Javier Barrios’ artistic practice unfolds in the space between utopian
imagination and scientific reality. Drawing on a wide array of sources
—from science fiction, technology, architecture, and space exploration
to popular media—his work reflects a deep engagement with the
philosophical questions surrounding the origins,evolution, and future of humanity
imagination and scientific reality. Drawing on a wide array of sources
—from science fiction, technology, architecture, and space exploration
to popular media—his work reflects a deep engagement with the
philosophical questions surrounding the origins,evolution, and future of humanity
At the core of his inquiry lies a deceptively simple question:
“How did humanity evolve from picking lice off each other’s
backs to building spacecraft and launching them into the desolate void of space?”
“How did humanity evolve from picking lice off each other’s
backs to building spacecraft and launching them into the desolate void of space?”
Barrios’ imagery and ideas are often sourced frompopulist media—
television, films, books, online platforms, and news outlets—which
he recontextualizes to comment on the present moment.
Through this lens, he examines how narratives of progress, collapse,
and transformation are constructed in times of uncertainty.
television, films, books, online platforms, and news outlets—which
he recontextualizes to comment on the present moment.
Through this lens, he examines how narratives of progress, collapse,
and transformation are constructed in times of uncertainty.
His work speaks to a world in flux—marked by technological acceleration,
environmental crisis, and shifting global power structures.
Against this backdrop, Barrios explores how speculative thinking and visual
culture can reflect, question, and perhaps even reshape the trajectory of modern life.
CV
EDUCATION
2004-07 Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2006-07 School of Visual Arts, New York
2002-04 Einar Granum School of Fine Arts
2000-01University of Guanajuato, Mexico
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 Soft Frenzy / Bomuldsfabrikken
2022 Lines and Dots, Squares and Spots / KB Contemporary, Oslo
2019 No Golden Age Without Gold / Galleri MELK, Oslo
Beggars Can ́t be Choosers / Ålesund Kunsthall
Petting Crocodiles / Bærum Kunsthall
2018 Distance of Everything / Flytogterminalen
My Feet are killing me / Galeria Arroniz, Mexico City
2017 Anthropos / Galleri MELK
2015 Structural Complexity / Trafo Kunsthall
2014 / LYNX, Oslo
The View of the Vast / Museo Santo Domingo, Antigua, Guatemala
2012 / Small Projects, Tromsø
/ Galleri Hugo Opdahl, Flø
Black Matter / Akershus Kunstsenter Lillestrøm
2011 Twilight is Upon Me / Rod Bianco Gallery , Oslo
Big Black Hole / Galerie Muelhaupt, Køln
2010 Love is an Astronaut / A Gallery ,Copenhagen
Pink is the New Space / Bærum Kulturhus, Sandvika
2009 Electric Dome / Galleri 7011, Arena/Vestfossen
2007 Static Fantastic / A Gallery, Copenhagen
2005 Show sans titre / Galleri 21:24, Oslo
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 The Blue, The Journey, The unknown / Skog Artspace
2024 Håndplukket / KB Contemporary
2023 Higher Highs, higher Lows / Buskerud Kunstsenter
2019 Metafysica / Haugar Vestfold Kunstmuseum
2018 Truckene suser frem og tilbake / Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium
El olvido esta lleno de memoria / Fundacion MARSO, Mexico City
Romantic Rocks / Podium, Oslo
2016 Høstutstillingen / Oslo
2014 I Fortrolighet / Hydrogenfanrikken Kunsthall, Fredrikstad
Preliminary Study / Muskegon Museum of Art, Michigan
Monochromatic / Triumph & Disaster Gallery, Montgomery, Alabama
2013 5 artists / Galleri K , Oslo
1986-2013 / Kunstlaboratoriet, Vestfossen
2012 One Night Only / UKS, Oslo
May be (r)evolution / Art Factory, Berlin
Crystallomancy / Control Room, Los Angeles
2011 Menneske og Maskin / Norsk skulpturbiennale, Vigelandsmuseet, Oslo
Kunstivalen / Galleri Hugo Opdahl
It's In The Margins
That Poems Are Found / Gallery Agnes Amstaff
2010 In Your Face / Galleri 7011 Trondheim
