Javier Calleja has emerged as one of the most distinctive European voices within contemporary figurative painting. Trained at the University of Granada, his practice developed at the intersection of traditional draftsmanship and a visual language deeply informed by illustration, comics, and popular culture. While his aesthetic may initially appear disarmingly simple, it is underpinned by a rigorous understanding of composition, scale, and psychological tension. Calleja belongs to a generation of artists who have successfully bridged the gap between fine art and mass visual culture, yet his work resists easy categorization, maintaining a singular tone that oscillates between innocence and subtle unease.
Calleja was born in Málaga in 1971, a picturesque city on the Southern coast of Spain renowned for being the birthplace of fellow Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. He began drawing in his early childhood, citing Mazinger Z cartoons and Francisco Ibáñez Talavera’s comics as among his biggest influences, but it was not until he was 25 that he decided to pursue his artistic talents more seriously. In 2000, Calleja graduated from the University of Granada with a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts, landing his first solo exhibition in Spain just 3 years later.
“…I want to mix everything together. Sometimes it’s not Surrealistic anymore, but absurd. Sometimes I paint the character, and the text on his T-shirt is absolutely absurd. But if you mix something real and absurd, you create something new, and it makes sense, so people can understand.”
In his sculptural practice, particularly through editions produced with high-end fabricators, Calleja translates his two-dimensional vocabulary into volumetric form. The sculptures retain the same tension between charm and discomfort, their glossy surfaces and immaculate finishes reinforcing their objecthood within the contemporary market for collectible design and art multiples.
Nara paints his child protagonists as solitary within his visual world. Both tender and violent, and adorable and perverse – in their sneering, half-lidded eyes one encounters a curious depth of cynical emotion that juxtaposes their naïve wonder. In contrast, Calleja appears to reverse this archetype of the complex child in his celebrated oeuvre, instead returning the infant to a place of greater comfort and familiarity. Planted in indeterminate spaces that are flat in bright color, Calleja’s children are yet to be totally defiled by adult preoccupations. As exemplified by the present work, they still teeter on the edge of adolescence, evoking a playful humor and sense of optimism that resonates on a universal level.
Conceptual Framework and media
There is also a notable tension between sincerity and irony. Calleja’s figures can be read as both endearing and unsettling, their simplicity masking a more complex meditation on contemporary visual culture and emotional detachment.
A more precise reading of Javier Calleja’s practice emerges when one considers how his visual language shifts—subtly but meaningfully—across different media. While the same archetypal figure persists, each medium introduces its own hierarchy of values, technical constraints, and conceptual inflections.
In his paintings, Calleja achieves the most controlled and resolved expression of his vocabulary. Typically executed in acrylic on canvas, these works are defined by their immaculate surfaces and highly calibrated color fields. The backgrounds are often flat and uninterrupted, functioning less as environments than as psychological voids against which the figure appears suspended. Scale plays a decisive role: larger canvases amplify the confrontational presence of the gaze, transforming what might initially read as a playful motif into something more imposing, almost invasive. There is a deliberate slowness in these works, the edges are precise, the compositions balanced to the millimeter, recalling, in a contemporary idiom, the discipline of classical portraiture, albeit stripped of narrative and context.
By contrast, works on paper reveal a more immediate, almost diaristic dimension of his practice. Executed in ink, watercolor, or mixed media, these drawings often foreground the line as a primary vehicle of expression. The economy becomes even more radical: a few strokes suffice to construct the face, while the accompanying text gains prominence, sometimes occupying equal or greater visual weight than the image itself. These works tend to feel closer to thought, less mediated, more spontaneous, yet they are far from casual. Calleja uses paper as a space for conceptual testing, where variations in phrasing, gaze direction, or proportion subtly shift the emotional register. For collectors, these works offer a more intimate access to the artist’s process, often perceived as the closest equivalent to a “handwritten note” within his broader production.
The transition into sculpture introduces a fundamentally different set of concerns, moving from image to object. Calleja’s three-dimensional works—frequently produced in painted resin, fiberglass, or carved wood in collaboration with specialized fabricators—translate his flat, graphic figures into fully realized volumes. What is gained here is physical presence: the characters occupy space, share the viewer’s environment, and assert themselves as objects rather than representations. The finish is typically flawless, with glossy or satin surfaces that reinforce their manufactured precision. Crucially, sculpture accentuates the tension already present in the paintings. The figures, when embodied, become slightly uncanny—too perfect, too still, almost like emotional avatars frozen in time. Their collectible dimension is also more pronounced: editions are carefully calibrated, often released in collaboration with galleries such as Perrotin, and positioned at the intersection of fine art and high-end collectible design. Monumental versions, occasionally exhibited in public or institutional contexts, further extend this logic, transforming an intimate psychological encounter into a shared, almost theatrical experience.
Taken together, these three bodies of work do not merely replicate the same idea across formats; they form a coherent system. Painting establishes the canonical image, works on paper test and refine it, and sculpture projects it into the real world. The strength of Calleja’s practice lies precisely in this controlled circulation between mediums—each reinforcing the other while revealing different facets of the same deceptively simple, yet remarkably elastic, visual language.
Exhibition History and Institutional Presence
Calleja has achieved significant international exposure, with exhibitions across Europe, Asia, and the United States. His collaboration with Perrotin has been instrumental in expanding his global reach, with notable solo presentations in Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Shanghai. These exhibitions are often characterized by immersive installations that amplify the presence of his figures, sometimes at monumental scale.
While his market visibility has grown rapidly, institutional recognition has followed more discreetly, with exhibitions in Spanish institutions and inclusion in private and corporate collections worldwide. His practice sits at an interesting juncture where gallery-driven visibility and collector demand often outpace traditional museum validation—though this trajectory is evolving.
Calleja’s paintings now remain in the permanent collections of CAC Málaga, Malaga, Granada University Long Museum, Granada, and X Museum, Shanghai, among others.
Gallery Representation
One of the first galleries to represent Calleja was Galerie Zink, whom were also amongst the first to represent renowned Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara. In fact, with notable shared similarities in both concept and aesthetic, the work of Calleja often draws comparisons to that of his contemporary. However, whereas both artists explore the motif of childhood, Calleja distinguishes his work with a defiant sense of optimism.
Javier Calleja’s rapid international ascent is closely tied to a highly strategic gallery representation that has positioned his work across key global markets, particularly in Europe and Asia. Central to this expansion is his collaboration with Perrotin, which has played a decisive role in structuring both his primary market and institutional visibility. Beyond Perrotin, Calleja has maintained important ties within Spain, particularly with galleries connected to his early development in Málaga and Granada. These regional anchors contribute to the coherence of his career, ensuring that his international success remains grounded in a consistent narrative of artistic evolution rather than purely market-driven expansion.
Javier Calleja occupies a distinctive position within contemporary art, often associated with broader tendencies such as pop surrealism or the influence of kawaii aesthetics, yet ultimately maintaining a highly individual voice. His work resonates within a lineage that includes artists who have explored the power of simplified figuration—from Yoshitomo Nara to Takashi Murakami—while diverging through its quieter, more introspective tone. What distinguishes Calleja is his ability to compress complex emotional and conceptual questions into an extremely economical visual language. His figures, stripped of narrative context yet loaded with psychological presence, operate as enduring icons of contemporary sensibility.
PART I: SUMMARY
Auction Market Overview
2025 AUCTION STATISTICS
Turnover: USD 1,306,726
+98% vs. 2024
# Lots sold: 14
Sell-Through Rate: 93%
Highest Price Achieved at Auction:
30 works: Untitled, 2017
Phillips Hong-Kong: 30 November 2021
HKD 12,108,000 / USD 1,552,925
The market for Javier Calleja has experienced a sharp ascent over the past decade, driven by strong demand for both unique works and limited-edition sculptures. His editions, often released in collaboration with galleries or specialized producers, have cultivated a broad collector base, ranging from seasoned contemporary art buyers to newer entrants attracted by the accessibility of his imagery. Auction results have demonstrated consistent momentum, with sculptures and paintings achieving multiples of their primary market prices in certain periods. This dynamic reflects both the desirability of his work and the broader appetite for artists operating at the intersection of fine art and collectible culture. Importantly, Calleja’s market is characterized by a careful balance between scarcity and visibility. Limited editions are tightly controlled, while unique works remain relatively rare, sustaining demand across different segments of the market.
Auction Summary
2025 Auction Highlights
8 Paintings & Sculptures sold at auction in 2025 for a total turnover of USD 1,174,943. With 1 lot failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 89%. The highest price for 2025 was achieved by UP!, a painting dated 2021, that sold at Christie’s in Hong-Kong, on 26 September 2025, for HKD 2,032,000 (USD 261,185).
2025 Top 3 Lots
3 lots sold for more than USD 200,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 779,599, representing 66.3% of the total turnover for 2025.
Further more, 6 Works on Paper sold at auction in 2025 for a total turnover of USD 131,783. With no lot failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 100%. The highest price of 2025 was achieved by a set of 6 works dated 2017, that sold at Phillips, in Hong-Kong, on 27 September 2025, for HKD 387,000 (USD 49,745).
