The Art of Gori Mora: When the Surreal Meets the Queer

Gori Mora (b. 1992) is a modern Spanish-born artist whose colorful self-portraits painted on Perspex glass sheets may remind you of the iconic surrealist and pop art oeuvres. Mora gives a contemporary twist to the familiar avant-garde aesthetics in his subtle depictions of homosexual intimacy and male privacy at the time of social networks. 

Fig. 1. Gori Mora with his works (Instagram.com) 

Fig. 2. Defiance, 2025. Oil on perspex (instagram.com) 

Fig. 3. It’s About to Rain, 2020 (nu-masculin.com) 

Fig. 4. Inferno Boulevard, 2024 (Instagram.com) 

Fig. 5. Room in Glasgow, 2022 (nu-masculin.com) 

Curriculum Vitae 

Gori Mora originates from Mallorca. In 2011, he settled in Barcelona to attain a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts at Barcelona University. Six years later, the artist moved to Glasgow, UK, to study the Master's program at The Glasgow School of Art. After graduation, he was awarded the John Kinross Scholarship, which allowed him to travel to Florence. Now he resides in Glasgow. The artist has held several solo shows at various art galleries since 2015. His paintings are represented at the Royal Scottish Academy of Edinburgh, UK. 

Fig. 6. Cozy, 2023 (Instagram.com) 

Fig. 7. Coral Reverie (Instagram.com) 

Fig. 8. Instagram.com 

Fig. 9. Study of a Room, 2021 (nu-masculin.com) 

Fig. 10. Cloudy Night, 2021 (nu-masculin.com) 

Painting in Reverse

Mora transformed the painting process using the transparent acrylic sheet as a canvas. The artist works in reverse, applying oil paints on the back side of the sheet. When the painting is finished, he turns the sheet over. According to Mora, this unusual technique makes the whole process much more intriguing. The glossy Perspex surface imitates the smartphone screen, mirroring the viewer's face, while the oil paints bring us back to classic fine art. Let's add that the transparent screens also work well with the underwater leitmotifs of Mora's recent exhibition Being In Touch: the dream-like nostalgic scenes of the last vacation are shown confined in the little aquarium of human memory. 

Fig. 11. Chill and Rainy, 2021 (nu-masculin.com) 

Fig. 12. Alchemy at Dusk, 2024 (Instagram.com) 

Style and Influence 

What attracted our attention, besides the intense colors and unconventional techniques, is, by all means, the style, which resembles that of René Magritte, yet with romantic overtones, non-typical for the Belgian artist. Apparently, this resemblance is caused by the dominance of inanimate objects in the aesthetics of both painters. In his interview, Mora says that he uses several recurring images, like white underwear, codifying intimacy, and an apple, which symbolizes rebellion against social norms.

Become a Premium now and check out the extended version of the article including more on the similarities between Mora's visual language and that of René Magritte, Tom Wesselman, Mark Chagall, and Clovis Trouille.

Gori Mora is active on Instagram

Click HERE for the homoerotic art of the American oil and pastel painter Michael Breyette

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