Kunstbasseng / Galleri Tipi, Oslo
Salong 2010 / Rod Bianco Residency, Oslo
2009 Hotch Potch / MKII, London
Herre i eget Hus / Galleri BOA, Oslo
2008 Norske Bilder / Rådhusgalleriet, Oslo
Høstutstillingen / Kunstnernes Hus Oslo / Stavanger
Art Copenhagen / Galleri Van Bau
2007 Ober geschossdrifter finger lechts / Ballhaus Ost, Berlin
Take Off / Galleri Brandstrup, Oslo
Bindestrek / Galleri GAD, Oslo
Avgangsutstillingen / Stenersen Museet, Oslo
Sell Out / UKS, Oslo
2006 Connecting Paradoxes / SVA Gallery, New York
Summer Destruction Show / Kunst Akademiet, Oslo
The academy in exile / UKS, Oslo
2005 Pointdashpoint / Galleri Van Bau Arena, Vestfossen
About last night / Galleri Seildukken, Oslo
2004 Einar Granum jubileumsutstilling / Rådhus Galleriet, Oslo
RESIDENCIES
2015 Galeria MARSO, Mexico City
2013-14 International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) New York
PROJECTS AND CURATORIAL WORK
2013- Editor of VECTOR
2011 Give me your eyes / Kunstverein, Cologne
Ja Schade War Echt ne Schone Stadt / Galleri Van Bau, Vestfossen
2010 In Your Face / Galleri 7011, Trondheim
Salong 2010 / Rod Bianco Residency, Oslo
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMMISSIONS
2023 Hammerfest hospital
2022 Halden VGS
2021 Risenga secondary school
2020 Research Explorer Vessel (REV)
Risenga Ungdomskole
2019 Pioner Labs
2018 Explorer HQ
2017 Fauske barneskole
2015 Tegleverket skole
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2024 BKH One year working grant
2023 BKV One year working grant
2022 BKH One year working grant
2021 BKV One year working grant
2020 BKV One year working grant
2019 BKV One year working grant
2018 BKH One year working grant
2016 BKV One year working grant
2014 BKV One year working grant
2013 NBK One year working grant
2012 Ingrid Linback Langaard stiftelses grant
2011 NBK one year working grant
2010 Vederlagsfondets 1 year working grant
2008 Statens diverse stipend
2006 Lise og Arne Hejes grant
International student scholarship, School of Visual Art
ASSIGNEMENTS AND POSITIONS
2020- Tutor, Einar Granum Kunstfagskole
2020-24 Norsk Kulturråd, fagutvalg for arrangørstøtte
2019- Board member Forbundet for Frie Fotografer (FFF)
2017- Board member Stiftelsen Arena Vestfossen
CATALOGUES AND RELEASES
2016 ANTHROPOS / Artist book
2011 Twilight Is Upon Me / Exhibition catalogue
Menneske og Maskin / xhibition
2010 Big Black Hole / Exhibition catalogue
2007 Avgangsutstilling / Exhibition catalogue
2006 Dont Judge the book by its cover / Exhibition catalogue
SELECTED PRESS AND REVIEWS
Han dro til Mexico for å bli kjent / Aftenposten, 20.07.2019 Intervju Caroline Enge
med faren sin..
Blomqvist Contemporary / Inteview by Aksel Kielland
Dommedagskunstneren / Magasinet KUNST nr.3, 2012
Astronomisk kunstner satser på New York / Drammens Tidene 01.10.2012, Øyvind Schou
Barrios stiller ut nye verker på Flø / Sunnmøreposten, 29.08.2012, Allan Eikrem
Filmskapende kunst / Avisa Sør-Trøndelag, 19.06.2012, Yngve Øye Løkås
Mørk Materie / Kunstforum web, 27.02.2012, Sarolta Tatar 2011
Twilight Is upon Me / Onionblogg, 21.09.2011
Døren lav, porten smal / Klassekampen, 24.12.2011, Astrid Hygen Meyer
Skulptur på sporet av den tapte tid / NRK kultur og underholdning (web) 31.10.2011, Mona Pahle Bjerke
Menneske og Maskin / Kunstforum (papir)nr.3 , Daniel Østvold
Kuratoren / Billedkunst 6, 2011, Ingvill Henmo
Retromaskiner med appel / Aftenposten, 29.10.2011,Lotte Sandberg
Dampeveivalsen / DN Magasinet, 29.10.2011, Arve Rød
Norsk Kunstårbok 2011
Profiler / Kunstforum nr.1 2010
Kunstmønstring mellom
betong og lysekroner / Kunstforum (nett), Amalie Marie,Selvik 15.12.2010
Kunstens kraftlinjer / VG 09.01.10, Lars Elton
København / Kunstforum (nett) Trine Otte Bak Nielsen, 03.11.2010
Årets første utstillinger / Kunstforum (nett) Andre Gali, 10.01.2010
Perspektiv / Klassekampen 05.01.10
Slik fikser du kunsten å kjøpe kunst / Tønsberg blad, 16.12. 2009
A jumble mixture of anything / Kunstforum (nett) Andre Gali, 05.11.2009
I øyeblikket / Intervju på Billedkunst vol3.