2025 Top 3 Lots
2024 Auction Highlights
4 Paintings & Sculptures sold at auction in 2024 for a total turnover of USD 512,130. With 1 lot failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 80%. The highest price of 2024 was achieved by No More Stories, a large painting dated 2019, that sold at Christie’s in Hong-Kong, on 9 November 2024, for HKD 1,512,000 (USD 194,550).
2024 Top 3 Lots
3 lots sold for more than USD 100,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 467,670, representing 91.3% of the total turnover for 2024.
Furthermore, 5 Works on Paper sold at auction in 2024 for a total turnover of USD 147,805. With 3 lots failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 63%. The highest price of 2024 was achieved by Into the Sky, a drawing dated 2021, that sold at Christie’s, in Hong-Kong, on 12 November 2024, for HKD 327,600 (USD 42,130).
2024 Top 3 Lots
2023 Auction Highlights
14 lots sold at auction in 2023 for a total turnover of USD 6,879,040. With 1 unsold lot, the sell-through rate remains very solid at 93%. Of note, Christie’s withdrew one lot for its opening auction in Shanghai in September 2023. The highest price was achieved on 28 May 2023 at Christie’s in Hong-Kong, when I don’t Care, a painting dated 2020 sold for HKD 10,055,000 (USD 1,283,639). Only 1 lot sold above USD 1 million. 6 lots sold above USD 500,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 4,655,552, representing 67.7% of the total turnover for 2023.
2023 Top 3 Lots
Furthermore, 10 Works on Paper sold at auction in 2023, for a total turnover of USD 483,892. With 3 lots failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 77%. The highest price of 2023 was achieved by Never Too Late, a drawing dated 2019, that sold at Sotheby’s, in Hong-Kong, on 6 April 2023, for HKD 1,651,000 (USD 210,322). This is the only lot that sold for more than USD 100,000, representing 43.5% of the total turnover for 2023.
2023 Top 3 Lots
2022 Auction Highlights
14 lots sold at auction in 2022 for a total turnover of USD 9,326,413. With 2 lots failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 88%. The highest price was achieved at Sotheby’s in New-York on 11 March 2022, when Don’t Be Bad, a painting dated 2019, sold for USD 1,234,458. 2 lots sold above USD 1 million. 10 lots above USD 500,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 8,147,386, representing 87.4% of the total turnover for 2022.
2022 Top 3 Lots
Furthermore, 21 Works on Paper sold at auction in 2022 for a total turnover of USD 1,643,717. With 2 lots failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 91%. The highest price of 2022 was achieved by For You, a drawing 2017, that sold at Seoul Auction, on 26 July 2022 for KRW 377,600,000 (USD 288,060). 6 lots sold for more than USD 100,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 978,478, representing 60% of the total turnover for 2022.
2022 Top 4 Lots
2021 Auction Highlights
11 lots sold at auction in 2021 for a turnover of USD 9,642,138. With no lot failing to sell, the sell-through rate is a perfect 100%. The highest price has been achieved at Phillips in Hong-Kong on 30 November 2021 by Untitled (30 works), a very large installation of 30 works dated 2017 that sold for HKD 12,108,000 (USD 1,552,924).
2021 Top 3 Lots
3 lots sold for more than USD 1 million. 10 lots sold for more than USD 500,000.
Top Lots
#1. 30 works: Untitled, 2017
Phillips Hong-Kong: 30 November 2021
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 5,000,000
HKD 12,108,000 / USD 1,552,924
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Cont… Lot 7 November 2021 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
30 works: untitled, 2017
Mixed media on paper and wall painting
Current installation: 185×730 cm (72 7/8 x 287 3/8 inches)
#2. I Don’t Care, 2020
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 28 May 2023
Estimated: HKD 4,000,000 – 6,000,000
HKD 10,055,000 / USD 1,283,639
JAVIER CALLEJA (B.1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B.1971)
I DON’T CARE, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76 2/3 x 63 2/3 inches)
Signed with artist’s signature and titled ‘I DON’T CARE’ (on the overlap)
#3. Don’t Be Bad, 2019
Sotheby’s New-York: 11 March 2022
Estimated: USD 500,000 – 700,000
USD 1,234,800
Don’t Be Bad | Contemporary Curated | 2022 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1978)
Don’t Be Bad, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76 ¾ x 63 ⅝ inches)
Signed Javier Calleja and dated 2019 (lower turning edge)
Titled Don’t Be Bad (on the overlap)
#4. Waiting for a while, 2019
Christie’s Hong-Kong online: 22 March 2021
Estimated: HKD 2,800,000 – 3,800,000
HKD 8,890,000 / USD 1,144,704
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971), Waiting for a while | Christie’s (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Waiting for a while, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
Image size: 130×116 cm (51 1/8 x 45 5/8 inches)
Overall size: 181×167 cm (71 1/4 x 65 3/4 inches)
Signed, dated and titled “2019 WAITING FOR A WHILE Javier Calleja” (on the overlap)
#5. Don’t take it all to heart, 2018
Sotheby’s London: 2 March 2022
Estimated: GBP 350,000 – 450,000
GBP 844,200 / USD 1,128,458
Don’t take it all to heart | The Now Evening Auction | 2022 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Don’t take it all to heart, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
162.2 x 130.2 cm (63 ⅞ x 51 ¼ inches)
Titled Don’t take it all to heart (on the overlap)
#6. Look Out, 2018
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 1 December 2021
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 4,000,000
HKD 8,170,000 / USD 1,048,592
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Look Out, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3⁄4 x 51 1⁄8 inches)
Titled ‘LOOK OUT’ (on the overlap)
PART II: AUCTION RESULTS
2026 Auction Results
FOR PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES ONLY
NO PROBLEM, 2021
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 28 March 2026
Estimated: HKD 800,000 – 1,500,000
HKD 1,524,000 / USD 194,635
JAVIER CALLEJA (B.1971), NO PROBLEM | Christie’s
JAVIER CALLEJA (B.1971)
NO PROBLEM, 2021
Acrylic on canvas
100.3 x 116.4 cm (39-1/2 x 45-7/8 inches)
Titled ‘NO PROBLEM’ (on the reverse)
No Words Today, 2019
SBI Art Auction: 15 March 2026
Estimated: JPY 20,000,000 – 30,000,000
JPY 31,050,000 / USD 194,375
JAVIER CALLEJA
No Words Today, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76-3/4 x 63-3/4 inches)
Signed, titled and dated on the reverse
Signed and dated on the lower side
Do Not Touch, 2018
Phillips Hong-Kong: 29 March 2026
Estimated: HKD 450,000 – 650,000
HKD 903,000 / USD 115,280
Javier Calleja Modern & Contemporary Art
JAVIER CALLEJA
Do Not Touch, 2018
Fiberglass and glass, acrylic on canvas, in 2 parts
Sculpture: 180x110x80 cm (70-7/8 x 43-1/4 x 31-1/2 inches)
Painting” 80.5 x 65.5 cm (31-3/4 x 25-3/4 inches)
One, 2020
Phillips Hong-Kong: 29 March 2026
Estimated: HKD 350,000 – 550,000
HKD 670,800 / USD 85,635
Javier Calleja Modern & Contemporary Art
JAVIER CALLEJA
One, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
38 x 61.5 cm (14 7/8 x 24 1/4 inches)
Signed, titled and dated ‘2020 “ONE” Javier Calleja’ on the overlap
Lots Passed
Untitled, 2015
Phillips Hong-Kong: 29 March 2026
Estimated: HKD 300,000 – 500,00
PASSED
Javier Calleja Modern & Contemporary Art
JAVIER CALLEJA
Untitled, 2015
Acrylic, oilstick and graphite on canvas
121.9 x 91.4 cm (47 7/8 x 35 7/8 inches)
Signed and dated ‘Javier Calleja 2015’ on the reverse
2025 Auction Results
FOR PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES ONLY
8 lots sold at auction in 2025 for a total turnover of USD 1,174,943. With 1 lot failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 89%. The highest price for 2025 was achieved by UP!, a painting dated 2021, that sold at Christie’s in Hong-Kong, on 26 September 2025, for HKD 2,032,000 (USD 261,185).
2025 Top 3 Lots
3 lots sold for more than USD 200,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 779,599, representing 66.3% of the total turnover for 2025.
