After studying drawing at the School of Arts and Crafts in Vitoria-Gasteiz between 1954 and 1956, Mieg moved to Madrid where he perfected his pencil skills, before enrolling in the School of Architecture in Barcelona in 1960. However, in 1962, he gave up his architectural studies after just two years to follow his true calling, teaching himself to paint. He visited exhibitions by artists such as Antoni Tàpies, Ràfols Casamada and Modest Cuixart and then travelled to Paris to gain first-hand insight of the avant-garde scene and particularly the abstract art that was to have such a major influence on his work. Returning to his hometown in 1966, he founded the Orain group with Jesús Echevarría, Joaquín Fraile, Carmelo Ortiz de Elgea and Alberto Schommer.
Mieg's work focuses on the conceptual and technical development of his language (with influences from informalism and surrealism) and his use of oil on canvas. As an artist, he has always evolved slowly, and enjoys re-visiting the same story time and time again. In the 1970s, his work contained a strong component of social criticism and material experimentation. However, with the passage of time, he focused on more gestural works, with a more synthetic stroke, using a subtle and meticulous brushstroke to create a pictorial universe full of lines, colours and marks capable of establishing a connection with the viewer through the emotions. Thanks to this singular career, Juan Mieg is now considered to be one of the leading modernist painters in Alava.
His first exhibition was held at the School of Architecture in Barcelona (1960). Thereafter, he exhibited his work at solo and group exhibitions, most notably at the Salón de Mayo in Barcelona (1961); the Museum of Navarra (Pamplona/Iruña, 1972); Sala Aritza (Bilbao, 1973); the Provincial Museum of Vitoria-Gasteiz (1978); Palacio Velázquez Exhibition Hall, Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid, 1979); the Fundació Joan Miró (Barcelona, 1980); the Bilbao Museum (Bilbao, 1980); the Municipal Museum of Pamplona/Iruña (1983); the Guéthary Museum (Guéthary, France, 2003) and the Basque Centre and Museum of Contemporary Art in Vitoria-Gasteiz (2014). In 1991 he participated in the International Biennial of Cuba.
After studying drawing at the School of Arts and Crafts in Vitoria-Gasteiz between 1954 and 1956, Mieg moved to Madrid where he perfected his pencil skills, before enrolling in the School of Architecture in Barcelona in 1960. However, in 1962, he gave up his architectural studies after just two years to follow his true calling, teaching himself to paint. He visited exhibitions by artists such as Antoni Tàpies, Ràfols Casamada and Modest Cuixart and then travelled to Paris to gain first-hand insight of the avant-garde scene and particularly the abstract art that was to have such a major influence on his work. Returning to his hometown in 1966, he founded the Orain group with Jesús Echevarría, Joaquín Fraile, Carmelo Ortiz de Elgea and Alberto Schommer.
Mieg's work focuses on the conceptual and technical development of his language (with influences from informalism and surrealism) and his use of oil on canvas. As an artist, he has always evolved slowly, and enjoys re-visiting the same story time and time again. In the 1970s, his work contained a strong component of social criticism and material experimentation. However, with the passage of time, he focused on more gestural works, with a more synthetic stroke, using a subtle and meticulous brushstroke to create a pictorial universe full of lines, colours and marks capable of establishing a connection with the viewer through the emotions. Thanks to this singular career, Juan Mieg is now considered to be one of the leading modernist painters in Alava.
His first exhibition was held at the School of Architecture in Barcelona (1960). Thereafter, he exhibited his work at solo and group exhibitions, most notably at the Salón de Mayo in Barcelona (1961); the Museum of Navarra (Pamplona/Iruña, 1972); Sala Aritza (Bilbao, 1973); the Provincial Museum of Vitoria-Gasteiz (1978); Palacio Velázquez Exhibition Hall, Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid, 1979); the Fundació Joan Miró (Barcelona, 1980); the Bilbao Museum (Bilbao, 1980); the Municipal Museum of Pamplona/Iruña (1983); the Guéthary Museum (Guéthary, France, 2003) and the Basque Centre and Museum of Contemporary Art in Vitoria-Gasteiz (2014). In 1991 he participated in the International Biennial of Cuba.