As part of our 25th year annivesary, the University is exhibiting the nativity art originals from its own art collection, which have illustrated UIC Barcelona Christmas cards since 2016. This is the latest Impars undertaking, a cultural project promoted by the Communication Office that is committed to contemporary art, in any form or discipline, with the mission of bringing the University closer to society.

Joana Santamans was in charge of illustrating this year’s UIC Barcelona Christmas card. The artist created an oil painting depicting the Nativity scene with a present-day perspective.

Over the years, more artists have been involved in the Impars project with several commissions that have added to University’s art collection: two murals on the Barcelona Campus (Cinta Vidal, 2019); installation of the Donor Wall at the Clínica Cuides (Andreu Carulla, 2022); the design of the WeCare Festival trophies (Carla Cascales Alimbau, 2018), and the redesign of the traditional Christmas card, which every December has been is entrusted to a different artist who [o “una”] has contributed with their own perspective: Joana Santamans (2022), Judit Canela (2021), Nuria Riaza (2020), Marina Anaya (2019), Roser Matas (2018), Helena Pérez Garcia (2017) and Mar de la Llave (2016).

The artists

Joana Santamans: “Art is a universal language that breaks cultural, language and social boundaries”
Painter and illustrator. Joana was born in Barcelona and has lived in London, New York and San Francisco. Positive and enterprising, she creates works that reflect a deep look at nature and the female figure. Her art, inquisitive and constantly changing, pulsates through murals, exhibitions in art galleries, decorative pieces or editorial publications.

Judit Canela: “I like to find projects that make me feel that I am contributing something useful to society.”
Illustrator and designer. Judit was born in Barcelona. She studied Audiovisual Communication at Pompeu Fabra University. Her work is a minimalist, fresh and colourful in style. She likes music from the 60’s and 70’s, cinema, sculpture, Japanese culture, architecture, dance, vintage prints and, especially, coffee. Her clients include: Barcelona City Council, Sant Joan de Déu Hospital, FNAC, Betevé, The Wallery, Editorial Cruïlla, La Galera publishing company, among others.

Nuria Riaza: “Pain can teach us a lot about ourselves and makes us stronger.” 
Illustrator and visual artist. Nuria was born in Almansa (Albacete) and currently lives in Valencia. She studied Fine Arts at the Universitat Politècnica de València. Her work is characterized by her use of a blue Bic pen. She has exhibited individually and collectively in galleries in Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Zaragoza and Zurich. Her clients include Warner Music, CNN, The Washington Post, Suárez, Oysho and the National Opera of Munich.

Marina Anaya: “It is important to commit yourself to the bright side of life.”
Plastic artist. Marina was born in Palencia (Castilla y León) and currently lives in Madrid. Her work is mainly carried out in the disciplines of engraving, painting and sculpture. Her colourful style takes manual processes and gives them value. She has had a large number of individual and collective exhibitions, both in Spanish galleries with which she works regularly and in different foreign cities, such as Shanghai and Amsterdam.

Roser Matas: “With perseverance and rigour, inspiration can be trained.”
Illustrator and mathematics teacher. Roser was born in Riudarenes and currently lives in Olot (Girona). She graduated with a degree in Physical Sciences from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). She completed the first year of a higher level vocational training course (CFGS) in Illustration at the Escola d'Art d'Olot and has also taken courses at the Escuela Joso in Barcelona and the University of the Arts in London. She is imaginative, creative and inquisitive. Her style is expressive, fun and original, which make her illustrations take over real life. An illustration-reality tandem through photocomposition. She has received several awards and published picture books, including collaborations with the Huffington Post of Italy and the Barcanova publishing company.

Helena Perez Garcia: “Inspiration often comes to me while swimming.”
Illustrator and designer. Helena was born in Sevilla, where she studied Fine Arts. In 2012, she moved to London, where she lived and worked for six years. She currently lives in Madrid. Her work has a very personal style and is inspired by art, literature and cinema. Colourful and full of details, she mainly uses the wash technique. Her clients include Penguin Random House, The Body Shop, Tate Publishing, The Financial Times, Reader’s Digest, Il Corriere della Sera, BBC, Elle, Amazon, among many others.

Mar de la Llave: “You don’t get your hands dirty until you really get involved.”
Graphic designer and art director. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Design and a Postgraduate Diploma in Design and Publishing Projects from the Elisava Barcelona School of Design and Engineering. She has worked in publishing, identity, web, typography, digital and art management projects. She has spoken at FIU BCN, Design HUB Barcelona and the 2014 Blanco Festival. Mar was the first Impars artist.