Maya’s practice is informed by her studies in interaction and moving image, and centres on time, process and transformation. Working with pigments and acrylic, she lays raw canvases on the floor and soaks them in water, applying colour as the surface begins to dry so that the pigment diffuses into soft contours. Environmental conditions such as humidity and temperature shape the final result, making each work a record of both Maya’s hand and the place in which it was made. Her process combines a strong sense of chronology with a deliberate openness to chance. She has extended this approach into sculptural works, including wooden structures supporting hand-stained silk that moves with the air around it.
Violeta Maya (b. 1993, Madrid, Spain) lives and works in Madrid.
Maya received her BA from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London, in 2015. Selected solo exhibitions include Nils Stærk, Copenhagen (2026); Nicelle Beauchene Gallery, New York (2025, 2023); Palau de Casavells, Alzueta Gallery, Girona (2025, 2022); Olivia Foundation, Mexico City (2024); and Gallery B-R, Tetbury (2023). Selected group exhibitions include Nassima Foundation, Tel Aviv (2026); Overduin & Co., Los Angeles (2026); and El Espacio 23, Miami (2025). She has undertaken residencies at Dragon Hill, Mouans-Sartoux (2026), and the Manoir de la Moissie, Dordogne (2024). Her work is held in public collections including the Jorge M. Pérez Collection, Miami; Morgan Stanley Art Collection, New York; JPMorgan Chase Art Collection, New York; Shah Garg Foundation, Atherton; and Nassima Landau Art Foundation, Tel Aviv.