XXXXXXXXXX
#1. UP!, 2021
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 26 September 2025
Estimated: HKD 1,200,000 – 2,200,000
HKD 2,032,000 / USD 261,185
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971), UP! | Christie’s
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
UP!, 2021
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 inches)
Titled ‘UP!’ (on the overlap)
#2. The Dream You Dream, 2022
Phillips Hong-Kong: 27 May 2025
Estimated: HKD 1,800,000 – 2,800,000
HKD 2,032,000 / USD 259,290
Javier Calleja Modern & Contemporary Art: Evening & Day Sale
Frame: 212.7 x 181 cm (83 3/4 x 71 1/4 inches)
#3. Keep Calm, 2020
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 29 March 2025
Estimated: HKD 1,000,000 – 2,000,000
HKD 2,016,000 / USD 259,126
Keep Calm, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
130×116 cm (51 1/8 x 45 5/8 inches)
Signed, dated and titled ‘Javier Calleja 2020 KEEP CALM’ (on the overlap)
USD 200,000
#4. Thinking Boy (Yellow Eye), 2020
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 29 March 2025
Estimated: HKD 500,000 – 800,000
HKD 1,134,000 / USD 145,710
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971), Thinking Boy (Yellow Eye) | Christie’s
Thinking Boy (Yellow Eye), 2020
Wood, metal and crystal sculpture
205.4 (H) x 76.4 x 100.8 cm (80 7/8 x 30 1/8 x 39 3/4 inches)
Edition: 1/5
#5. No Art Here, 2020
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 27 September 2025
Estimated: HKD 500,000 – 800,000
HKD 952,500 / USD 122,430
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971), No Art Here | Christie’s
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
No Art Here, 2020
Aluminum, crystal glass and a knit hat sculpture; mixed media on paper
Overall sculpture dimensions variable, approx.: 180 (H) x 130 x 80 cm (70 7/8 x 51 1/8 x 31 1/2 inches)
Drawing: 50×65 cm (19 5/8 x 25 5/8 inches)
Signed, numbered and dated ‘2⁄5 2020 Javier Calleja’ (on the bottom edge of the placard)
Edition: 2⁄5 + 3AP
#6. All About Money, 2020
Bonhams Hong-Kong: 25 May 2025
Estimated: HKD 600,000 – 900,000
HKD 829,500 / USD 105,955
Bonhams : Javier Calleja (B. 1971) All About Money 2020
Acrylic on canvas
100×80 cm (39 3/8 x 31 1/2 inches)
Signed and dated 2020 on the bottom turning edge
Titled on the overlap
USD 100,000
#7. Untitled, 2015
Estimated: USD 10,000 – 15,000
USD 11,875
Untitled, 2015
Acrylic, ink, and graphite on canvas
121.9 x 91.4 cm (48×36 inches)
Signed and dated on the reverse: Javier Calleja / 2015
#8. Untitled, 2015
Estimated: USD 15,000 – 25,000
USD 9,375
Untitled, 2015
Acrylic, ink, and graphite on canvas
121.9 x 91.4 cm (48×36 inches)
Signed, dated, and inscribed on the reverse: J Calleja / 2015 / NYC
Lots Passed
The Way, 2019
K Auction Seoul: 23 April 2025
Estimated: KRW 240,000,000 – 480,000,000
[PASSED]
Acrylic on canvas
80×100 cm (31 1/2 x 39 3/8 inches)
Signed and dated 2020 on the bottom turning edge
Titled on the middle center
Signed and dated on the side
2024 Auction Results
FOR PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES ONLY
4 lots sold at auction in 2024 for a total turnover of USD 512,130. With 1 lot failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 80%. The highest price of 2024 was achieved by No More Stories, a large painting dated 2019, that sold at Christie’s in Hong-Kong, on 9 November 2024, for HKD 1,512,000 (USD 194,550).
2024 Top 3 Lots
3 lots sold for more than USD 100,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 467,670, representing 91.3% of the total turnover for 2024.
XXXXXXXXXXX
#1. No More Stories, 2019
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 9 November 2024
Estimated: HKD 800,000 – 1,500,000
HKD 1,512,000 / USD 194,550
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971), No More Stories | Christie’s
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
No More Stories, 2019
Acrylic on canvas in the artist’s original frame
Canvas: 162.3 x 130.5 cm (63 5/8 x 51 3/8 inches)
Overall: 170 x 204.5 cm (66 7/8 x 80 1/2 inches)
Signed, dated and titled ‘2019 NO MORE STORIES Javier Calleja’ (on the overlap)
#2. Shake The Excess, 2021
China Guardian Beijing: 11 May 2024
Estimated: CNY 900,000 – 1,200,000
CNY 1,035,000 / USD 143,230
JAVIER CALLEJA
Shake The Excess, 2021
Acrylic on canvas
100×80 cm ( 39 3/8 x 31 1/2 inches)
Signed
#3. So It Is, 2018
Phillips Hong-Kong: 29 March 2024
Estimated: HKD 500,000 – 700,000
HKD 1,016,000 / USD 129,890
Javier Calleja – New Now Hong Kong Lot 44 March 2024 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
So it Is, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
65×54 cm (25 5/8 x 21 1/4 inches)
Signed and dated ‘2018 Javier Calleja’ on the underside
Titled ‘”So it Is”‘ on the reverse
#4. Heads, 2021
Phillips New-York: 25 September 2024
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 44,460
JAVIER CALLEJA
Heads, 2021
Aluminum, crystal glass and urethane paint
81.3 x 38.1 x 31.8 cm (32 x 15 x 12 1/2 inches)
Signed and numbered “18/25 Javier Calleja” along the base
This work is number 18 from an edition of 25
2023 Auction Results
FOR PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES ONLY
14 lots sold at auction in 2023 for a total turnover of USD 6,879,040. With 1 unsold lot, the sell-through rate remains very solid at 93%. Of note, Christie’s withdrew one lot for its opening auction in Shanghai in September 2023. The highest price was achieved on 28 May 2023 at Christie’s in Hong-Kong, when I don’t Care, a painting dated 2020 sold for HKD 10,055,000 (USD 1,283,639). Only 1 lot sold above USD 1 million. 6 lots sold above USD 500,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 4,655,552, representing 67.7% of the total turnover for 2023.
2023 Top 3 Lots
#1. I Don’t Care, 2020
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 28 May 2023
Estimated: HKD 4,000,000 – 6,000,000
HKD 10,055,000 / USD 1,283,639
JAVIER CALLEJA (B.1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B.1971)
I DON’T CARE, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76 2/3 x 63 2/3 inches)
Signed with artist’s signature and titled ‘I DON’T CARE’ (on the overlap)
#2. Everything Comes, 2020
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 5 April 2023
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 5,000,000
HKD 6,096,000 / USD 776,570
JAVIER CALLEJA (b. 1978)
Everything Comes, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
161.9 x 129.9 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 inches)
Signed on the bottom turnover edge; titled on the overlap
#3. Such a Perfect Day, 2020
Christie’s London: 28 June 2023
Estimated: GBP 400,000 – 600,000
GBP 567,000 / USD 716,361
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Such a Perfect Day, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
250.2 x 200.1 cm (98 1/2 x 76 3/4 inches)
Signed, titled and dated ‘Javier Calleja SUCH A PERFECT DAY 2020’ (on the turnover edge)
#4. With a Bit of Luck, 1997
Ravenel Taiwan: 3 June 2023
Estimated: NTD 15,000,000 – 20,000,000
NTD 20,400,000 / USD 664,190
Ravenel | Javier Calleja《With a Bit of Luck》 Ravenel Spring Auction 2023 Lot 067
JAVIER CALLEJA (b. 1978)
With a Bit of Luck, 1997
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3/8 x 51 5/8 inches)
Signed, titled and dated 2017 on the reverse
#5. Have A Nice Day!, 2020
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 6 October 2023
Estimated: HKD 4,000,000 – 6,000,000
HKD 4,826,000 / USD 616,221
JAVIER CALLEJA (b. 1978)
Have A Nice Day!, 2020
Acrylic on canvas, in artist’s frame
Canvas: 161×131 cm (63 3/8 x 51 5/8 inches)
Overall: 222×190 cm (87 3/8 x 74 3/4 inches)
Signed, titled and dated 2020 on the overlap
#6. Right Direction, 2019
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 6 April 2023
Estimated: HKD 2,500,000 – 3,500,000
HKD 4,699,000 / USD 598,606
JAVIER CALLEJA (b. 1978)
Right Direction, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
161.4 x 130 cm (63 1/2 x 51 1/8 inches)
#7. It won’t be easy, 2020
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 5 October 2023
Estimated: HKD 2,800,000 – 3,500,000
HKD 2,794,000 / USD 356,782
JAVIER CALLEJA (b. 1978)
It won’t be easy, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 inches)
Signed and dated 2020 on the bottom turnover edge; titled on the overlap
#8. Here and Now, 2018
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 29 May 2023
Estimated: HKD 2,200,000 – 3,200,000
HKD 2,772,000 / USD 354,099
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Here and Now, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
100.2 x 80.3 cm (39 1/2 x 31 5/8 inches)
Signed and dated ‘2018 Javier Calleja’ (on the overlap)
