Biography \ Sonia Toneu, 1988 (Catalonia – Spain) currently lives and works in El Montmell.
Her artistic research is focused on abstraction, through painting, installation, and digital media, as a way of proposing different realities to those we perceive. She completed the Higher Diploma in Visual Arts and Design for Mural Arts at the Escola Massana in Barcelona and moved on to the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya to continue studying the Arts Degree. She has also studied Art History, Graphic Design and a Master on Digital Art.
Growing up in a country house with a creative family, she was surrounded by mountains, forests, and vineyards that influenced her early memories in profound ways. The natural beauty of her surroundings instilled in her a deep appreciation for the environment, fueling her imagination and creativity. From a young age, she loved nature, art, architecture, science, and music, each passion weaving into a rich tapestry of inspiration that shaped her identity. After moving to Barcelona, she worked in fashion and advertising as a model and photographer, immersing herself in the vibrant world of trends and aesthetics. This connection to fashion enhanced her artistic view, helping her see beauty in everyday moments, whether it was the play of shadows on a city street or the intricate patterns of a fabric. Her love for different cultures led her to travel across Europe, where she focused on landscapes, maps, and the emotional ties of “place” to history, discovering the stories etched in every town and village she visited. She lived in Berlin, a vibrant city that inspired her art and where she made meaningful connections with fellow artists, each encounter fostering collaborative projects and creative exchanges that broadened her horizons. These relationships built a sense of community, showing how art connects people and enriches her creative voice, reminding her of the power of shared expression. She later returned to her homeland to study Digital Arts, diving into new technologies and mediums. She is now raising her young daughter while renovating an old country house into a home, studio, and collaboration space for artists, envisioning a nurturing environment where creativity can flourish and be passed on to the next generation.
She was selected as a finalist in several international painting competitions, such as the Iluro Foundation Biennial (2015), the Ibercaja Prize (2015), and the Ricard Camí Prize (2015). She was also selected for several art residences, such as Art Circle (Slovenia, 2019), Nautilus(Lanzarote, 2019), and GlogauAIR (Berlin, 2020).
Her works have been presented in group exhibitions at contemporary art galleries throughout Spain as well as international art fairs. Toneu has had solo exhibitions at the Espai B Gallery (Barcelona, 2014 and 2018), Antoni Pinyol (Reus, 2016 and 2017), and Juan Manuel Lumbreras (Bilbao, 2019). In recent years, she has worked on various artistic installations, large murals, and performed live painting sessions for festivals such as Poblenou Urban District (Barcelona).
Besides, she collaborated with the Espai B Contemporary Art Gallery in Barcelona (Spain) during the years 2014 to 2018, coordinating and curating exhibitions, as well as founding and directing a program of artistic residencies during the years 2017 to 2019 in a rural setting, focused on cultural exchange in non – urban places, sustainability, and revitalization of sparsely populated environments.
Statement \ My research focuses on questioning, connecting, and expressing the reflections produced by places, landscapes, their social context, and emotions after an introspection into space. Through this exploration, I aim to uncover the profound narratives embedded within these environments, revealing the intricate relationships between individuals and their surroundings. The media I use comprise painting, photography, installation, digital creation, and writing, each serving as a unique lens to deepen my understanding and convey the complex dialogues that emerge from these interactions. By blending traditional and contemporary forms of expression, I strive to create a multifaceted experience that invites viewers to engage with the emotional and social layers inherent in the spaces we inhabit.
I am interested in how visual complexity can describe today’s world and find inspiration in areas like geography, geometry, psychology, or affective science. This exploration helps me approach my artwork from different perspectives, mixing both intellectual and emotional insights. My creative process relies on the practical knowledge I gain by experiencing different places and emotions firsthand, allowing me to express myself more deeply.
In these lively settings, I discover stories waiting to be told, intertwined with each location’s fabric. I research these intriguing places, taking time to walk through them, absorbing the maps, feelings, experiences with the people, and the unique sounds I encounter. This immersion in my surroundings turns my art into a conversation with the environment, where every brushstroke reflects something I’ve learned. This life experience not only influences my artistic vision but also enhances my understanding of how these elements coexist in the world.
By combining sensory experiences and emotional responses, I aim to uncover the connections that exist among different aspects of life. This layering of personal experiences allows me to create art that resonates on many levels, inviting viewers to think about the complexities of their own experiences and perceptions.
CV \
SOLO SHOWS
2025 – Variaciones. INNSIDE by Meliâ, Barcelona.
2021 – Territori(s). Torre Vella, Salou.
2019 – Introspecciones en el paisaje. Galeria Lumbreras, Bilbao.
2018 – Sònia Toneu. Galeria Espai B, Barcelona.
2017 – Defensar la cultura (two artists solo). Galeria Antoni Pinyol, Reus.
2017 – Cartografia imaginaria. Convent de les Arts, Alcover.
2016 – Sound scapes. Galeria Antoni Pinyol, Reus.
2014 – Sound maps. Galeria Espai B, Barcelona.
2013 – Impuls orgànic (two artists solo). Galeria Espai B, Barcelona.
SELECTED GROUP SHOWS
2024 – Empower Her Art Forum – National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Cairo, Egypt.
2023 – Poblenou Open Day – Installation curated by La Plataforma Art Gallery, Barcelona.
2023 – Expo Onze – Palo Alto, Barcelona.
2021 – Estampa Contemporary Art Fair (with Galeria Lumbreras), Madrid.
2021 – WORK IN PROGRESS – Joven llama joven. Galeria Lumbreras, Bilbao.