Hotch Potch / Klassekampen / Mona Gjessing
Oslo Open Festival / kunstnerprofil
Ungt på Vestfossen / Dagsavisen 24.07.09 ,Mona Larsen
Norske Bilder / Dagens Næringsliv Bilag til Norske Bilder, Liz Buer
environmental crisis, and shifting global power structures.
Against this backdrop, Barrios explores how speculative thinking and visual
culture can reflect, question, and perhaps even reshape the trajectory of modern life.
CV
EDUCATION
2004-07 Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2006-07 School of Visual Arts, New York
2002-04 Einar Granum School of Fine Arts
2000-01University of Guanajuato, Mexico
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 Soft Frenzy / Bomuldsfabrikken
2022 Lines and Dots, Squares and Spots / KB Contemporary, Oslo
2019 No Golden Age Without Gold / Galleri MELK, Oslo
Beggars Can ́t be Choosers / Ålesund Kunsthall
Petting Crocodiles / Bærum Kunsthall
2018 Distance of Everything / Flytogterminalen
My Feet are killing me / Galeria Arroniz, Mexico City
2017 Anthropos / Galleri MELK
2015 Structural Complexity / Trafo Kunsthall
2014 / LYNX, Oslo
The View of the Vast / Museo Santo Domingo, Antigua, Guatemala
2012 / Small Projects, Tromsø
/ Galleri Hugo Opdahl, Flø
Black Matter / Akershus Kunstsenter Lillestrøm
2011 Twilight is Upon Me / Rod Bianco Gallery , Oslo
Big Black Hole / Galerie Muelhaupt, Køln
2010 Love is an Astronaut / A Gallery ,Copenhagen
Pink is the New Space / Bærum Kulturhus, Sandvika
2009 Electric Dome / Galleri 7011, Arena/Vestfossen
2007 Static Fantastic / A Gallery, Copenhagen
2005 Show sans titre / Galleri 21:24, Oslo
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 The Blue, The Journey, The unknown / Skog Artspace
2024 Håndplukket / KB Contemporary
2023 Higher Highs, higher Lows / Buskerud Kunstsenter
2019 Metafysica / Haugar Vestfold Kunstmuseum
2018 Truckene suser frem og tilbake / Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium
El olvido esta lleno de memoria / Fundacion MARSO, Mexico City
Romantic Rocks / Podium, Oslo
2016 Høstutstillingen / Oslo
2014 I Fortrolighet / Hydrogenfanrikken Kunsthall, Fredrikstad
Preliminary Study / Muskegon Museum of Art, Michigan
Monochromatic / Triumph & Disaster Gallery, Montgomery, Alabama
2013 5 artists / Galleri K , Oslo
1986-2013 / Kunstlaboratoriet, Vestfossen
2012 One Night Only / UKS, Oslo
May be (r)evolution / Art Factory, Berlin
Crystallomancy / Control Room, Los Angeles
2011 Menneske og Maskin / Norsk skulpturbiennale, Vigelandsmuseet, Oslo
Kunstivalen / Galleri Hugo Opdahl
It's In The Margins
That Poems Are Found / Gallery Agnes Amstaff
2010 In Your Face / Galleri 7011 Trondheim
Kunstbasseng / Galleri Tipi, Oslo
Salong 2010 / Rod Bianco Residency, Oslo
2009 Hotch Potch / MKII, London
Herre i eget Hus / Galleri BOA, Oslo
2008 Norske Bilder / Rådhusgalleriet, Oslo
Høstutstillingen / Kunstnernes Hus Oslo / Stavanger
Art Copenhagen / Galleri Van Bau
2007 Ober geschossdrifter finger lechts / Ballhaus Ost, Berlin
Take Off / Galleri Brandstrup, Oslo
Bindestrek / Galleri GAD, Oslo
Avgangsutstillingen / Stenersen Museet, Oslo
Sell Out / UKS, Oslo
2006 Connecting Paradoxes / SVA Gallery, New York
Summer Destruction Show / Kunst Akademiet, Oslo
The academy in exile / UKS, Oslo
2005 Pointdashpoint / Galleri Van Bau Arena, Vestfossen
About last night / Galleri Seildukken, Oslo
2004 Einar Granum jubileumsutstilling / Rådhus Galleriet, Oslo
RESIDENCIES
2015 Galeria MARSO, Mexico City
