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Previous Jurors
Toolip Art Contest
GUILLERMO LORCA
Guillermo Lorca García-Huidobro is a renowned Chilean figurative painter known for his realistic and hyperrealistic large-format paintings inspired by dreamlike elements. His work explores themes such as violence, sensuality, innocence, and childhood and is influenced by classical painters like Rembrandt and Diego Velázquez. Lorca has also created impressive murals and has exhibited internationally. His large-scale murals, including the 40-meter pieces in Viña Tabalí de Ovalle and Chile, showcase his figurative style and baroque influences. His exhibitions, such as Dievuska and Casita de Dulce, have received critical acclaim, and he was recognized as one of the 100 young leaders of Chile in 2010. His status as one of the most influential young artists in the world is a testament to his exceptional talent and unique perspective. His permanent exhibition at the prestigious Moco Museum in Barcelona showcases a collection of his iconic artworks, giving visitors a unique opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of his artistic talent.
LLUIS BASSAT
Lluis Bassat is considered the best publicist of the 20th century in Spain and Latin America, awarded more than 400 times, writer of 7 bestseller advertising books, and the president of the Bassat Foundation. This private institution promotes contemporary art from Catalonia. One of the most important art collectors in Spain, with more than 2,500 artworks, he is known for his contributions to contemporary art. While primarily recognized as a successful advertising executive and the founder of an international advertising agency, the Barcelona Tourism Board commissioned him with a campaign to promote the city as a candidate for the Olympic Games. He was also appointed as communications, advertising, and image advisor to the Generalitat de Catalunya, a position he held for seven years. He became the first Spaniard to chair the Cannes International Advertising Film Festival. Bassat's passion for art immersed him in the contemporary art scene. His involvement in contemporary art has allowed him to contribute to promoting and recognizing talented artists, making him an influential figure in the art world. He has been featured several times in Forbes Magazine for his successful business ventures and contributions to the art field. He has been recognized in Forbes magazine Spain's list of the top 25 and 50 individuals in the arts industry.
OSWALD AULÈSTIA
Oswald Aulestia is a renowned 76-year-old Catalan artist and notorious art forger of famous artworks such as Miró, Chagall, Tàpies, Dalí, and Picasso. The FBI, Mossos d'Esquadra, and Carabinieri were involved in the "Operation Artist" case that ultimately led to Oswald's imprisonment. Oswald has gained significant recognition as a renowned artist due to his ingenious creations, which are the outcome of his relentless efforts and years of honing his art. Through his dedication and expertise, he has forged masterpieces that captivate the imaginations of art enthusiasts worldwide. His artworks are a vibrant blend of Pop Art and Neoplasticism elements, incorporating bold colors and geometric shapes. He explores the intersection between these two movements, creating visually striking pieces that capture the essence of both styles.
ÀLEX SUSANNA
Alex Susanna Nadal, born in Barcelona on September 12, 1957, is a writer, cultural manager, and exhibition curator known for his roles as director of organizations such as Caixa Catalunya Foundation, Ramon Llull Institute, and Catalan Agency for Cultural Heritage. He has curated notable exhibitions of artists such as Maillol, Daniel Enkaoua, and Francesc Todó. Alex Susanna served as the director of Fundació Vila Cases. The Vila Casas Foundation is pivotal in promoting contemporary Catalan art through its five exhibition centers. These centers, which are part of the Catalan architectural heritage, showcase a permanent collection and host temporary exhibitions featuring artists from the collection. In doing so, the foundation enables the public to engage with and appreciate the vibrant art scene of Catalonia.
NOA ÓMEDES
Noa Omedes Bassat was born in Barcelona and grew up in an artistic environment, between painters, workshops, museums, galleries, and exhibitions. From a young age, she showed great interest and sensitivity to art.
Noa began her academic training in Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona. In 2017, she moved to Brussels to continue her studies and graduate from ENSAV (Ecole nationale supérieure des arts visuels de La Cambre), where she specialized in painting and photography.
After finishing her studies, she returned to Barcelona. She joined the Fundació Carmen & Luis Bassat, where she acts as the Foundation’s artistic director without abandoning her creative development and activity.
She is a highly talented contemporary artist known for her innovative approach to art. She explores mediums such as painting, sculpture, and installation art to create thought-provoking and visually engaging works. Omedes Bassat's art often addresses social and environmental issues, challenging viewers to reconsider their perspectives and engage in meaningful dialogue. With her unique vision and dedication to creating impactful art, Noa's works have been exhibited and celebrated nationally and internationally. Noa Omedes has a tremendous responsibility in the new generation of the iconic Bassat dynasty, keeping the legacy and bringing it to the next level.
CARMEN ORELLANA
Carmen Orellana Ribas worked at the Municipal Housing Board until 1967, when she began her studies in the then-new career in advertising. Once her training was completed, she joined her husband's advertising agency, playing the account executive role.
Since she was little, her parents took her to art exhibitions and galleries, a custom she maintained with her boyfriend, who later became her husband. Art has always been a part of her life, and in 1967, when things improved economically, she could afford to buy her first painting,
Starting in the seventies, Carmen and her husband's art collection grew. Today, they continue to explore galleries, fairs, and museums, and they actively work to support and promote contemporary art.
