El Patrón Chico creates works of art from metals. It’s that simple. Today his works are exhibited in various spaces in Spain and Europe and his alias is written in capital letters due to the recognition he has had over almost 3 decades as a sculptor. He is Juan Antonio Hernández, “Patrón Chico”.
Born in La Laguna in 1969, Juan Antonio Hernández, alias “Patrón Chico” has dozens of collective and individual exhibitions to his credit. He has several sculptures installed in public spaces, including La antorcha (Arico, 2017); Vinculó (Adeje, 2015) and Ondas de futuro (Granadilla de Abona, 2015).
His artistic training is self-taught, although he has been working with iron for almost 30 years in a family business, a material that he has managed to tame and imprint the category of art through his sculptures.
From a young age, Juan Antonio Hernández felt the need to give metals an aesthetic value beyond the functional and in a self-taught manner he began to sculpt and investigate with iron or steel and today he has an important track record of exhibitions and large-format pieces installed in public spaces in the Canary Islands.
One of his most notable exhibitions was Bajo la piel, in which he presented his 26 sculptures at Espacio Bronzo in 2022. The author presented there a set of sculptures made of steel and other materials; mostly circular works that represent his search for the essential.
The Bajo la piel series was a set of pieces in which opposite or complementary materials were joined, combined in the same way that the superficial and the essential are joined. They are works loaded with symbolism, with appearances that speak of another reality that is sensed.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2018 La Molina Gallery. La Laguna, Tenerife.
2018 La Molina Gallery. Gran Canaria.
2016 RSEAPT. La Laguna, Tenerife.
2015 MAPFRE Foundation. Tenerife.
2012/18 Sandos San Blas Hotel, Environmental Reserve. Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2012 The Cistern. San Miguel de Abona.
2012 Monje Winery. El Sauzal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2012 Mané Room. Fuerteventura.
2012 Gran Arona Hotel. Arona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2011 Mané Room. Fuerteventura.
2011 Isora Palace. Alcalá, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2011 Granadilla de Abona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2011 Arona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2011 Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS:
2021 “Resiliencia”, Deli Art- The Ritz Carlton Abama, by Obispo Art Gallery, Tenerife.
2019 “DestilArt Project”, Barceló Tenerife Hotel Gallery.
2019 “Encuentro”, Obispo Art Gallery, Los Cristianos, Tenerife.
2018 Artroom Iberostars Sabila 5*. Tenerife.
2017 Art Fair Hong Kong.
2017 Art Cuestión Galicia.
2016 Art3f Montpellier, France.
2016 Art Tentation Monaco.
2016 Art Galería La Musa. Tenerife.
2016 Arco Gallery. Milan, Italy.
2012/17 Casa Mané Canarian art center.
2013 Magma Room. Adeje.
2013 Magma Hall. Adeje.
2012 Friendship Circle. Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2012 Art Estate. Arona.
2012 The Cistern. San Miguel de Abona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2012 Adeje Summer University.
2012 San Isidro. Granadilla, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2012 The Convent. Granadilla de Abona.
2011 “Gender Violence”. Adeje.
2011 Exilus Hall. Los Abrigos, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2010 “Gender Violence”. Adeje.
AWARDS AND COMPETITIONS:
2018 First prize for Arona sculpture of the Arts.
2017 First prize for Arona sculpture of the Arts.
2016 First prize for Isora art.
2013 Finalist for the Oscar Domínguez Award. Tacoronte, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
2013 Finalist for the Arte Isora Prize.
2013 Finalist for the Manolo Millares Prize from Caja Canarias.
2011 Winner of the Gánigo CIT Sur Prize.
Artist details:
Artist’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elpatronchico/
Artist’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063906315727
Artist’s catalogue: https://artgoma.com/es/artist/juan-antonio-hernandez/