#9. The Morning After, 2018
Phillips Hong-Kong: 31 March 2023
Estimated: HKD 1,800,000 – 2,800,000
HKD 2,540,000 / USD 323,571
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Conte… Lot 236 March 2023 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
The Morning After, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
116×100 cm (45 3/4 x 39 3/8 inches)
Signed and dated ‘2018 Javier Calleja’ on the underside
Further titled ‘”tHE MORNiNG AFTER”‘ on the overlap
#10. In This World, 2022
Phillips Hong-Kong: 7 October 2023
Estimated: HKD 2,200,000 – 3,200,000
HKD 2,286,000 / USD 291,927
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Con… Lot 136 October 2023 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
In This World, 2022
Acrylic on canvas, in artist’s frame
100×80 cm. (39 3/8 x 31 1/2 inches)
Framed 152×132 cm (59 7/8 x 51 7/8 inches)
Titled ‘”IN THIS WORLD”‘ on the overlap
#11. THE F KING BEAR, 2018
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 29 November 2023
Estimated: HKD 2,800,000 – 3,800,000
HKD 2,268,000 / USD 291,175
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
THE F KING BEAR, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 inches)
Titled ‘tHE F KiNG BEAR’ (on the reverse); signed and dated ‘2018 Javier Calleja’ (on the overlap)
#12. I’d go hopping, 2018
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 29 November 2023
Estimated: HKD 800,000 – 1,200,000
HKD 2,142,000 / USD 274,998
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
I’d go hopping, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
116×100 cm (45 5/8 x 39 3/8 inches)
Titled ‘I’d GO HOPPiNG’ (on the overlap)
#13. Thinking Boy, 2019
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 29 May 2023
Estimated: HKD 900,000 – 1,500,000
HKD 2,016,000 / USD 257,314
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Thinking Boy, 2019
Wood, metal and glass sculpture
205 (H) x 76.4 x 90 cm (80 3/4 x 30 1/8 x 35 3/8 inches)
Edition: 2/5
#14. Not everyday or…, 2016
Phillips New-York: 18 July 2023
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 100,000
USD 73,660
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Contemp… Lot 46 July 2023 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
Not everyday or…, 2016
Oilstick, graphite, colored pencil and acrylic on canvas, in 4 parts
(i) 15 x 16 in. (38.1 x 40.6 cm)
(ii) 48 x 35 3/4 in. (121.9 x 90.8 cm)
(iii) 11 x 10 in. (27.9 x 25.4 cm)
(iv) 10 x 14 in. (25.4 x 35.6 cm)
Installation dimensions variable
Signed and dated “Javier Calleja 2016” on the reverse of the largest canvas
2022 Auction Results
FOR PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES ONLY
14 lots sold at auction in 2022 for a total turnover of USD 9,326,413. With 2 lots failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 88%. The highest price was achieved at Sotheby’s in New-York on 11 March 2022, when Don’t Be Bad, a painting dated 2019, sold for USD 1,234,458. 2 lots sold above USD 1 million. 10 lots above USD 500,000, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 8,147,386, representing 87.4% of the total turnover for 2022.
2022 Top 3 Lots
XXXXXXXXXX
#1. Don’t Be Bad, 2019
Sotheby’s New-York: 11 March 2022
Estimated: USD 500,000 – 700,000
USD 1,234,800
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1978)
Don’t Be Bad, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76 ¾ x 63 ⅝ inches)
Signed Javier Calleja and dated 2019 (lower turning edge)
Titled Don’t Be Bad (on the overlap)
#2. Don’t take it all to heart, 2018
Sotheby’s London: 2 March 2022
Estimated: GBP 350,000 – 450,000
GBP 844,200 / USD 1,128,458
Don’t take it all to heart | The Now Evening Auction | 2022 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Don’t take it all to heart, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
162.2 x 130.2 cm (63 ⅞ x 51 ¼ inches)
Titled Don’t take it all to heart (on the overlap)
#3. Do Not Touch, 2018
Christie’s Shanghai: 28 February 2022
Estimated: CNY 2,800,000 – 4,800,000
CNY 6,048,000 / USD 958,038
JAVIER CALLEJA (B.1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B.1971)
Do Not Touch, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
116×100 cm (45 5⁄8 x 39 3⁄8 inches)
Signed ‘Javier Calleja’ (on the lower right side)
#4. I Hope You Don’t Mind, 2018
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 12 April 2022
Estimated: HKD 600,000 – 800,000
HKD 6,678,000 / USD 851,047
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1978)
I Hope You Don’t Mind, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
130 x 116.4 cm (61 ⅛ x 45 ⅞ inches)
Signed and dated 2018 on the bottom turnover edge
Titled on the overlap
#5. Same Old Story!, 2018
Seoul Auction: 24 May 2022
Estimated: KRW 900,000,000 – 1,200,000,000
KRW 1,038,400,000 / USD 824,817
REPEAT SALE
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 10 October 2021
Estimated: HKD 600,000 – 800,000
HKD 5,862,000 / USD 753,034
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Same Old Story!, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
130×116 cm (51 ⅛ x 45 ⅝ inches)
Signed and dated 2018 on the bottom turnover edge; titled on the overlap
#6. SOMEBODY, 2017
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 25 May 2022
Estimated: HKD 2,000,000 – 3,000,000
HKD 6,300,000 / USD 802,558
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
SOMEBODY, 2017
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76 3⁄4 x 63 3⁄4 inches)
Signed, dated and titled ‘Javier Calleja 2017, SOMEBODY’ (on the reverse)
#7. Dope, 2018
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 30 November 2022
Estimated: HKD 3,500,000 – 5,500,000
HKD 5,040,000 / USD 645,739
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Dope, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 inches)
#8. Faith, 2019
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 26 May 2022
Estimated: HKD 2,800,000 – 4,800,000
HKD 4,788,000 / USD 609,975
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Faith, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
80×65 cm (31 1⁄2 x 25 5⁄8 inches)
Titled ‘Faith’ (on the overlap)
#9. Once in Life, 2018
Phillips Hong-Kong: 1 December 2022
Estimated: HKD 2,700,000 – 3,800,000
HKD 4,410,000 / USD 566,998
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Con… Lot 17 December 2022 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
Once in Life, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
195.5 x 162.8 cm (76 7/8 x 64 1/8 inches)
Signed, titled and dated ‘2018 Javier Calleja “ONCE IN LiFE”‘ on the overlap
#10. 1971, 2017
Phillips Hong-Kong: 22 June 2022
Estimated: HKD 3,500,000 – 5,500,000
HKD 4,032,000 / USD 513,650
JAVIER CALLEJA
1971, 2017
Acrylic on canvas
100×80 cm (39 3/8 x 31 1/2 inches)
Signed, titled and dated ‘”1971″ 2017 Javier Calleja’ on the reverse
#11. Little Vincent, 2018
Sotheby’s New-York: 17 November 2022
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 478,800
Little Vincent | Contemporary Day Auction | 2022 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Little Vincent, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76 ¾ x 63 ¾ inches)
#12. Shit Happens, 2019
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 1 December 2022
Estimated: HKD 2,000,000 – 3,000,000
HKD 3,024,000 / USD 388,798
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Shit Happens, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
80×65 cm (31 1⁄2 x 25 5⁄8 inches)
#13. After the Rain, 2017
Estimated: HKD 700,000 – 1,500,000
HKD 2,125,000 / USD 272,904
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
After the Rain, 2017
Acrylic on canvas
55.3 x 46.2 cm. (21 3/4 x 18 1/4 inches)
Signed and dated ‘Javier Calleja 2017’ (on the reverse)
#14. I Will Stay Here A While, 2013
Phillips Hong-Kong: 28 September 2022
Estimated: HKD 200,000 – 300,000
HKD 302,400 / USD 38,525
Javier Calleja – INTERSECT: Online… Lot 12 September 2022 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
I Will Stay Here A While, 2013
Acrylic on canvas
24.2 x 33.2 cm (9 1/2 x 13 1/8 inches)
Signed, inscribed and dated ‘I will stay … Javier Calleja 2013’ on the reverse
Titled ‘”I WILL STAY HERE A WHILE”‘ lower left
2021 Auction Results
FOR PAINTINGS & SCULPTURES ONLY
11 lots sold at auction in 2021 for a turnover of USD 9,642,138. With no lot failing to sell, the sell-through rate is a perfect 100%. The highest price has been achieved at Phillips in Hong-Kong on 30 November 2021 by Untitled (30 works), a very large installation of 30 works dated 2017 that sold for HKD 12,108,000 (USD 1,552,924). 3 lots sold above USD 1 million. 10 lots sold above USD 500,000.
