Txema Novelo pays a great deal of attention to the space between the divine and the quotidian.  His work is guided by the anthems preached in alternative rock music, the mysticism of religion and altars that inspire prayer to a higher power- whether it’s to a deity, philosopher or a divine personal practice. Central to his work is the concept of Joy Division/ Sad Divine, a play on the basic Gnostic principle that humans are naturally divine beings yet divided from the spiritual realm by their own physical creation. Logically, this pairing would be Sad Division / Joy Divine but through its reversal, he tries to bring this gnosis with his medium of choice — rock ‘n’ roll — and at the same time throwing the principle’s core assumption into critical perspective.

Through remapping Western and Oriental Holy Scriptures upon the mythologies of twentieth century popular music and culture, he is trying to reintroduce a sense of the sacred into contemporary art. This within the realms of video, installation, performance and sculpture.