2013-14 International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) New York
PROJECTS AND CURATORIAL WORK
2013- Editor of VECTOR
2011 Give me your eyes / Kunstverein, Cologne
Ja Schade War Echt ne Schone Stadt / Galleri Van Bau, Vestfossen
2010 In Your Face / Galleri 7011, Trondheim
Salong 2010 / Rod Bianco Residency, Oslo
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMMISSIONS
2023 Hammerfest hospital
2022 Halden VGS
2021 Risenga secondary school
2020 Research Explorer Vessel (REV)
Risenga Ungdomskole
2019 Pioner Labs
2018 Explorer HQ
2017 Fauske barneskole
2015 Tegleverket skole
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2024 BKH One year working grant
2023 BKV One year working grant
2022 BKH One year working grant
2021 BKV One year working grant
2020 BKV One year working grant
2019 BKV One year working grant
2018 BKH One year working grant
2016 BKV One year working grant
2014 BKV One year working grant
2013 NBK One year working grant
2012 Ingrid Linback Langaard stiftelses grant
2011 NBK one year working grant
2010 Vederlagsfondets 1 year working grant
2008 Statens diverse stipend
2006 Lise og Arne Hejes grant
International student scholarship, School of Visual Art
ASSIGNEMENTS AND POSITIONS
2020- Tutor, Einar Granum Kunstfagskole
2020-24 Norsk Kulturråd, fagutvalg for arrangørstøtte
2019- Board member Forbundet for Frie Fotografer (FFF)
2017- Board member Stiftelsen Arena Vestfossen
CATALOGUES AND RELEASES
2016 ANTHROPOS / Artist book
2011 Twilight Is Upon Me / Exhibition catalogue
Menneske og Maskin / xhibition
2010 Big Black Hole / Exhibition catalogue
2007 Avgangsutstilling / Exhibition catalogue
2006 Dont Judge the book by its cover / Exhibition catalogue
SELECTED PRESS AND REVIEWS
Han dro til Mexico for å bli kjent / Aftenposten, 20.07.2019 Intervju Caroline Enge
med faren sin..
Blomqvist Contemporary / Inteview by Aksel Kielland
Dommedagskunstneren / Magasinet KUNST nr.3, 2012
Astronomisk kunstner satser på New York / Drammens Tidene 01.10.2012, Øyvind Schou
Barrios stiller ut nye verker på Flø / Sunnmøreposten, 29.08.2012, Allan Eikrem
Filmskapende kunst / Avisa Sør-Trøndelag, 19.06.2012, Yngve Øye Løkås
Mørk Materie / Kunstforum web, 27.02.2012, Sarolta Tatar 2011
Twilight Is upon Me / Onionblogg, 21.09.2011
Døren lav, porten smal / Klassekampen, 24.12.2011, Astrid Hygen Meyer
Skulptur på sporet av den tapte tid / NRK kultur og underholdning (web) 31.10.2011, Mona Pahle Bjerke
Menneske og Maskin / Kunstforum (papir)nr.3 , Daniel Østvold
Kuratoren / Billedkunst 6, 2011, Ingvill Henmo
Retromaskiner med appel / Aftenposten, 29.10.2011,Lotte Sandberg
Dampeveivalsen / DN Magasinet, 29.10.2011, Arve Rød
Norsk Kunstårbok 2011
Profiler / Kunstforum nr.1 2010
Kunstmønstring mellom
betong og lysekroner / Kunstforum (nett), Amalie Marie,Selvik 15.12.2010
Kunstens kraftlinjer / VG 09.01.10, Lars Elton
København / Kunstforum (nett) Trine Otte Bak Nielsen, 03.11.2010
Årets første utstillinger / Kunstforum (nett) Andre Gali, 10.01.2010
Perspektiv / Klassekampen 05.01.10
Slik fikser du kunsten å kjøpe kunst / Tønsberg blad, 16.12. 2009
A jumble mixture of anything / Kunstforum (nett) Andre Gali, 05.11.2009
I øyeblikket / Intervju på Billedkunst vol3.
Hotch Potch / Klassekampen / Mona Gjessing
Oslo Open Festival / kunstnerprofil
Ungt på Vestfossen / Dagsavisen 24.07.09 ,Mona Larsen
Norske Bilder / Dagens Næringsliv Bilag til Norske Bilder, Liz Buer