2021 Top 3 Lots
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#1. 30 works: Untitled, 2017
Phillips Hong-Kong: 30 November 2021
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 5,000,000
HKD 12,108,000 / USD 1,552,924
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Cont… Lot 7 November 2021 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
30 works: untitled, 2017
Mixed media on paper and wall painting
Current installation: 185×730 cm (72 7/8 x 287 3/8 inches)
#2. Waiting for a while, 2019
Christie’s Hong-Kong online: 22 March 2021
Estimated: HKD 2,800,000 – 3,800,000
HKD 8,890,000 / USD 1,144,704
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971), Waiting for a while | Christie’s (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Waiting for a while, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
Image size: 130×116 cm (51 1/8 x 45 5/8 inches)
Overall size: 181×167 cm (71 1/4 x 65 3/4 inches)
Signed, dated and titled “2019 WAITING FOR A WHILE Javier Calleja” (on the overlap)
#3. Look Out, 2018
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 1 December 2021
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 4,000,000
HKD 8,170,000 / USD 1,048,592
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Look Out, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3⁄4 x 51 1⁄8 inches)
Titled ‘LOOK OUT’ (on the overlap)
#4. A Little Crazy, 2018
Ravenel Taiwan: 17 July 2021
Estimated: TWD 16,000,000 – 24,000,000
TWD 26,400,000 / USD 942,857
Ravenel | Javier Calleja《A Little Crazy》 Ravenel Spring Auction 2021 Taipei Lot 068
JAVIER CALLEJA (Spanish, 1971)
A Little Crazy, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
195 x 162 cm
Titled reverse A LITTLE CRAZY
#5. You Me, 2019
Phillips Hong-Kong: 30 November 2021
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 4,000,000
HKD 7,026,000 / USD 901,127
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Cont… Lot 8 November 2021 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
You Me, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
110 x 116.5 cm. (43 1/4 x 45 7/8 inches)
Signed and dated ‘2019 Javier Calleja’ on the underside
Further titled ‘”YOU ME”‘ on the overlap
#6. No Step Back, 2019
Phillips Hong-Kong: 7 June 2021
Estimated: HKD 1,500,000 – 2,000,000
HKD 6,542,000 / USD 843,128
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Contem… Lot 160 June 2021 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
No Step Back, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
116×100 cm (45 5/8 x 39 3/8 inches)
Signed and dated ‘2019 Javier Calleja’ on the lower edge
#7. Same Old Story!, 2018
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 10 October 2021
Estimated: HKD 600,000 – 800,000
HKD 5,862,000 / USD 753,034
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Same Old Story!, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
130×116 cm (51 ⅛ x 45 ⅝ inches)
Signed and dated 2018 on the bottom turnover edge; titled on the overlap
#8. Waiting for You, 2018
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 November 2021
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 400,000
USD 746,000
Waiting for You | Contemporary Day Auction | 2021 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1978)
Waiting for You, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
194.9 x 161.9 cm (76 ¾ x 63 ¾ inches)
Signed and dated 2018 (on the reverse)
#9. Take On Me, 2017
Phillips Hong-Kong: 29 November 2021
Estimated: HKD 2,000,000 – 3,000,000
HKD 5,040,000 / USD 646,220
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Co… Lot 248 November 2021 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
Take On Me, 2017
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 inches)
Signed, titled and dated ‘2017 “TAKE ON ME” Javier Calleja’ on the reverse
#10. What I Mean, 2017
Christie’s Hong-Kong: 27 May 2021
Estimated: HKD 700,000 – 900,000
HKD 5,000,000 / USD 644,105
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
What I Mean, 2017
Acrylic on canvas
162×130 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 inches)
Signed with artist’s signature and dated ‘2017’ (on the reverse)
#11. Cloud Head, 2017
Phillips Hong-Kong: 30 November 2021
Estimated: HKD 2,400,000 – 3,400,000
HKD 3,276,000 / USD 420,043
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Co… Lot 247 November 2021 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
Cloud Head, 2017
Acrylic on canvas
55×46 cm (21 5/8 x 18 1/8 inches)
Signed and dated ‘2017 Javier Calleja’ on the reverse
PART III: FOCUS
Large (195×160)
Such a Perfect Day, 2020
Christie’s London: 28 June 2023
Estimated: GBP 400,000 – 600,000
GBP 567,000 / USD 716,361
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971) (christies.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Such a Perfect Day, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
250.2 x 200.1 cm (98 1/2 x 76 3/4 inches)
Signed, titled and dated ‘Javier Calleja SUCH A PERFECT DAY 2020’ (on the turnover edge)
Spanning more than two metres in height, Such a Perfect Day is a monumental work by the Spanish artist Javier Calleja. Against a blue backdrop, his wide-eyed protagonist beams out at the viewer, the work’s title inscribed on his t-shirt. His exaggerated hair and features are instantly recognisable, epitomising the whimsical, graphic language that has propelled Calleja to prominence over the past decade. Conceived as extensions of himself, Calleja’s cast of boyish characters capture a complex range of emotions. Here, as in many of his works, his subject’s eyes glisten with water, as though a smile has just broken through after crying. Painted in 2020, Such a Perfect Day belongs to a group of works completed and exhibited following the first COVID-19 lockdown. While many reflected a sense of instability and uncertainty, the present work is full of hope and optimism, its subject gleaming like a beacon against a cloudless sky.
Born and based in Málaga, Calleja is currently the subject of his largest solo show to date at the city’s Centro Cultural Fundacion Unicaja. Over the years he has exhibited widely throughout Europe, America and Asia, cultivating a practice that spans painting, drawing, sculpture and installation. His works invite comparison with the those of Yoshitomo Nara, whose insouciant, childlike figures were an important influence. Elsewhere, he has drawn inspiration from the works of artists including Philip Guston, Alex Katz, Mark Rothko and Rene Magritte: the present work, with its caricatured mop of hair, conjures fleeting echoes of the latter’s floating clouds. Calleja also reads widely, often incorporating fragments of literary text into his subjects’ t-shirts. Many draw upon the work of Samuel Beckett; others are derived from snippets of overheard conversation, or the artist’s own imagination.
Don’t Be Bad, 2019
Sotheby’s New-York: 11 March 2022
Estimated: USD 500,000 – 700,000
USD 1,234,800
Don’t Be Bad | Contemporary Curated | 2022 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1978)
Don’t Be Bad, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76 ¾ x 63 ⅝ inches)
Signed Javier Calleja and dated 2019 (lower turning edge)
Titled Don’t Be Bad (on the overlap)
Imbued with ingenuity and a keen sense of humor, Don’t Be Bad is a glowing example of Javier Calleja’s signature portraits of wide-eyed children with assertive and sympathetic phrases emblazoned on t-shirts across their chests. Don’t Be Bad presents a young, plush, orange-haired boy surrounded by a sea of vibrant lime green. The wide-eyed character confronts us with a fixed gaze and a short statement clearly written in red paint across their chest: DON’T BE BAD.
Drawing on René Magritte’s exploration into the broader philosophical capacities of specific languages within art, the laconic phrases of Calleja’s works come across as form of indirect speech, while humorously mocking our likely incapacity to comply with his petition. Don’t Be Bad expresses the naiveté of a child’s world interpretation while confronting us with the hope—or limitation—of our continuous participation within it.
Once in Life, 2018
Phillips Hong-Kong: 1 December 2022
Estimated: HKD 2,700,000 – 3,800,000
HKD 4,410,000 / USD 566,998
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Con… Lot 17 December 2022 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
Once in Life, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
195.5 x 162.8 cm (76 7/8 x 64 1/8 inches)
Signed, titled and dated ‘2018 Javier Calleja “ONCE IN LiFE”‘ on the overlap
Summoning feelings of childhood innocence and curiosity, Once in Life is a compelling rendition of Spanish artist Javier Calleja’s instantly relatable and light-hearted imagery. First unveiled in Tokyo at NANZUKA Gallery during their 2018 exhibition titled Do Not Touch, the endearing canvas depicts a wide-eyed, macrocephalic child reaching out to the viewer with his genuine sense of sincerity and hope. Calleja’s simple subject matter lends itself to being the element of surprise for delivering profound messages contained in clichés that have been overlooked. The subject of endearment in the present work, is the little blond-haired character making direct eye contact with the viewer with his immensely bright and gradient green eyes, set off by an earth-toned backdrop. With a tender smile on his face, the boy’s rosy lips and orange-tinted nose indicates a cry that may have taken place a moment ago. With hands slightly put back, he emanates a sense of excited anticipation, allowing more attention to land on the slogan that sits his periwinkle t-shirt : ‘Once in Life’.
The present work exhibited at Tokyo, NANZUKA, Do Not Touch, 24 November – 22 December 2018
Image: Courtesy of Nanzuka Underground, Artwork: © Javier Calleja
‘Once in Life’ coincides with the idea of ‘Ichi-go ichi-e’「一期一會」in Japanese culture, referring to once-in-a-lifetime moments and treasuring the unrepeatable nature of each encounter, cueing the famous saying by the Greek pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus: ‘change is the only constant in life.’ Everything changes in the ephemeral phenomenon we call human life, and this sense of instability and unknown inspires us to ‘carpe diem’ — seize the day. Full of childlike sincerity and hope, our endearing protagonist’s adorable face belies the profound meaning of the slogan.
