Marta Leyva (b. 1985) was born in Barcelona but has lived and worked in France and Sweden. She is a self-taught artist. Leyva's Spanish upbringing and deep passion for food serve as recurring motifs in her paintings that often explore the concept of identity, constructing enigmatic characters that challenge individuality. Leyva’s signature style involves a vivid colour palette forming faceless figures that epitomize the lack of gender roles and point to the universality of the human emotion, bridging the gap between her subjects and the audience. In her own words, her figures transcend nationality, age, and individual history, inviting viewers into a world where emotions serve as the common language that unites us all.
From the figurative scenography of Leyva’s compositions, and the expressive force of her paintings, human behaviour and romantic atmospheres allow us to approach the most lascivious human instincts. With an elegant sense of humour, she builds images around hedonism and human pleasure. Leyva utilizes a vast digital archive of images and memories to construct her pieces, merging elements such as objects, edibles, landscapes and human figures into a cohesive whole that reflects the tumultuous symphony of life. Her work does more than just catch the eye; it summons a deeper contemplation on the human condition in the intersections where beauty collides with chaos.
Leyva has exhibited widely in Spain and abroad. In October 2024, Hans Alf Gallery hosted her first solo exhibition in Copenhagen.
