Meet Marina Arias

Marina Arias (Salta, Argentina, 1987) is one of the newest artists to join our gallery. Now based in Barcelona, her work explores the emotional power of landscape, shaped by a deep connection to nature. In this interview, she talks about the evolution of her practice and how different places have shaped her work.

AG: What led you to painting, and how has your artistic journey evolved since then?

AW: I’ve enjoyed drawing since I was a child, and when I was 17, I joined my first painting workshop. That was the beginning of a very intuitive process of exploring different materials and techniques. Over time, this search began to take form. During a trip to the Atacama Desert, I experienced a connection with the landscape that I had never felt before. That moment gave clear direction to my work, and I began creating with the intention of expressing a deep sense of harmony with nature.

Alzueta Gallery: Your work always seems to lie on the edge between structure and its disintegration. Over the course of your career, do you think one of these forces has gained more ground than the other? Or do you feel the tension is never resolved?

Marina Arias: I’m preoccupied with how individual elements come together to form a structure – the moment when tones become a melody. For me though, a structure stays alive only as long as its parts keep striving for autonomy. I hope this tension never resolves.

AG: Does your background in interior design influence how you think about your work within architectural spaces?

MA: I believe the spaces we live in have a deep impact on us. The objects that surround us carry emotional meaning and help us connect with ourselves. In that way, an artwork can become something we return to again and again. Each time we see it, it can bring us into contact with something intimate within. That experience, both aesthetic and emotional, is a powerful way of inhabiting space.

AG: When you reflect on the natural landscape of Salta, where you grew up, do you approach it more through atmosphere than through its physical or material qualities?

MA: I work from the tangible memories that remain with me, trying to convey their presence and energy. I’m especially drawn to the idea of transformation: the fire and inner pressure that reshape everything. These landscapes, shaped high in the Andes, speak of ancient stories and deep time.

AG: Since moving to Barcelona in 2022, your surroundings have changed. Which parts of the city have caught your eye in a pictorial or artistic sense?

MA: Since arriving, I’ve been drawn to the Mediterranean coast, its unique textures and striking rock formations. I’ve also found inspiration in neighborhoods like El Born and Poblenou, where there’s a strong creative energy. I deeply value the city’s cultural life and the chance to share with artists I admire. That exchange has had a powerful influence on my work.

AG: Would you say your work expresses concern for nature’s vulnerability and the planet’s fragile balance?

MA: My work comes from a deep admiration for nature and for certain encounters with landscape that have stayed with me. I’m interested in pausing to notice the beauty in what often goes unseen or feels inhospitable. Through that quiet attention, I hope to spark a deeper sensitivity to our connection with the natural world and an awareness of its fragility.

Discover more about Marina Arias’ work here.