An exhibition at CaixaForum Madrid brings together, for the first time, the paintings and sculptures of brothers Javier and Rafa Forteza, whose work turns recognisable faces into unresolved, ambiguous images. Rumores infundados runs free through early November, filling the centre's galleries with androgynous, unnamed faces that resist a single reading.
What it is
Rumores infundados. Javier y Rafa Forteza brings together, for the first time, work by two Balearic-born artists who each explore the limits of the image and the enigma of the face from different directions. Recurring across both bodies of work is an androgynous face whose identity the viewer is never allowed to settle: an unfinished, open kind of portraiture that the show treats as a shared visual language rather than two separate solo exhibitions.
Javier Forteza's paintings render faces as shifting sequences that move between pain and calm rather than fixed expressions. Rafa Forteza works in a more abstract register, building up the surface of raw canvas through repeated, never-identical forms in acrylic, oil, graphite and charcoal; a large aluminium shelving piece holding twelve sculptures extends the same visual vocabulary into three dimensions. The show is organised in collaboration with Es Baluard Museu in Palma.
Why it's worth attending
It's the first joint exhibition the Forteza brothers have staged together, pairing a figurative approach with an abstract one that both circle the same unresolved face. CaixaForum Madrid also runs an educator on the gallery floor during set hours, available for questions on the spot rather than leaving visitors with wall text alone.
Practical info
An educator is available in the gallery from 11:30 to 13:30 and 17:30 to 19:30 daily for questions about the work, free of charge. CaixaForum Madrid sits on Paseo del Prado next to Atocha station and the city's main museums, making it easy to combine with a Prado or Reina Sofía visit on the same day.
FAQ
Is Rumores infundados at CaixaForum Madrid free?
Yes. Entry to the exhibition is free of charge for its full run, from 8 September to 2 November 2026.
Who are Javier and Rafa Forteza?
Javier and Rafa Forteza are two artists who work in painting and sculpture respectively, both exploring an unresolved, androgynous face across their work; this is the first exhibition they have staged jointly.
What does Rumores infundados show?
The exhibition combines Javier Forteza's figurative paintings of shifting, ambiguous faces with Rafa Forteza's abstract paintings and sculpture built from repeated forms in acrylic, oil, graphite and charcoal, including a twelve-piece aluminium shelving sculpture.
How long does Rumores infundados run at CaixaForum Madrid?
The exhibition is open from 8 September to 2 November 2026, daily from 10:00 to 20:00, including public holidays.
Is there a guided visit for Rumores infundados?
An educator is on hand in the gallery daily from 11:30 to 13:30 and 17:30 to 19:30 to answer questions about the work, at no extra cost.