Little Vincent, 2018
Sotheby’s New-York: 17 November 2022
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 478,800
Little Vincent | Contemporary Day Auction | 2022 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Little Vincent, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
195×162 cm (76 ¾ x 63 ¾ inches)
Executed in 2018, Little Vincent is a signature example of Spanish artist Javier Calleja’s hypnotic portraits of wide-eyed boys. Calleja’s instantly recognizable and playful imagery rendered in bright colors command the viewer’s attention. Capturing a moment of childlike curiosity, the present work evokes a moment of childhood wonder. With his mouth agape in awe, Little Vincent is depicted with bright red hair, flushed pink cheeks, and yellow-toned eyes. Looking directly to the left side of the canvas, Little Vincent achieves a level of compositional dynamism that characterizes Calleja’s whimsical practice.
A Little Crazy, 2018
Ravenel Taiwan: 17 July 2021
Estimated: TWD 16,000,000 – 24,000,000
TWD 26,400,000 / USD 942,857
Ravenel | Javier Calleja《A Little Crazy》 Ravenel Spring Auction 2021 Taipei Lot 068
JAVIER CALLEJA (Spanish, 1971)
A Little Crazy, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
195 x 162 cm
Titled reverse A LITTLE CRAZY
Calleja loves reading the works of Nobel Prize winner and playwright Samuel Beckett to seek inspiration or even short sentences to construct images. As Calleja once expressed in an interview, he particularly admires artists, such as Alex Katz, Philip Guston, René Magritte, and Yoshitomo Nara, for their simple yet profound artistic expressions. Dedicated to Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan and his humorous, satirical philosophy, Calleja re-created the sculpture Little Maurizio in 2019 by adding his own interpretation. In response to comments about seeing Yoshitomo Nara’s influence in his works, Calleja said he has also been deeply influenced by his friend KAWS and street artist Barry McGee. Despite his own preference to work in a spacious, quiet studio instead of on crowded streets, Calleja very much admires Barry McGee’s interpretation of character portraits. That is why he also applied this symbol to his creation.
The wide-eyed boys in Calleja’s works can be considered a reflection of himself. By telling stories in the simplest visual language consisting of a pair of eyes and a slogan t-shirt, the image naturally sparks a dialogue with the audience and fulfills Calleja’s hope to convey important messages through art. The big innocent eyes are clear and pure, as if the child stops crying and continues forward after overcoming current difficulties and encouraging themselves to gain an inner resilience. The paintings not only feature slogans like “Don’t cry,” “never too late,” or “here and now,” but they also leave blank spaces for viewers to imagine and interpret the painting’s stories from their own perspectives. In this way, Calleja continues to innovate in his exhibitions. On one hand, he consistently challenges himself, while, on the other hand, he believes that the experiences of viewers should complement the artistic expression. In the absence of an audience, self-admired art would lose its original intention of “communication.”
Medium (162×130)
Don’t take it all to heart, 2018
Sotheby’s London: 2 March 2022
Estimated: GBP 350,000 – 450,000
GBP 844,200 / USD 1,128,458
Don’t take it all to heart | The Now Evening Auction | 2022 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Don’t take it all to heart, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
162.2 x 130.2 cm (63 ⅞ x 51 ¼ inches)
Titled Don’t take it all to heart (on the overlap)
Imbued with ingenuity and a keen sense of humor, Don’t take it all to heart is a brilliant example of Javier Calleja’s signature portraits of wide-eyed children with assertive and sympathetic phrases emblazoned on t-shirts across their chests. The present work was executed in 2018, a pivotal year for the artist, having had his first solo exhibition in Asia the year prior at the Aisho/Nanzuka Gallery in Hong Kong. Since then, Calleja has seen immense success and his work has been the subject of a number of solo exhibitions, including most recently at the K11 Musea in Hong Kong (Little Maurizio, 2021) which explored Calleja’s admiration for Maurizio Cattelan’s celebrated irony and social criticism. Calleja’s paintings now remain in the permanent collections of CAC Málaga, Malaga, Granada University Long Museum, Granada, and X Museum, Shanghai, among others.
Calleja’s work exemplifies overly simplified figuration, the expansive passages of a given figure’s hair, t-shirt and over-sized eyes transforming into vibrant, abstract shapes before the viewer. On the surface of the present work, a bleach blond haired boy with enlarged, bright blue eyes gazes out at the viewer, his orange t-shirt marking a striking contrast against the grey ground of the composition.
The Dream You Dream, 2022
Phillips Hong-Kong: 27 May 2025
Estimated: HKD 1,800,000 – 2,800,000
HKD 2,032,000 / USD 259,290
Javier Calleja Modern & Contemporary Art: Evening & Day Sale
Frame: 212.7 x 181 cm (83 3/4 x 71 1/4 inches)
Summoning feelings of childhood innocence and curiosity, The Dream You Dream is a compelling rendition of Javier Calleja’s instantly relatable and light-hearted imagery. Hailing from Málaga, Spain, Javier Calleja captivates audiences worldwide with his adorable, wide-eyed boy characters. As exemplified in the current lot, with his round, rosy cheek and saccharine-sweet stare, the boy reaches out to the viewer with his genuine sense of hope and sincerity.
Now an unmistakable hallmark of Calleja that populate his celebrated oeuvre, these wide-eyed characters originally act as the artist’s alter-ego, mapped with the artist’s deepest feelings and life experiences. Through years of experiments across drawings, paintings, sculptures and objects, Calleja has landed in a childhood wonderment that evokes nostalgia for simpler days living with whimsical vision of comics, cartoons and toys, untouched by the complex adult world. An embodiment of this, the boy Calleja has imagined is often captured in a subtle, transitional moment with mixed sensibility: joy and sadness, longing and vulnerability.
‘That is the moment I paint — when experiencing something bad and you just had a breakthrough. I think when a child is crying and then stops to cry — they’re a hero. Because he or she decided to overcome the pain.”
A former apprentice of Yoshitomo Nara, Calleja’s work plays into the nostalgic kawaii aesthetic pioneered in the art world by the Japanese artist, also palpable of influences the wider genealogy of the ‘BIG EYE’ phenomenon in Japanese manga. However, Calleja’s style remains distinct, by shedding light on further surrealist implications in the characters’ dazzling gazes. In his own words, those big, colorful eyes are glassy, three-dimensional ‘windows of the soul’.
“When your eyes notice the eyes in the painting, the brain feels like the whole image is real. They are very important to people. So your brain is looking at something real but your eyes are looking at something not real, and I think there is some kind of magic in such a moment.”
One of the biggest names in contemporary art today, Calleja is currently represented by Almine Rech, and his works have been widely exhibited at numerous prestigious galleries and institutions worldwide, including Almine Rech around the world, Aishonanzuka in Tokyo and Hong Kong and Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul. The current work was featured in Calleja’s 2022 solo exhibition Mr. Günter, The Cat Show at Center of International Contemporary Art, Vancouver, marking his first solo show in Canada. Most recently, Calleja is featured in the exhibition Art in Life, Life in Art at the D Museum in Seoul, which is currently on view until 18 May 2025.
Right Direction, 2019
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 6 April 2023
Estimated: HKD 2,500,000 – 3,500,000
HKD 4,699,000 / USD 598,606
JAVIER CALLEJA (b. 1978)
Right Direction, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
161.4 x 130 cm (63 1/2 x 51 1/8 inches)
Executed in 2019, Right Direction is a signature depiction of Javier Calleja’s portraits of wide-eyed and adorable boys with emphatic phrases emblazoned on their t-shirts. Imbued with ingenuity and a keen sense of humour, the present work was created following a string of successes for the artist, having had his first solo exhibition in Asia the year prior at the Aisho/Nanzuka Gallery in Hong Kong, with Right Direction having been featured at Calleja’s solo exhibition at Dio Horia Gallery in Athens in 2019. Often baring a satirical edge, Right Direction exemplifies overly simplified figuration, the expansive passages of the figure’s hair, t-shirt and over-sized eyes transforming into vibrant, abstract shapes before the viewer’s eyes. On the surface of the present work, a bleach blond haired boy with enlarged, bright blue eyes looks off to the right to the space beyond the canvas, a cheeky expression on his child-like face. The figure’s brown t-shirt is in soothing contrast against the warm neutral tone of the background, recalling the colour field painting of Mark Rothko. The present painting is titled after the slogan scrawled across the boy’s t-shirt, “Right Direction”. Capturing a moment of childhood wonder, this figure’s uncertain smile and glassy, emphatic eyes are simultaneously mischievous and innocent.
Everything Comes, 2020
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 5 April 2023
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 5,000,000
HKD 6,096,000 / USD 776,570
JAVIER CALLEJA (b. 1978)
Everything Comes, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
161.9 x 129.9 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 inches)
Signed on the bottom turnover edge; titled on the overlap
Executed in 2020, Everything Comes is a vivid example of Javier Calleja’s signature portraits depicting wide-eyes boys with emphatic phrases emblazoned on their t-shirts. His instantly recognizable iconography, bright, childlike colors and intriguing slogans command the viewer’s attention, with his ostensible saccharine subjects often baring a satirical edge. Calleja’s work exemplifies overly simplified figuration, evoking a striking, heart-warming innocence in Everything Comes, capturing a moment of childhood wonder. With his mouth shaped into an uncertain smile, this child-like figure is depicted with a bright flash of red hair, flushed pink checks and blazing blue eyes. As a recurring subject-matter throughout art history, children portraiture is a symbolic motif for carefree joy and the unbound curiosity associated with childhood.
