Marta Maldonado

Marta Eva Maldonado Alonso (born June 18, 1967, in Malaga, Spain) is a spanish expressionist painter. Marta's international presence includes exhibitions in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, San Diego, Miami, Rome, Brussels, and California. Her contemporaryy style of expressionism has garnered attention from art critics, including Victoriano Cremer, a renowned Spanish poet, novelist, and essayist, who astutely noted, "The works of Marta Maldonado, which without much argument duly belong to the hall of fame of expressionist art, nevertheless has certain characteristics which forces one to free her from any conditional obligation in order to concede her the supreme estimation of a unique body of work, very personal, in which expressionism acquires a rhythm, a stunning, lyrical and magical vibration." Additionally, Mr. Mario Antolín Paz, President of the Spanish Art Critics Society, has praised Marta's work as a captivating exploration of ultimate reality, one that subtly conceals itself behind the apparent semblance of things. Marta's expressionism is a delicate dance of shadow and light, often blurring the lines between abstraction and realism, pushing the boundaries of artistic risk, and inviting viewers to embark on a journey of discovery in each stroke of her brush.
==Early Age==
Marta Maldonado was born in Málaga, Spain, but her family's relocation to Madrid due to her father's work journey led her to Madrid at an early age. Her father, working as an engineer, did not have an artistic background, but Marta's passion for the arts began to shine through at a young age. She started dancing at an early age and continued her journey in the world of dance until she completed her degree at the Conservatory of Madrid, eventually establishing her own ballet studio.
At the age of 18, she made a choice to shift her focus from dance to the world of painting. This decision marked the beginning of her artistic career. From 1985 to 1990, Marta Maldonado pursued her passion for visual arts, earning her Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
==Career==
She lived in Paris for 5 years, where she began to work and exhibit for 15 years at the Galerie Frederic Got in Paris, Barbizon, and St. Paul de Vence. During that period, she received numerous awards such as the 'Salon grands e jeunes de aujour;hui' and 'Salon Montrouge' in Paris
Marta Maldonado's artistic journey took her to various cities across Spain and around the world. In Spain, she showcased her work in Madrid, where she held exhibitions at galleries like Galería ALFAMA and Espacio Santa Nonia. Her artistic endeavors also led her to Valladolid, Bilbao, Málaga, Palencia, Zamora, Logroño, Sevilla, Lorca, and Murcia, among others. 
Internationally, Paris, France, became a significant backdrop for her work, with exhibitions at Galería GOT and other prominent venues. Her artistic exploration extended to the United States, where she displayed her creations at Gallery LA JOLLA in San Diego.
Beyond Europe and North America, Marta Maldonado's art traveled to Mexico, with exhibitions at the Universidad de Toluca. Her participation in international art fairs and exhibitions in cities like Barbizon (France), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Barcelona, and Niza (France) .
Within Spain, she was recognized with awards such as the IX Premio BMW MEDALLA DE HONOR, a testament to the recognition and respect she garnered in the Spanish art scene.
In 2009, she achieved the status of Finalist in the "Women to watch 2010" competition, an event held by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.
2014 marked a year of accomplishments for Maldonado. She was honored with the Primer Premio (First Prize) by the jury for the best space design at "El Auditorio" during Casa Decorr´14 in Madrid. Her artistic talents extended to the design and execution of the Auditorio for Casa Decor, earning her further acclaim, including the installation art piece "Somos Arte," which received the Jury Prize for the best space at Casa Decor in Madrid.
Additionally, her work graced exhibitions at several prominent venues, including CajaMurcia in Lorca, Murcia, and Galería ALFAMA in Madrid. She showcased her artwork at Galería LA TEA in Plasencia and designed and executed two spaces for Casa Decor´15 in Madrid, featuring installations like "La hoja en blanco" and "Cuida de mí" for Aldeas infantiles.
Maldonado's artistic journey continued with the inauguration of the "Puertas de la Salvación," a bronze bas-relief installation for the Iglesia de Nª Sra del Rosario in Lorca, Murcia. She was also invited as an artist and jury member to the "Bienal de la mujer en las artes" in Espinho, Portugal, where she presented an individual exhibition.
In 2016, Maldonado designed and executed the space "La ínsula de los sentidos" for Casa Decor in Madrid and exhibited her work at Galería Abartium in Barcelona. Her artistry expanded to the Galería Ángeles Penche in Madrid and the Claustro and Museo del Torreón de los Guzmanes, hosted by the Diputación de Ávila in Ávila in 2017.In 2018, she engaged in a unique artistic collaboration, "Reflejos de una realidad," a dialogue between music and painting, with the violinist Alejandro Bustamante at Espacio MM in Madrid. Her solo exhibitions included "Instantes, de Marta Maldonado" at the Centro cultural MIRA in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, in 2019 and "Lugar olvidado" at Espacio Park 36 in Madrid in 2020.
In 2018, she received the Diploma de Excelencia a la trayectoria pictórica (Diploma of Excellence for Pictorial Trajectory) awarded by the Jurado Grupo PAC in Madrid, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the world of art.
Continuing her artistic journey, Maldonado presented the exhibitions "Búsqueda y Acogida" at Espacio MM in Madrid in 2021 and "Entrelazados" at Espacio Cruz-Bajo in Madrid in 2022.In 2023, she unveiled "Desvelos, entre danza, pintura y fotografía" at Espacio Tabacalera in the Comunidad de Madrid.
==Recognitions and awards==
She has received 31 first prizes in national and international painting competitions, including two Medals of Honor from the BMW Prize. Notable among her achievements are the First Prize at the Salón de Otoño Caja Extremadura, Second Prize from Caja Madrid, and First Prize from Caja de Guadalajara. She was also recognized as a finalist in the 'Women to Watch' exhibition at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.
==Individual Exhibitions:==
She has exhibited at venues such as the Grand Palais in Paris, the Instituto Cervantes in Brussels, the International UNESCO Salon in Monaco, Palazzo di Montseratto and Palazzo della Rovere in Rome, Centro de Arte Conde Duque, and MEAC in Madrid.
Her work is also part of private and public collections, including the Washington National Museum of Woman Art, the Museo Salta in Argentina, the Museo Calviá, the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones at Ifema in Madrid, as well as collections of BBVA, Acciona, Caser, NH, Witco Company, and others.
Category:1967 births
Category:People from Málaga
Category:Spanish people
Category:Complutense University of Madrid alumni
Category:Expressionist painters