Belén Uriel’s art practice is centered on household objects and how the way we interrelate with them can condition our social habits. She concentrates on the sculptural qualities of materials such as glass and metal in the rendering of organic shapes that are originated by the design of objects that would accommodate, sustain or have a relation with the human body. These elements, rearranged by the artist, seem to transform into anatomical parts themselves, partially reconstructing and going back to the bodies that indirectly inspired their form.
Belén Uriel was born in Madrid, in Spain in 1974 and she lives and works in Lisbon, Portugal.
Her most recent solo and two-persons exhibitions include: Jamais o Acaso, UPPERCUT, Lisbon (2022); Green Rim, Cascina I.D.E.A, Agrate Conturbia (2022); Rayo Verde, THE RYDER, Madrid (2021); ANTES, DESPUES, AYER, MIENTRAS, AHORA, Madragoa, Lisbon (2020); Bonança, CA2M, Madrid (2019); Tandem: Gabriel Abrantes and Belén Uriel, Alexander and Bonin, New York (2019); Estudos do Labirinto, with Ana Santos, Museo da Marinha, Lisbon (2018) Qualia, Sismógrafo, Oporto (2018); Descanso, Madragoa, Lisbon (2017); Topázio, Gabinete, Lisboa (2017); segunda-feira, Culturgest, Lisboa (2016); Sand, Paper, Scissors, Projektraum Museum, Wiesbaden (2016); Lama no sapato, Parkour, Lisbon (2014); Pedra, Papel e Tesoura, Pavilhão Branco, Galerias Municipais, Lisbon (2013); Ni Blanco, Ni Negro, Appleton Square, Lisbon (2011).
Selected group exhibitions include: Ninguém. Só eu. Centro de Arte Oliva, São João da Madeira (2022); The Third Bank, Bienal Ano Zero, Coimbra (2019); There will never be a door. You are inside, Collection Teixeira de Freitas, Fundación Santander, Madrid (2019); Vacío Perfecto, MUSAC, León, (2017); Art en Transit, Muxart, Espai d’Art i Creación Contemporanis, Martorell (2016); Art en Trànsit, Cerdanyola Art Museum, Barcelona (2015); Home, Hollybush Gardens, London (2014); Paisajismo Craneoencefalico, Espacio Valverde, Madrid (2013); Cartografia do presente, Laxeiro Foundation, Vigo (2011); The Exterminating Angel, Palais de Beaux Arts de Bruxelles, Brussels (2010); Generaciones 09, La Casa Encendida, Madrid (2009); Celebrando, Intermediae, Matadero, Madrid (2007); The Process Room, I Am Somewhere Here, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin (2006).
She was awarded the 6th Audemars Piguet Prize, ARCO Madrid (2018); Programa de Apoio ás Artes Visuais Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon (2015); The Art and Research Motehermoso, Montehermoso Contemporary Art Centre, Vitoria (2011); The 6th Edition of the MUSAC Artistic Creation Grants MUSAC, León (2010-11); Matadero Contemporary Art Creation Grants, Matadero Art Centre, Madrid, (2010).
Chus Martinez on Belén Uriel's Shell series (2023-24), MADRAzine #22 - March 2024
Audemars Piguet ARCOmadrid Prize: An Interview with Belén Uriel by Carla Ingrasciotta, My Art Guides, 2018
Alejandro Alonso Díaz on Belén Uriel's Descanso, MADRAzine #4 – July 2018
Belén Uriel: Bonança, CA2M Centro de Arte dos de Mayo, 2019
Panóplias
Installation view at O Armário Móvel, Museu Nacional Frei Manuel do Cenáculo, Évora, Portugal
March 30th - May 15th 2023
Jamais o Acaso
Installation view at Uppercut, Lisbon, Portugal
May 20th - September 16th 2022
Green Rim
Installation view at Cascina I.D.E.A, Agrate Conturbia, Italy
May 7th - September 2022
Green Rim
Installation view at Cascina I.D.E.A, Agrate Conturbia, Italy
May 7th - September 2022
Ninguém. Só eu.
Installation view at Centro de Arte Oliva, São João da Madeira, Portugal
February 5th - April 16th 2022
Antes, Despues, Ayer, Mientras, Ahora
Installation view at Madragoa, Lisbon, Portugal
September 10th - October 31st, 2020
Antes, Despues, Ayer, Mientras, Ahora
Installation view at Madragoa, Lisbon, Portugal
September 10th - October 31st, 2020
Installation view at The Third Bank — Anozero, Bienal de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
November 2nd - December 2nd, 2019
Installation view at The Third Bank — Anozero, Bienal de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
November 2nd - December 2nd, 2019
Bonança
Installation view at CA2M Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo, Madrid, Spain
November 8th, 2019 - January 5th, 2020
Bonança
Installation view at CA2M Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo, Madrid, Spain
November 8th, 2019 - January 5th, 2020
Tandem: Belén Uriel and Gabriel Abrantes
Installation view at Alexander and Bonin, New York, USA
March 8th – April 27th, 2019
Installation view at Madragoa at Art|Basel Miami Beach 2018, Positions, booth P5
December 6th - 9th, 2018
Estudos do Labirinto
Installation view at Museu da Marinha, Belém, Portugal,
May 18th - September 16th, 2018
Qualia
Installation view at Sismógrafo, Porto, Portugal
May 4th - May 26th, 2018
Qualia
Installation view at Sismógrafo, Porto, Portugal
May 4th - May 26th, 2018
Audemars Piguet Award for the Production of a Work of Art
Installation view at ARCOmadrid 2018, Madrid, Spain
February 21st - 25th, 2018
Installation view at Madragoa, Lisbon, Portugal
November 18th, 2016 - January 13th, 2017
Topázio
Installation view at Gabinete, Lisbon, Portugal
July 14th - August 16th, 2017
Segunda-feira
Installation view at Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal
July 2nd - October 2nd, 2016
Segunda-feira
Installation view at Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal
July 2nd - October 2nd, 2016
Segunda-feira
Installation view at Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal
July 2nd - October 2nd, 2016
Segunda-feira
Installation view at Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal
July 2nd - October 2nd, 2016
Segunda-feira
Installation view at Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal
July 2nd - October 2nd, 2016
Segunda-feira
Installation view at Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal
July 2nd - October 2nd, 2016
Sand, Paper, Scissors
Installation view at Projektraum, Museum Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, Germany
February 26th - May 29th, 2016
Pedra, papel e tesoura
Installation view at Pavilhão Branco, Lisboa, Portugal
March 16th - May 19th, 2013
Pedra, papel e tesoura
Installation view at Pavilhão Branco, Lisboa, Portugal
March 16th - May 19th, 2013
Pedra, papel e tesoura
Installation view at Pavilhão Branco, Lisboa, Portugal
March 16th - May 19th, 2013
Useful household objects under 10$
Installation view at Montehermoso Cultural Centre, Vitoria, Spain
July 13th - September 30th, 2012
Ni blanco, ni negro (Neither white, nor black)
Installation view at Appleton Square, Lisbon, Portugal
2011