Looking directly at the viewer, their attentive gaze and watery, glassy eyes are characteristic of the artist’s portraiture. These emphatic eyes are in contrast with the artist’s muted treatment of the other compositional elements; Calleja’s sensitive use of pure yellow on the T-shirt juxtaposing with the with the sometimes mischievous, sometimes innocent looks in the childlike figure’s three-dimensional eyes.
Drawing on René Magritte’s exploration into the broader philosophical capacities of specific languages within art, the laconic phrases of Calleja’s works come across as form of indirect speech. Calleja’s ostensibly simple aesthetic and subject matter lends itself to confronting the viewer with an element of surprise, often delivering profound and thought-provoking messages frequently dismissed as clichéd. The childlike figure is accompanied by such a statement clearly written in red paint across their chest: Everything Comes. Calleja creates works that can be universally understood and admired, and many critics and collectors have compared the artist to the Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara in their unique ability to capture the transient naïveté of a child.
Small (100×80)
In This World, 2022
Phillips Hong-Kong: 7 October 2023
Estimated: HKD 2,200,000 – 3,200,000
HKD 2,286,000 / USD 291,927
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Con… Lot 136 October 2023 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
In This World, 2022
Acrylic on canvas, in artist’s frame
100×80 cm (39 3/8 x 31 1/2 inches)
Framed 152×132 cm (59 7/8 x 51 7/8 inches)
Titled ‘”IN THIS WORLD”‘ on the overlap
Imbued with tenderness and childhood naïveté, the wide-eyed protagonist of In This World encapsulates viewers in a world respite from the hectic flurry of everyday life. Eyes, in Calleja’s world, evoke the bittersweet transitory moments between sadness and relief, a result of his experiments in 2016 with beads of water. In the present lot, a pair of gradient emerald green eyes glimmer with awe, almost protruding from the otherwise flat pictorial composition. The shape of the eyes harkens back to Calleja’s fascination with the character Rompetechos, created by cartoonist Francisco Ibáñez exclusively using circular shapes. Another motif key to the work is the little bumblebee interacting with the protagonist. Used ubiquitously in children’s media for its clumsy, animated flight, fuzzy fur and vivid stripes, the bumble bee heightens the overall charm of the work. The present lot prefigures the bees’ reappearance in Calleja’s most recent solo show, Still on Time. Oblivious to the potential harm of the bee, the boy gestures openly out to the insect with potential to sting, reverting us back to a time of innocence, yet to be burdened with anxieties of the real world.
Viñetas de Rompetechos (2003) by Francisco Ibáñez Talavera
Another signature of Calleja’s, a simple slogan, adorns the boy’s baby blue t-shirt. Perhaps as a playful reference to the lyrics of the top chart song As It Was by Harry Styles (2022), ‘In this world, its just us. You know it’s not the same as it was.’, or simply an extension of the boy’s imagination, ‘In this world’ blurs the elusive boundaries between reality and fantasy. The half-formed thought reads like fractured, hazy recollections of childhood, amalgamating childish speech with psychoanalytic frameworks of the subconscious. Directly contrasting the work’s unabashedly simplistic style, In this world is situated within a baroque-style custom wooden frame, its thickness an extension of Calleja’s continual experiments with proportion.
I Will Stay Here A While, 2013
Phillips Hong-Kong: 28 September 2022
Estimated: HKD 200,000 – 300,000
HKD 302,400 / USD 38,525
Javier Calleja – INTERSECT: Online… Lot 12 September 2022 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
I Will Stay Here A While, 2013
Acrylic on canvas
24.2 x 33.2 cm (9 1/2 x 13 1/8 inches)
Signed, inscribed and dated ‘I will stay … Javier Calleja 2013’ on the reverse
Titled ‘”I WILL STAY HERE A WHILE”‘ lower left
Known for his cheerful and childlike creations, Spanish artist Javier Calleja has amassed an enormous global following for his wide-eyed characters.
A smaller-scale version of a mural done by the artist in his hometown Málaga in 2013 to promote local urban art culture, the present work I Will Stay Here A While is a perfect illustration of the artist’s style – brimming with whimsy, satire, fueled by deep sentiments, while transporting viewers back to the vibrant hometown of his.
1971, 2017
Phillips Hong-Kong: 22 June 2022
Estimated: HKD 3,500,000 – 5,500,000
HKD 4,032,000 / USD 513,650
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Contemp… Lot 19 June 2022 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
1971, 2017
Acrylic on canvas
100×80 cm (39 3/8 x 31 1/2 inches)
Signed, titled and dated ‘”1971″ 2017 Javier Calleja’ on the reverse
The present work, 1971, is meant to be a self-portrait, doubling as a tongue-in-cheek parody of a mugshot, and the title is a nod to Calleja’s year of birth. A boy with a head of fluffy chocolate hair stands against a sandy wash, dressed in a numbered, orange shirt reminiscent of a prison jumpsuit. Yet a ruby blush adorns his cherubic cheeks, and his shiny, emerald eyes blink at us earnestly —the boy more of an endearing toddler than a criminal as the portrait suggests. The faint, dark rings under his eyes convey tiredness at best, ineffective in dissuading the viewers of his harmless, delightful nature. Executed in 2017, 1971 is an early and captivating example of Calleja’s visual aesthetic.
Calleja boys are instantly recognizable for their watery, marble-like eyes that have transfixed and enamored the art world since their debut in 2017. Their pooling gazes have become synonymous with Calleja’s artistic trademark, enhanced in contrast by the simpler elements that frame them. Meant to evoke the delicate sensation that merges sadness and relief, Calleja was compelled to visualize the tender moment when a child stops crying, about to break into a smile once again.
‘That is the moment I paint — when experiencing something bad and you just had a breakthrough. I think when a child is crying and then stops to cry — they’re a hero. Because he or she decided to overcome the pain.”
A former apprentice of Yoshitomo Nara, Calleja’s work is frequently compared to that of the renowned Japanese artist. Indeed, both share conceptual and aesthetic similarities, but Calleja’s oeuvre distinguishes itself with its playful optimism and endearing innocence. Both Nara and Calleja explore themes of childhood in their work, however, Nara is known for imbuing his creations with pervading darkness and cynicism. His protagonists are often depicted as angry or injured, regarding the viewers with rude sneers and disdainful, half-lidded stares unbefitting of an adorable little girl. Nara’s children are solitary and vulnerable in a universe that simmers with undercurrents of danger and violence— a sinister expression of the artist’s lonely childhood. In contrast, Calleja chooses simplicity over complexity, celebrating the more light-hearted aspect of growing up. His macrocephalic children don pleasant smiles and button noses, cheeks tinted with a rosy, velvety blush. Most striking of all are their wide eyes, glistening with joy and curiosity, yet to be burdened with the stress and preoccupations of the adult world. Though the artist’s body of work has an undeniable satirical edge to it, his pieces come across as cheeky and comical, diverging from the snarky, cynical humor that permeates his mentor’s oeuvre.
Another connection can be made to contemporary Spanish artists such as Edgar Plans and Rafa Macarrón, whose works employ similar elements of expression to Calleja. These artists are highly influenced by nostalgic reveries and childhood reminisces, evoking sentimentality with a cast of childlike figures and cartoonish creatures. Their comparable approaches and shared aesthetic illustrate a current trend of the Spanish New Wave in the contemporary art scene.
Edgar Plans, Night Creatures, 2020 (Detail)
In our time of chaos, unrest, and uncertainty, Calleja’s aesthetic is a breath of fresh air, spreading much-needed warmth and delight through his beloved big-eyed children, brimming with youthful exuberance and infectious positivity. Refusing to overcomplicate and overanalyze his artistic themes, the artist believes in the values of simplicity and childlike naivety that his works carry. Indeed, Calleja’s affection towards his protagonists evidently translates onto his canvases, reminding viewers of the more innocent motivators behind the making of art: adoration and posterity.
I Hope You Don’t Mind, 2018
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 12 April 2022
Estimated: HKD 600,000 – 800,000
HKD 6,678,000 / USD 851,047
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1978)
I Hope You Don’t Mind, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
130 x 116.4 cm (61 ⅛ x 45 ⅞ inches)
Signed and dated 2018 on the bottom turnover edge
Titled on the overlap
Executed in 2018, I Hope You Don’t Mind is a signature example of Spanish artist Javier Calleja’s hypnotic portraits of wide-eyed boys, with playful phrases penned across their chests. His instantly recognizable iconography, bright, childlike colors and intriguing slogans command the viewer’s attention, engaging them in the narrative of the work and forging an empathetic bond between viewer and subject. Calleja evokes a striking, heart-warming innocence in I Hope You Don’t Mind, capturing a moment of childhood wonder. The work is also evocative of the sweet moment when a child stop crying and is about to break out into a smile once again.