2020 – WAC Poblenou Urban District festival, mural. Simon Electric, Barcelona.
2020 – BAIR Project. Jorg Contemporary. Kalmthout, Belgium.
2020 – ArtConnect Open Studios. HER Contemporary, Berlin.
2020 – Virtual Open Studios. Glogau AIR, Berlin.
2019 – WAC Poblenou Urban District festival, mural. La Plataforma art gallery, Barcelona.
2019 – Tzompaltli, Group show, Galería 18, Playa del Carmen, México.
2019 – WAC Poblenou Urban District festival, outdoor mural rooftop Playground, Barcelona.
2019 – Affordable Art Fair Milano, with Galeria Espiral. Italy.
2018 – WAC Poblenou Urban District festival, exterior mural for Hotel The Gates, Barcelona.
2018 – Festival Llambordes Street Art, exterior mural, Reus, Spain.
2018 – Impulsarte – Hybrid Festival. Petit Palace Savoy, Madrid.
2018 – X Premi Salou de recerca pictòrica. Torre Vella, Salou, Spain.
2018 – STRIPART XXIII, outdoor mural. CC Guinardó, Barcelona.
2018 – Poblenou Open Day, live interior mural on the festival. Poblenou, Barcelona.
2017 – Reus Urban Art. Street murals in collaboration with Galeria Antoni Pinyol, Reus, Spain.
2016 – Group show Arteles Creative Centre. Haukijarvi, Finland.
2016 – Group show Farran 23. Pop-up Gallery, Barcelona.
2015 – 100x100Photo. Galeria Espai B, Barcelona.
2015 – Telax 2015. Galeria Antoni Pinyol, Reus, Spain.
2015 – Bienal de arte joven. Sabadell, Spain.
2015 – BBVA Ricard Camí premio de pintura. Terrassa, Spain.
2015 – Premio de pintura joven. Fundació Iluro Mataró, Spain.
2015 – Premio internacional de pintura joven. Ibercaja , Zaragoza, Spain.
2014 – Kölner Liste Contemporary Art Fair. Germany.
2014 – De la paraula a la música. Setba, Barcelona.
2014 – Més enllà de la Massana. Javier Puértolas, Oliver Roura, Joan Cabrer, Sònia Toneu. Jim Contemporani, Barcelona.
2013 – SWAB Contemporary Art Fair, Barcelona.
2012 – SETBA Jove 2012. Setba, Barcelona.
2012 – STRIPART, XVII mostra d’art jove. CCG, Barcelona.
2012 – Col·lectiu El Fresc. La Carbonea. Girona, Spain.
2012 – Open Studio. Satoko Nagashima and Sònia Toneu. ArtFunkl, Manchester, UK.
2012 – Col·lectiu 13. Palau de Congressos. St Julià de Lòria, Andorra.
2012 – FIGRAMU. Sala Blava Escola Massana, Barcelona.
RESIDENCES \ AWARDS
2021 – Artist in residence grant in CDMX, México.
2021 – Artist in residence grant Soria Arte, Spain.
2020 – BAIR Project. Residence grant. Bad Honnef, Germany.
2020 – Artist in residence GlogauAIR, Berlín.
2019 – Artist in residence grant, Casa del artista Nautilus, Lanzarote, Spain.
2019 – Artist in residence grant Art Circle, Slovenja.
2017 – Convent de les Arts d’Alcover. Award for the project Cartografies Imaginaries, Spain.
2016 – Artist in Residence, Arteles Creative Centre, Finland.
2015 – Artist in Residence, Nordanbal, Iceland.
2015 – Finalist in Telax award. Galeria Antoni Pinyol, Reus, Spain.
2015 – Finalist in young art biennale. Sabadell, Spain.
2015 – Finalist in BBVA Ricard Camí painting prize. Terrassa, Spain.
2015 – Finalist in Young painters grant. Fundació Iluro Mataró, Spain.
2015 – Finalist in internacional Young painters grant. Ibercaja , Zaragoza, Spain.
2014 – Artist in Residence, Cerdeira Village Arts&crafts, Portugal.
2013 – Finalist in Why I love BCN, Generator Barcelona Art Competition, Spain.
2012 – Artist in Residence, ArtFunkl, Manchester, UK.
2012 – Select for Art Kudos International Competition.
COMMISSION WORKS \
2024 – Mural for Cruïlla Festival, Barcelona.
2023 – Interior murals for INNSIDE Meliâ Barcelona Hotel.
2020 – Exterior mural for Mirage Bistrot, Reinickendorferstr. 110, Wedding, Berlin.
2020 – Cover for the EP Memories Of The Dancefloor by 30Drop. Concerns Music.
2020 – Cover for the LP Soroban by 30Drop. Jeff Mills label Axis Records.
2018 – Interior mural for the rooms in The Gates Diagonal Barcelona Hotel.
LINKS \
2020 – Poblenou Urban District Interview \ https://www.poblenouurbandistrict.com/en/entrevista-con-la-artista-emergente-catalana-sonia-toneu/
2020 – Simon Electric Interview “El lenguaje femenino de la luz” \ https://www.instagram.com/p/CInRmfHDuuz/
2020 – GlogauAIR \ https://spanien-kultur.de/2020/04/18/sonia-toneu-en-glogauair-open-studios/
2020 – GlogauAIR \ https://spanien-kultur.de/2020/03/19/glogauair-virtual-open-studios/
2019 – Nautilus Lanzarote \
https://residencianautilus.org/2019/12/18/sonia-toneu-entusiasta/
Sònia Toneu 