Míriam Dema

Miriam Dema graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona in 2017, where she explored various disciplines before focusing on painting. Midway through her studies, she experienced an emotional block that led her to temporarily abandon painting and explore other fields such as conceptual art and cooking. After graduating, she moved to Lima, Peru, intending to study Peruvian cuisine, but the distance and the new environment helped her discover a unique pictorial language that now defines her work. Dema draws inspiration from people and our ways of relating, gesturing, and showing affection. Her work reflects on the human need to share and the creativity to do so, using cooking and food as metaphors and materials that bring colors and textures from nature. Her art is a tribute to the beauty of imperfection and the generosity of life at its peak moments, centered around two key concepts: an attraction to small irregularities—such as traces of time on a wall or the disorder of a table—seen as windows into different realities and memories. She perceives these imperfections as a raw beauty, both for their historical and emotional significance. Through this, she represents the human presence in everyday and natural elements, creating scenes that evoke warmth and calm, with nods to Mediterranean culture. Miriam is passionate about wax and oil pastels, whose rough texture and unpredictability amuse her, adding an element of chance to her drawing, alongside their nostalgic and childlike character. She usually works with oil paint on wooden panels, painting intuitively and based on memory, applying partially uncovered layers and vibrant colors. Her layered construction resembles how she remembers—freely and idealized. The result is energetic works rich in nuances and textures, where the viewer can glimpse the creative process, understanding art as a dialogue with oneself and the world. In her dynamic compositions, inseparable elements of happiness—such as shared tables, flower vases, and fresh fruit—dance freely. The synthesis of forms, perspective play, and the lightness of her memories give her works a fresh and naïve touch. Miriam Dema currently lives and works in her studio in Barcelona.