“That is the moment I paint—when experiencing something bad and you just had a breakthrough. I think when a child is crying and then stops to cry—they’re a hero. Because he or she decided to overcome the pain.”
In 2018, the work was exhibited in a solo show of the same name, I Hope You Don’t Mind, at Yusto/Giner gallery in Madrid. Further, 2018 was a significant year for the artist, having made his Asia debut the previous year in 2017 at the Aisho/Nanzuka Gallery in Hong Kong with his solo exhibition, Hi. It was after this point that audiences, particularly his Asia-based collectors, began to truly resonate with his work, admiring his playful yet sincere imagery. Calleja creates works that can be universally understood and admired, and many critics and collectors have compared the artist to the Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara in their unique ability to capture the transient naïveté of a child. Further, the power of his works to penetrate contemporary culture is comparable to the American artist KAWS. Further, the Spanish artist is inspired by a myriad of artistic influences, admiring Yoshitomo Nara, Philip Guston, Rene Magritte and Alex Katz to name a few. Indeed, Calleja draws on a variety of different sources and movements from art history in his brightly colored oeuvre, evoking elements of figuration, abstraction, surrealism, pop, minimalism, and anime.
You Me, 2019
Phillips Hong-Kong: 30 November 2021
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 4,000,000
HKD 7,026,000 / USD 901,127
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Cont… Lot 8 November 2021 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
You Me, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
110 x 116.5 cm. (43 1/4 x 45 7/8 inches)
Signed and dated ‘2019 Javier Calleja’ on the underside
Further titled ‘”YOU ME”‘ on the overlap
Summoning feelings of warmth and love, the mother and child image has recurringly been explored throughout the history of art as a symbolic motif of empowerment and maternal protection. Instantly recognizable as an exceptional work by Spanish artist Javier Calleja, You Me is a compelling interpretation of this universal theme. First unveiled in London at the Dorothy Circus Gallery during their 2019 exhibition titled Mother & Child, the endearing canvas depicts two wide-eyed, macrocephalic characters reaching out towards each other’s embrace.
The present work exhibited at London, Dorothy Circus Gallery, Mother & Child, 13 April – 9 June 2019
Whilst the mother looks onwards, however, the boy’s eyes are cast aside, as if wondering of the adventurous possibilities beyond the cocoon of this maternal embrace. Inscribed across the taller figure’s top is the word ‘You’ and the small subject’s baby blue shirt the word ‘Me, providing a direct link to the work’s title and a hint at the child being a self-portrait of Calleja himself.
Same Old Story!, 2018
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 10 October 2021
Estimated: HKD 600,000 – 800,000
HKD 5,862,000 / USD 753,034
JAVIER CALLEJA (B. 1971)
Same Old Story!, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
130×116 cm (51 ⅛ x 45 ⅝ inches)
Signed and dated 2018 on the bottom turnover edge; titled on the overlap
Executed in 2018, Same Old Story! is a vivid example of Spanish artist Javier Calleja’s signature portraits of wide-eyed boys, emphatic phrases emblazoned across their chests. 2018 was a significant year for the artist, having made his Asia debut the previous year in 2017 at the Aisho/Nanzuka Gallery in Hong Kong with his solo exhibition, Hi. It was after this point that audiences, particularly his Asia-based collectors, began to truly resonate with his work, admiring his playful yet sincere imagery. His striking iconography, bright colors and deceivingly enigmatic slogans command the viewer’s attention, engaging them in the narrative of the work. Calleja evokes a memorable innocence in his works such as Same Old Story!, capturing moments of childhood wonder and joy, and the uninhibited essence of the young.
Same Old Story! is a radiant, impressively sized painting by Calleja to come to auction. Set against a vibrant background of crimson red that recalls the immersive color field paintings of American abstract artist Mark Rothko, the central figure gazes out at the viewer, his green eyes standing out against his orange shirt on which “Same Old Story” is written. Calleja’s cartoonish figures have won him a legion of fans around the world, and the artist continues to be honored with international solo and group exhibitions, most recently at Almine Rech in Shanghai and Galería Rafael Pérez Hernando in Madrid this year.
Installations
30 works: Untitled, 2017
Phillips Hong-Kong: 30 November 2021
Estimated: HKD 3,000,000 – 5,000,000
HKD 12,108,000 / USD 1,552,924
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Cont… Lot 7 November 2021 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
30 works: untitled, 2017
Mixed media on paper and wall painting
Current installation: 185×730 cm (72 7/8 x 287 3/8 inches)
With its impressive multi-part installation of 30 unique components, Untitled is a particularly special work by Javier Calleja, one of the most prominent artists working today. Created in 2017, an important year in the artist’s career where he first debuted his wide-eye boy characters at AISHONANZUKA in Hong Kong—the artist’s first solo exhibition in Asia—the present work is a rare, seminal example of what has since become his signature motif. Each meticulously composed drawing shares a story of its own, pulling viewers into Calleja’s whimsical world of nostalgic innocence imbued with satirical flair. At the same time, as the largest work by the artist to come to auction, measuring over an epic 7 meters long in its entirety, the work can be endlessly explored for the countless points of dialogue that are evoked between each original part.
Not everyday or…, 2016
Phillips New-York: 18 July 2023
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 100,000
USD 73,660
Javier Calleja – 20th Century & Contemp… Lot 46 July 2023 | Phillips
JAVIER CALLEJA
Not everyday or…, 2016
Oilstick, graphite, colored pencil and acrylic on canvas, in 4 parts
(i) 15 x 16 in. (38.1 x 40.6 cm)
(ii) 48 x 35 3/4 in. (121.9 x 90.8 cm)
(iii) 11 x 10 in. (27.9 x 25.4 cm)
(iv) 10 x 14 in. (25.4 x 35.6 cm)
Installation dimensions variable
Signed and dated “Javier Calleja 2016” on the reverse of the largest canvas
The four panels of Not everyday or… 2016, feature several of Javier Calleja’s signature motifs, including clouds, exaggerated wide-eyed characters, and exclamatory text. The largest component, lined like a student’s notebook paper, contains a cloud-headed figure with bright green eyes and a sky-blue t-shirt exclaiming “YES” across the front. The three additional parts in the work feature clouds, one of which also has Calleja’s famous eyes on it.
Calleja’s playful practice is inspired by contemporary Yoshitomo Nara, whom Calleja worked with in 2007, and the aesthetics of both Spanish and Japanese cartoons. Manga, in particular, inspires the artist by its visual simplicity and ability to communicate a narrative effectively, without complex explanation. Inherent in all his work is Calleja’s desire to leave something to be interpreted and felt by the viewer.
“I want the observer to finish the painting. To start and finish. I want to keep this moment that one part of the painting is well rendered or finished, and other is very expressive or casual.”
Calleja’s preference for carefree expression can even be understood in the orange and yellow marks at the edge of the center panel. His willingness to share his process of creation breaks down the barrier between creator and observer.
The title of the work appears as text above the cloud-headed figure, connecting Not everyday or… with Calleja’s wider oeuvre. The work represents a critical turning point in Calleja’s practice, as he shifted from smaller scale, installation-based works featuring anthropomorphic pebbles and clouds, to an increasingly figurative, and larger scale, practice. Not everday or… treads this middle ground, showing an artist at play in a universe of his own making, incorporating different motifs as he embarks on expanding his practice.
Sculptures
Heads, 2021
Phillips New-York: 25 September 2024
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 44,460
JAVIER CALLEJA
Heads, 2021
Aluminum, crystal glass and urethane paint
81.3 x 38.1 x 31.8 cm (32 x 15 x 12 1/2 inches)
Signed and numbered “18/25 Javier Calleja” along the base
This work is number 18 from an edition of 25
“Your brain is looking at something real, but your eyes are looking at something not real. I think there is some kind of magic in such a moment”
In Javier Calleja’s 2021 sculpture Heads, this magic moment is made manifest. Composed of five heads, asymmetrically stacked in decreasing size order, the present work is constructed in aluminum and crystal glass with a matte paint finish. Each head is given a distinct set of features – most striking of which are the vibrantly colored and cartoonishly large glass eyes, emblematic of Calleja’s trademark style. The signature eyes and unique composition lend the work a sense of whimsy which conjures up notions of childhood cartoons and youthful memories.
For Calleja, his signature watery eyes represent that “heroic moment” when a child decides to no longer be burdened by what upset them. In this way Calleja’s work not only captures the tenderness of childhood naïveté but also highlights the strength of the human psyche. Ultimately, however, the artist prefers not to explain his work, instead letting the work be “completed by the observer.”
The composition, through its asymmetry, leaves the viewer on a precipice—the imbalance creates an uneasiness that engages and confuses our eye. In this way, Calleja’s work is rooted in the Surrealist tradition, attempting to blur the reality of everyday life by distorting simple and familiar forms, melding the saccharinely sweet with a cynical humor.
Works on Paper