Biography

David Magán (*1979, Madrid) lives and works in Guadalajara, Spain.

The work of the artist David Magán is included in the field of sculpture and installation, where the use of plane, colour, transparency and light stands out. Born in 1979, Magán grew up in Madrid, where he trained at the La Palma School of Art between 1999 and 2004, specialising in sculptural techniques in wood and metal. In 2002 he participated in an artistic stained glass course and in 2008 in a glass sculpture course at La Real Fábrica del Vidrio de La Granja, taught by the sculptor Lukas Mjartan. He currently works between Guadalajara and Madrid, where he directs his studio together with his brother Kiko Magán, an essential part of it since 2009.

His first works were based on the stained glass tradition, but soon evolved, freeing glass from its support and focusing on the interplay of translucent coloured planes in space. The early interest in the integration of sculptural work with architecture soon led him to develop his iconic installations of suspended colour plates, which will be a constant in his career. But it is acrylic and the use of more industrial production techniques, which allows him greater formal flexibility and greater precision in the transmission of his ideas. In this way, and expressing his concerns in various media, he begins to work on the series of reliefs – approaching the pictorial – photographic series, digital work and graphic work. In recent years, his interest in controlling and modulating the light projected by coloured acrylics led him to his first light works, the Binaries. From then on, he expands the media using different coloured light sources, trapping and modulating that light in space.

He has done numerous solo projects such as: Square. Galería Pep Llabrés (Mallorca, Spain, 2022); In Praise of Shadows. As Quintas (Asturias, Spain, 2022); Immaterial Architectures. Museo Francisco Sobrino (Guadalajara, Spain, 2021); Light Object. Galería Cayón (Madrid, 2021); Hard-line. Galería Cayón (Madrid, 2021); Matter Matters. CAB (Burgos, Spain, 2020); David Magán. Samuelis Baumgarte Galerie Online (Bielefeld, Germany, 2020); The Weight of Colour. Galería Cayón (Madrid, 2017); Primary Interferences. CEART (Fuenlabrada, Spain, 2016); Primary Cube. Galería Cayón (Madrid, 2016); The Invented Colour. FCNV (Segovia, Spain, 2014); Domesticated Transparency. MAVA (Alcorcón, Spain, 2013); Fragment of Light. Galería Cayón (Madrid, 2012); About the Plane and Space. CEART (Fuenlabrada, Spain, 2010).

Among the international exhibitions whose work has been part, it is worth highlighting: Parra & Romero 10th Anniversary (Ibiza, Spain,, 2022); Distant Geometries. Pep Llarés Gallery (Mallorca, Spain, 2022); New Paths of the MAC: pulse and impulse of a collection. Museum of Contemporary Art in Madrid (Spain, 2022); Light Unlocked. Rocket Gallery (London, 2021); Images from the rear-view mirror. CentroCentro (Madrid, 2021); Takeover Spain. Marión Gallery (Panama, 2021); 2021 reloaded. Samuelis Baumgarte Galerie (Bielefeld, Germany, 2021); Line in Suspension. Marión Gallery (Panama, 2020); Behind the Wall. XIII Biennial of Havana (Cuba, 2019); (pre) Texts. Otazu Foundation (Navarra, Spain, 2018); Transparency. Galerie Denise René (Paris, France, 2016); Interaction. Centro Dados Negros (Ciudad Real, Spain, 2016); Colours. Hempel Glasmuseum (Denmark, 2015); Glass & Architecture. International Glass Biennale (Strasbourg, France, 2015); European Glass Experience (Finland and Italy, 2014-2015); Constructive Art, Kinetic Art. Espace Expression (Miami, USA, 2014); Hello! Spain, Seongnam Arts Centre (South Korea, 2013). 

He has participated since 2011 in ARCOmadrid (Spain) and has been present at international fairs such as: Art Berlin Fair, Germany; ArtLima, Peru; Ch.ACO, Chile; MACO Zone, Mexico; PAINT London, England; PAINT Miami, USA; Art Toronto, Canada; Art Marbella, Spain; Estampa, Spain.

His works can be found in many museums and private collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Madrid, the Tomás y Valiente Art Center (CEART), the Alcorcón Glass Art Museum (MAVA), the National Glass Center Foundation (FCNV), the Murano Glass Museum, the NH Collection of Contemporary Art and the Kablanc Otazu Art Foundation.

Museum and single exhibitions (selection)

2023

Chromatic. Dados Negros, Ciudad Real, Spanien

2022

Nuevos senderos del MAC: pulso e impulso de una colección. MAC, Madrid, Spanien

2019

Displacements - Faculty of Fine Arts. Madrid, Spanien.

Behind the Wall - 13th Havana Biennial. Havana, Kuba.

2018

(pre) Textos - Otazu Foundation. Navarra, Spanien.

2016

Panamá Interaction - Dados Negros Art Center. Ciudad Real, Spanien

2015

Colours - Hempel Glasmuseum. Nykøbing Sjælland, Dänemark.

Glass & Architecture, Biennale du Verre. Strasbourg, France.

2014

Constructive Art, Kinetic Art - Espace Expression. Miami, USA.

2013

Hola Spain - Seongnam Arts Center. Seongnam, Süd Korea.

2010

The Five Elements - Exhibition Hall Juan Carlos I. Madrid, Spanien.

2009

Choose Glass Week, The European Container Glass Federation. Brüsse, Belgien.

2007

CEART (Tomás y Valiente Art Centre), Fuenlabrada, Spain. La Capilla Art Space, Centre for Craftwork and Design. Lugo, Spanien.

2006

Caja Guadalajara Art Space. Toledo, Spanien. MUA (University Museum of Alicante). Alicante, Spanien