading auction houses, galleries and collectors. Ocula’s advisory team offers bespoke services to high-net-worth clients from around the world who are looking to acquire the best of contemporary and modern art.
Learn more about our team and services