Drawing from his background in architecture, Marcos Joven Aliaga creates two-dimensional minimalist paintings inspired by urbanism and topography. Using maps as springboards for his compositions, Joven Aliaga builds landscapes characterized by stark lines, geometric forms, and a very limited color palette. He strips the original plan of any superfluous details, including roads, symbols, and natural features, leaving only the outer edges of the land. Nothing is left to chance, but rather carefully orchestrated to impart order and structure. His most recent series is centered on the Andalusian city of Malaga, which holds personal significance for Joven Aliaga as the birthplace of his grandmother. Joven Aliaga prefers to depict coastal towns, where the boundary between land and sea is clearly visible. The body of water represents the natural world, unpredictable and in constant renewal, while the artificially constructed land is more static and contrived. This duality is accentuated by a stark chromatic contrast and the use of different textures, although it is impossible to determine which is which. Joven Aliaga brings to light what we cannot see with our bare eyes, helping us to understand our world and our lives.

Originally from Spain, Joven Aliaga, is based in Southampton, UK, where he currently works as an architect. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and a Master’s Degree in Art History from the University of Zaragoza. His studies were key to his knowledge of composition, color, perspective, and aesthetics, while his profession allows him to experiment with lightweight natural stone panels and other materials, which he incorporates into his art practice.