The ‘80s Figuration in the years of the Movida Part II

Madrid, Spain

Madrid in the 1980s wasn’t just a city.

The ‘80s Figuration in the years of the Movida Part II

Image credit

© Guillermo de Osma 2025

Exhibition Highlights - What you’ll see

Madrid was an explosion — of freedom, color, nightlife, and art after decades of dictatorship. 1980s Spanish figurative painting linked to La Movida Madrileña: neo-expressionism, pop influences, urban figuration, and postmodern experimentation.This exhibition captures the visual energy of Spain’s cultural awakening during the years of La Movida.

After Franco’s dictatorship, artists reclaimed the city through painting, music, nightlife, design, and experimentation. The works feel immediate, expressive, rebellious, and alive.

You’re watching:

  • Bold figurative painting full of color and tension
  • Urban scenes, nightlife, bodies, music, and excess
  • A generation redefining identity and freedom
  • Art that mixes irony, emotion, and pop culture energy

The exhibition doesn’t feel nostalgic. It feels urgent — like a city discovering itself in real time.

Worth the trip

Absolutely — especially if you want to understand contemporary Madrid.

Because La Movida shaped the cultural identity of the city you experience today.

This exhibition is not only about painting — it’s about a social transformation.

Freedom after repression. Creativity after silence. And Galería Guillermo de Osma gives historical context to a moment that still influences Spanish culture, fashion, music, and art.

How to experience it

Ideally visit after exploring Malasaña or Chueca → the city connection becomes obvious.

Listen to 1980s Spanish music before or after the show.

Pay attention to attitude as much as technique → energy is part of the artwork

Don’t look for perfection → these works are about immediacy and expression

Artlovers tip:

To fully feel this exhibition, imagine Madrid discovering freedom for the first time.

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