Biography – Ricardo Nomdedeu Henriquez
Early Life and Education
Ricardo Nomdedeu Henriquez was born in a small village in the Catalan Pyrenees and currently lives in Barcelona, Spain.
He completed two years of studies in artistic drawing at the Oscar Sanchis Workshop / Centre Artístic Sant Lluch.
During his early childhood, he opened his first art book—a biography of Picasso—and was captivated by both the character, as if he were an older brother, and Picasso’s 1907 self-portrait. By the age of 12 or 13, he was already copying works by Picasso, Van Gogh, and Modigliani—a passion that continues to this day.
Intellectual and Artistic Formation
In his youth, he delved into Greek philosophy, French, English, and German poetry, as well as classical, contemporary, and Eastern art.
He pursued university studies in law in Barcelona and successfully launched his first business—a trendy nightlife venue on Diagonal Avenue in the 1980s.
He practiced law for years, alternating between his professional career, business ventures, and artistic pursuits—until he ultimately chose to dedicate himself fully to artistic expression.
Transition to Art
Aside from some early exhibitions in his youth, he painted in anonymity, isolated in his studio, until 2013, when a renowned art critic and writer encouraged him to exhibit his work.
Since then, Ricardo has devoted himself entirely to painting, sculpting, and writing.
Influences and Style
His influences are vast, diverse, and eclectic: the poetic imagery of Rimbaud and Baudelaire, the works of Picasso, Monet, Richter, Rembrandt, De Kooning, Miró, and Klee.
“From Leonardo, I learned the subtle difference between good and evil; from Velázquez, the nonexistence of time; and from Pollock, that creation is the limit of destruction.”
Ricardo believes that “a unique style is a chaotic blend of all styles.”
Artistic Language
Framed within abstract expressionism, his work centers on mastery of color and gesture—painting with hands, fingers, rags, and paper. It embodies the violence and subtlety of the unspoken, reflecting life experiences in a raw, expressive, and intuitive manner.
His creations are anarchic, rule-free, expressive, intimate, bold, fast and slow, serene and intuitive. Everything that simmers in his mind and soul is translated into his works, which are appreciated for their lack of formal constraints, the balance of natural tides, voluptuous and suggestive forms—intense, radiant, luminous, and dark at once. His use of color reforms abstraction into a sensitive, beautiful, vibrant, and aesthetic informalism.
“A gesture of rain, of wind’s flames, of flowers: a painting that flows like the turbulent waters of a river, splashing the canvas in a cascade of color… Like the flames of the jungle, overlapping like Amazonian plants.”
– Text by Laura Goler
“Ricardo Nomdedeu is the discovery of Galeria N2… He works as a lawyer (a Google search only shows his law firm)… And like Pollock or De Kooning, that red stain—could it be a flower or a skull?—disintegrates to create a material explosion.”
– Excerpt from an article by Vanessa Graell, published in El Mundo, March 26, 2015
Recognition
His work has received both critical acclaim and commercial success.
Solo Exhibitions
- 2019 – Moonwalker, Galeria N2, Barcelona
- 2018 – “Black and White Vs Color”, Galería BCN Art Difusión, Barcelona
- 2017 – Galeria Km 7, Saus Camallera (Girona)
- 2015 – Metamorphosis, Galeria N2, Barcelona
- 1994 – Ganesha Art Gallery, Yogyakarta (Indonesia)
- 1993 – Red Sun Gallery, Denpasar (Bali, Indonesia)
- 1993 – Ubud Art Gallery, Ubud (Bali, Indonesia)
Group Exhibitions
- 2021 – Galeria BCN Art Difusión, Barcelona
- 2020 – Galería Esther Montoriol, Barcelona
- 2018 – Group show “Black and White Vs Color” – “Perico Pastor & Nomdedeu”, Galería BCN Art Difusión, Barcelona
- 2018 – “Formato 0”, Galeria Km 7, Saus Camallera (Girona)
- 2017 – Group show “Small Format”, Galería BCN Art Difusión, Barcelona
- 2017 – “Black”, Galeria Km 7, Saus Camallera (Girona)
- 2015 – Swab International Art Fair, Barcelona
- 1994 – Ganesha Art Gallery, Yogyakarta (Indonesia)
- 1993 – Red Sun Gallery, Denpasar (Bali, Indonesia)
- 1993 – Ubud Art Gallery, Ubud (Bali, Indonesia)
Collections
- Olor Visual Foundation
- Private collections in Europe, Asia, and the United States
Gallery Representation
- Takeuchi Art – Kyoto, Japan
- Yhudian Art – Beijing, China
Literary Work
He has translated:
- Les Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire
- The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot
- Selected Poems by Konstantinos Kavafis
He has published two poetry books and contributed specialized articles to legal publications under Editorial Jurídica AFERRE.
Travels and Artistic Exploration
Travel has played a decisive role in his artistic development—not merely as a personal experience, but as a source of artistic knowledge and influence. His journeys shaped his perception of color, light, abstraction, balance, and culture.
He has visited Milan, Florence, Rome, Venice, Pisa, Siena, Naples, Palermo, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Paris, London, Berlin, New York, and Madrid, where he studied the great masters throughout history.
He explored Eastern art in Indonesia and South Korea, African art in Senegal, Gambia, and Mali, and deepened his understanding of light and darkness during his time in Peru—Lima, the Amazon, and the Andes.