Among the different lines of geometric abstraction that the Catalan artist Regina Giménez (Barcelona, 1966) has been developing in recent years, her production stands out, based on the research of textbook illustrations. Specifically, educational publications aimed at explaining scientific topics to children, such as the creation of planets, the movement of the sun and the moon, the formation of mountains, or ocean currents. She usually acquires outdated publications from the 1930s and 1940s in second-hand bookstores or flea markets, drawn by their obsolete images and content.

By breaking the explanatory code of the illustrations, separating the images and graphics from their explanatory notes or captions—which are what make them truly understandable—a linguistic decomposition is created, causing the content to lose its scientific and educational nature and transition into the realm of contemporary art. The graphic and written parts, which are already two distinct communicative codes, lose their original meaning and are transformed by the artist into other visual codes. The visual or written origin is decontextualized and modified to provoke new interpretations.

Among her most recent solo exhibitions are: "Pensar un paisaje", Rio Menaka, Madrid (2024); "El Pico la Falda y El Pie," Galeria Abra, Caracas (2024); "Pensar un Arbre, Pensar un Paisatge," Pelaires Cabinet, Palma de Mallorca (2024); "Más poético que pedagógico y practicable," Galería F2, Madrid, and Galeria Ana Mas Projects, Barcelona (2023); "Brillantes y pálidas. Gigantes y enanas," Galería Luis Adelantado, Valencia (2021); "Iremos al sol," Museo Patio Herreriano, Valladolid (2020); "El Sol i la taula," Can Palauet, Mataró (2018); and "Adoptar otra naturaleza," Ana Mas Projects, Barcelona (2017).

Her work has also been included in group exhibitions held in public and private cultural spaces in Barcelona, Valencia, La Coruña, London, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires. Recently, she has published two illustrated books: "Geo-gráficos" and "Montañas," published by Zahori Books.

Her works are part of important collections such as Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid; Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA); "la Caixa" Foundation; Banc Sabadell Foundation; Vila Casas Foundation; Museum of Contemporary Art of Castilla y León (MUSAC); Galician Center for Contemporary Art (CGAC); and the collection of the Fondation Comprime in Paris. Additionally, they belong to private collections such as those of Lawrence B. Benenson in New York; Adriana Cisneros in New York and Miami; Grupo Jameston in New York and Atlanta; and Isabel Marant in Paris.

Regina Giménez in her studio, Barcelona, 2024. Image courtesy of the artist.