She is the co-founder of the Fundació Carmen & Lluís Bassat, where she currently acts as the vicepresident
She and her husband not only have made up a perfect couple for almost 60 years, complementing each other in their private lives, but they also almost always agree on the works they like most in the museums and galleries they visit.
MRS. TOOLIP
Mrs. Toolip, the 33-year-old artist and gallerist, founded the Toolip International Art Contest to create a vast art community and foster synergies between international talents to promote and celebrate unique and diverse artistic expressions. With her love for art, she opened her art gallery in Barcelona in July 2021, where she has hosted and promoted over 800 international artists. Mrs. Toolip's experience as a juror in multiple art competitions reflects her expertise and knowledge in the field. Her leadership and participation in various panels demonstrates her commitment to evaluating and recognizing talented artists, ensuring a fair selection process.
CRISTINA CARULLA
Cristina Carulla is an interior designer with an academic background in Interior Design from Parsons The New School for Design in New York. During her studies, she gained valuable experience at Rhobin DelaCruz Studio, where she deepened her understanding of the U.S. market and successfully led two projects in Manhattan's prestigious Lower and Upper East Side neighborhoods. Before her time in New York, Cristina lived in Mexico City, working as a journalist for the Home Division of Elle México, where she covered the latest trends and timeless interiors. Driven by her passion for design, she then launched her own restoration and furniture store, Dimitri, and completed her first design projects, including the Felix Bar and a townhouse in Colonia Roma. Upon returning to Barcelona, Cristina spent three years at Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio, one of the city’s leading design firms. In 2015, she took a bold step and founded Cristina Carulla Studio, where she has since established herself as a reference in high-end residential and commercial interior design.
JODY GOLDSMITH
Growing up in London, Jody is deeply influenced by the city’s vibrant cultural scene and its countless museums and galleries. She studies at Goldsmiths and, as part of her degree, spends a year in Barcelona, where she begins working at Villa del Arte Galleries.
For over twenty years, Jody and her husband, Bert van Zetten—owner of the galleries—work both nationally and internationally to expand Villa del Arte’s influence. Together, they develop and elevate its multidisciplinary collection while nurturing meaningful creative relationships.
Jody’s role within the galleries is multifaceted, but she particularly enjoys curating, coordinating exhibitions, and discovering and supporting emerging talent. Most recently, she plays a key role in organizing solo exhibitions for Modest Cuixart and Wim Wenders.
Locally, Jody focuses on building connections within the community. She helps organize primary school visits, creating opportunities for young students to meet and engage with artists
SILVIA JUEZ LINARES
Silvia Juez Linares was born in Barcelona, where since she was a child she showed great interest in art, especially in painting.
At age 19 she was admitted to the faculty of "Belles Arts" in Barcelona, where she discovered sculpture. There she experimented with the different techniques and materials of this. During these studies, she discovered the power of the human figure to express the world around her, for that reason, when she finished, she decided to study at the "Florence Academy of art", where she learned the necessary technique to draw and model interpreting the reality of the most truthful way possible. There she received three grants as "Studio Assistant" and won a grant in "International ARC Salon Competition, Art Renewal Center, US".
During her stay in Florence, she was a professor of drawing and sculpture at "The Italian Chinese Art & Culture Exchange Association", a chinese program of artists at "The Florence Academy of art".
In these years she has been a finalist in "Figurativas 2015", MEAM, mention of honor in "12th International ARC Salon Competition, Art Renewal Center, US", finalist in "13th International ARC Competition Salon, Art Renewal Center, US" and finalist in the "53 premio reina Sofía de pintura y escultura".
Her work can be found in various public and private collections in Spain and Italy.
She currently directs the sculpture program at the "Barcelona Academy of art".
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JORDI DÍAZ ALAMÀ
Artist/Painter, Director of the Barcelona Academy of Art and the MEAM (European Museum of Modern Art).
Jordi Díaz Alamà (b. 1986, Granollers) lives and works in Barcelona.
Alamà’s practice explores the intersections between classical figurative painting and contemporary aesthetics. The artist incorporates references from art history, inviting viewers to come into these intimate spaces where the artist’s models coexist. In series like Red Studio and the Carmine Hotel, he explores a new representation of the models, empowering them with an assertive presence, challenging conventional notions of passive objectification and traditional beauty canons.
As a lifelong project, Alamà has undertaken the monumental challenge of reinterpreting Dante’s Divine Comedy. He began with the Inferno, the first part of this epic opus, at the start of the pandemic in 2020. In this series, the artist provides a profound perspective on the state of humanity, using the image of condemned souls trapped in mystical landscapes as a metaphor for the misery of the modern world. Through this contrast between the painful reality of the present and the eternal agony of souls in a frigid and brutal hell, the author prompts us to reflect on the consequences of our actions and decisions as a society.
His works can be found in the permanent collections of the MEAM and the Can Framis Museum in Barcelona, as well as in private collections in Europe, the United States, and Australia.
Alamà is also the founder, in 2013, of the Barcelona Academy of Art, an educational center specialized in teaching figurative drawing, painting, and sculpture.